Measurement for shear viscosity spectrum of polymer melts by using screw extruder capillary

Most polymer materials are processed in the melt state, which involves melt flow and deformation, which not only affects the processing process itself, but also affects the final performance of the product. Therefore, the study of rheological properties of polymer materials has been a hot topic. Accurate measurement of rheological parameters is the basis of in-depth study of rheological properties.

Shear viscosity is an important parameter to characterize the rheological behavior. The so-called shear viscosity of polymer melt is the ratio of shear stress and shear rate that melt is subjected to in the process of flow. Polymer melt causes pseudoplastic fluid, and its flow behavior has the characteristics of shear thinning. It is usually necessary to use the relationship curve between shear viscosity and shear rate, namely shear viscosity spectrum, to fully reflect the processing characteristics of polymer melt.

The basic method of measuring melt viscosity is to try to make the melt flow through a long and thin capillary tube, such as a round capillary tube. The shear stress can be calculated by measuring the pressure drop at both ends of the melt as it flows through the capillary tube. The shear rate can be calculated by measuring the flux of melt per unit time. Thus the melt viscosity can be obtained.

The conventional way to get the melt out of the capillary tube is to use piston propulsion. The advantage of this method is that it USES fewer test materials and can obtain higher shear stress. The high pressure capillary rheometer is based on this principle [4].However, the disadvantage of this test method is that the material cannot be tested under the actual processing conditions, and it is difficult to obtain the rheological properties of the polymer melt when it is processed. Especially in the study of blending modification of several polymer materials, the polymer melt needs the strong shearing action of screw to achieve the purpose of blending. High pressure capillary rheometer is not suitable for testing such materials.

The screw extrusion capillary rheological test device can solve the above problems. The device USES the propulsive force of the screw to make the polymer melt flow through the capillary tube. Therefore, the shear viscosity of polymer melt can be measured under conditions closer to real processing. This method is particularly suitable for the measurement of the rheological properties of thermoplastic materials and their mixtures. Because the measurement simulates the real experimental environment, the obtained test parameters can more accurately describe the behavior of materials in actual processing.

Shear viscosity spectra of polymer melts can be measured using specialized test instruments, such as high pressure capillary rheometers, or combined revolutions. However, these devices are expensive and limited in practical use, especially in the application of large-scale industrial production. In fact, it is not necessary to rely on the special test instrument, as long as the shear viscosity test principle, you can use a simple small single-screw extruder and capillary mold, constitute a low-cost shear viscosity spectrum test device. Combined with computer data processing, the shear viscosity spectrum of polymer melt can be easily and quickly obtained. This method is especially suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises to carry out product development and raw material inspection.