Melt flows

Melt flow rate Melt-formed ceramics Melt fracture Melting temperature... 

After extmsion, molten polymer is filtered through screen packs. The polymer may be separated iato different melt flow ranges to produce more uniform product grades. 

Testing. Melt index or melt flow rate at 190°C, according to ASTM D1238, is the test most frequently appHed to the characterization of commercial acetal resins. The materials are typically grouped or differentiated according to their melt flow rate. Several other ASTM tests are commonly used for the characterization and specification of acetal resins. 

ASTM D4181 calls out standard specifications for acetal mol ding and extmsion materials. Homopolymer and copolymer are treated separately. Within each class of resin, materials are graded according to melt flow rate. The International Standards Organization (ISO) is expected to issue a specification for acetal resins before 1992. 

Several commercial polyester fabrics are flame retarded using low levels of phosphoms additives that cause them to melt and drip more readily than fabrics without the flame retardant. This mechanism can be completely defeated by the presence of nonthermoplastic component such as infusible fibers, pigments, or by siUcone oils which can form pyrolysis products capable of impeding melt flow (27,28). 

Tefzel grade Form Melt flow, g/10 min Appheation... 

The resin must be of highest purity for optimum processing characteristics and properties. Degradation results in discoloration, bubbling, and change in melt flow rate. 

Modification of BPA-PC for adaptation to the conditions of production of CD and CD-ROM disks, and of substrate disks for WORM and EOD was necessary. BPA-PC standard quaHties for extmsion and injection mol ding have, depending on molecular weight, melt flow indexes (MEI), (according to ISO 1130/ASTM 1238 in g/10 min at 300°C/1.2 kg, between less than 3 g/10 min (viscous types) up to 17 g/10 min. For CDs and optical data storage disks, however, MEI values exceeding 30 g/10 min, and for exceptionally short cycle times (5—7 s) even >60 g/lOmin are demanded at an injection mass temperature of 300°C (see Table 5). 

Fig. 23. Correlation between properties (general characteristics), melt flow index (MFI), and mol wt for standard BPA polycarbonate and CD-modified...

Up to 0.4 g/L of the iodine stays in solution and the rest precipitates as crystallized iodine, which is removed by flotation (qv). This operation does not require a flotation agent, owing to the hydrophobic character of the crystallized element. From the flotation cell a heavy pulp, which is water-washed and submitted to a second flotation step, is obtained. The washed pulp is introduced into a heat exchanger where it is heated under pressure up to 120°C to melt the iodine that flows into a first reactor for decantation. From there the melt flows into a second reactor for sulfuric acid drying. The refined iodine is either flaked or prilled, and packed in 50- and 25-kg plastic-lined fiber dmms. 

Sample designation Melt flow rate, dg/min Stiffness, MPa Tensile properties ... 

Ionomer resins are produced in multiple grades to meet market needs, and prospective customers are provided with information on key processing parameters such as melt-flow index. Nominal values for many other properties are Hsted in product brochures. The ASTM test methods developed for general-purpose thermoplastic resins are appHcable to ionomers. No special methods have been introduced specifically for the ionomers. 

During the press operation, which is actually a form of compression mol ding, the resin-treated laminate pHes are heated under pressure and the resins cured. The initial heating phases cause the resin to melt and flow into voids in the reinforcing ply and bond the individual pHes together. The appHed heat simultaneously causes the resin to polymerize and eventually to cross-link or gel. Therefore, resin viscosity reaches a minimum during the press cycle. This is the point at which the curing process becomes dominant over the melt flow process. Dynamic mechanical and dielectric analyses (11) are excellent tools for study of this behavior. 

Suspension Polymers. Methacrylate suspension polymers are characterized by thek composition and particle-size distribution. Screen analysis is the most common method for determining particle size. Melt-flow characteristics under various conditions of heat and pressure are important for polymers intended for extmsion or injection molding appHcations. Suspension polymers prepared as ion-exchange resins are characterized by thek ion-exchange capacity, density (apparent and wet), solvent sweUing, moisture holding capacity, porosity, and salt-spHtting characteristics (105). 

Molecular Weight Distribution. In industry, the MWD of PE resins is often represented by the value of the melt flow ratio (MER) as defined in Table 2. The MER value of PE is primarilly a function of catalyst type. Phillips catalysts produce PE resins with a broad MWD and their MER usually exceeds 100 Ziegler catalysts provide resins with a MWD of a medium width (MFR = 25-50) and metallocene catalysts produce PE resins with a narrow MWD (MFR = 15-25). IfPE resins with especially broad molecular weight distributions are needed, they can be produced either by using special mixed catalysts or in a series of coimected polymerization reactors operating under different reaction conditions. 

Melt Index or Melt Viscosity. Melt index describes the flow behavior of a polymer at a specific temperature under specific pressure. If the melt index is low, its melt viscosity or melt flow resistance is high the latter is a term that denotes the resistance of molten polymer to flow when making film, pipe, or containers. ASTM D1238 is the designated method for this test. 

Orientation. Most articles made of HDPE, including film, fiber, pipes, and injection-molded articles, exhibit some degree of molecular and crystal orientation (21). In some cases, orientation develops spontaneously for example, during melt flow into a mold and its subsequent crystallisation. When blown HDPE film and fiber are manufactured, orientation can be introduced dehberately by stretching. 

The width of molecular weight distribution (MWD) is usually represented by the ratio of the weight—average and the number—average molecular weights, MJM. In iadustry, MWD is often represented by the value of the melt flow ratio (MER), which is calculated as a ratio of two melt indexes measured at two melt pressures that differ by a factor of 10. Most commodity-grade LLDPE resias have a narrow MWD, with the MJM ratios of 2.5—4.5 and MER values in the 20—35 range. However, LLDPE resias produced with chromium oxide-based catalysts have a broad MWD, with M.Jof 10—35 and MER of 80-200. 

The molecular weight distribution of LLDPE resins is usually characterized in industry by the ratios of melt indexes measured in the same apparatus using different loads (2.16, 10.16, and 21.6 kg). The commonly used ratios are melt flow ratio, MFR) and I q/I2. Both of these ratios... 

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