Molten viscosity

Melt Viscosity. Viscosities of resins at standard temperatures yield information about molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, as weU as valuable information with respect to appHcation logistics. Some customers prefer to receive resins in molten form. Melt viscosities help to determine the required temperature for a resin to be pumpable. Temperature—viscosity profiles are routinely suppHed to customers by resin manufacturers. In general, a molten viscosity of 1—1.1 Pa-s (1000—1100 cP) or less at process temperatures is convenient for the pumping and handling of molten resin. 

The number-average molar mass of thermoplastic polyesters varies from about 20,000 for film and fiber applications to 40,000 for injection-molding or blowmolding resins. Relationships between intrinsic or molten viscosity and molar mass have been published for PET,131-136 PBT,135,137 and PEN.138... 

Phthalide (241) has been used as an additive used to prepare polyesters with low molten viscosity <91JAP(K)03200859>. Phthalic anhydride (242), prepared by the oxidation of o-xylene, is of major importance to the chemical industry with 1992 production over 400000 tonnes <93CEN38>. It is used as a monomer in the preparation of alkyd resins (a polyester with glycerol and other polyols) and thermosetting polymers (with maleic anhydride and polyols). Another important application is in the production of dioctyl phthalate (243), which is used as a plasticizer for PVC (1991 production, 123000 tonnes). Over 400 references pertaining to the use of phthalic anhydride in polymer compositions have appeared since 1982. Tetrabromophthalic anhydride (244) has been used to prepare flame-retardant bisphthalimides as polymer additives <90JAP(K)02145568>. 

As the irradiation causes the chain scission, with simultaneous creation of chain termination, induced by polymer/stabilizer radical reactions, a significant modification of the molecular weight [M (5 Mrad)/M (0 Mrad) = 0.5] may be observed. Consequently a decrease of the molten viscosity for irradiated PP with increasing irradiation dose rate is observed [6]. 

Under typical conditions of 290°C spinning temperature, the molten viscosity is ca 200-2000 Pacs (2000-20,000 P) depending on average molecular weight. This is extremely viscous—similar to hot asphalt. The pump must provide a pressure of 10-20 MPa ( 100-200 bar) to force the flow through the pack, which contains filtration media (eg, a sand bed) to remove any particles larger than a few micrometers. 

At the other extreme are materials which flow like liquids but show a tendency to recoil when the stress is removed. This has been called flow-elasticity or elastico-viscosity . Such liquids (e.g. molten Nylon) can be spun to form threads. 

When sulphur is melted viscosity changes occur as the temperature is raised. These changes are due to the formation of long-chain polymers (in very pure sulphur, chains containing about 100 (X)0 atoms may be formed). The polymeric nature of molten sulphur can be recognised if molten sulphur is poured in a thin stream into cold water, when a plastic rubbery mass known as plastic sulphur is obtained. This is only slightly soluble in carbon disulphide, but on standing it loses its plasticity and reverts to the soluble rhombic form. If certain substances, for example iodine or oxides of arsenic, are incorporated into the plastic sulphur, the rubbery character can be preserved. 

Phosphoms-containing additives can act in some cases by catalyzing thermal breakdown of the polymer melt, reducing viscosity and favoring the flow or drip of molten polymer from the combustion zone (25). On the other hand, red phosphoms [7723-14-0] has been shown to retard the nonoxidative pyrolysis of polyethylene (a radical scission). For that reason, the scavenging of radicals in the condensed phase has been proposed as one of several modes of action of red phosphoms (26). 

Normally ca 50% of the coal ash is removed from the bottom of the gasifier as a quenched slag. The balance is carried overhead in the gas as droplets which are solidified when the gas is cooled with a water spray. A fluxing agent is added, if required, to the coal to lower the ash fusion temperature and increase the molten slag viscosity. 

Heat Exchangers Using Non-Newtonian Fluids. Most fluids used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and biomedical industries can be classified as non-Newtonian, ie, the viscosity varies with shear rate at a given temperature. In contrast, Newtonian fluids such as water, air, and glycerin have constant viscosities at a given temperature. Examples of non-Newtonian fluids include molten polymer, aqueous polymer solutions, slurries, coal—water mixture, tomato ketchup, soup, mayonnaise, purees, suspension of small particles, blood, etc. Because non-Newtonian fluids ate nonlinear in nature, these ate seldom amenable to analysis by classical mathematical techniques. 

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. 

Solution Polymerization. Two solution polymerization technologies ate practiced. Processes of the first type utilize heavy solvents those of the second use molten PE as the polymerization medium (57). Polyethylene becomes soluble ia saturated C —hydrocarbons above 120—130°C. Because the viscosity of HDPE solutions rapidly iacrease with molecular weight, solution polymerization is employed primarily for the production of low mol wt resias. Solution process plants were first constmcted for the low pressure manufacture of PE resias ia the late 1950s they were later exteasively modified to make their operatioa economically competitive. 

Film. By far the largest appHcation for LLDPE resins (over 60% in the United States) is film. Because LLDPE film has high tensile strength and puncture resistance, it is able to compete with HDPE film for many uses. The toughness and low temperature properties of LLDPE film also exceed those of conventional LDPE. Furthermore, because LLDPE resins exhibit relatively low strain hardening in the molten state and lower extensional viscosity, it can be produced at high rates with Httle risk of bubble breaks. 

A web of molten plastic is pulled from the die into the nip between the top and middle roUs. At the nip, there is a very small rolling bank of melt. Pressure between the roUs is adjusted to produce sheet of the proper thickness and surface appearance. The necessary amount of pressure depends on the viscosity. For a given width, thickness depends on the balance between extmder output rate and the take-off rate of the pull roUs. A change in either the extmder screw speed or the puU-roU speed affects thickness. A constant thickness across the sheet requires a constant thickness of melt from the die. The die is equipped with bolts for adjusting the die-gap opening and with an adjustable choker bar or dam located inside the die a few centimeters behind the die opening. The choker bar restricts flow in the center of the die, helping to maintain a uniform flow rate across the entire die width. 

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