Melt Elongation Strength and Drawability of LDPE/LLDPE Blends

Abstract

Abstract The melt strength behavior and drawability during elongation flow of low density polyethylene (LDPE)/linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) blends were investigated using the Rheotens test method under temperature ranging from 160 to 200 °C and die extrusion velocity varying from 9 to 36 mm/s. It was found that the blend melt strength decreased with a rise of temperature while increased with increasing the LDPE weight fraction when the extension rate or drawing ratio is constant; the dependence of the blend melt strength on the melt extension temperature roughly obeyed the Arrhenius equation; the dependence of the blend melt strength on the die extrusion velocity roughly obeyed the index equation. The drawing ratio at the melt fracture decreased with increasing the LDPE weight fraction and the die extrusion velocities, while increased with a rise of the melt extension temperature.