Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This paper presents a brief review of the flow birefringence technique and the analysis of the transmission of light through the blown film at an oblique angle. The rheological application of the technique is based on the stress-optical law whose validity and restrictions are discussed. The technique is able to fully determine the stress tensor in the bubble by using different light paths. Preliminary birefringence measurements are reported. The birefringence value is very low in the melt zone. However, it increases drastically in the vicinity of the frost line height where crystallization begins. The birefringence continues to increase above the frost line. It appears that the birefringence is highly affected by crystallization. The orientation of the crystalline phase is considerably higher than that of the molten polymer chains.

Keywords

film blowing birefringence technique molecular orientation polyethylene.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ghaneh-Fard

, P. J.

Carreau

and P. G.

Lafleur

. 1996. “Study of Instabilities in Film Blowing”, AIChE J., in press.

Han

C. D.

and J. Y.

Park

. 1975. “Studies on Blown Film Extrusion. I. Experimental Determination of Elongational Viscosity”, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 19:3257-3276.

Wagner

M. H

. 1978. “Experimental Investigations into the Analysis of the Film Blowing Process”, Kunststoffe, 68:15-17.

Gupta

R. K.

, A. B.

Metzner

and K. F.

Wissbrun

. 1982. “Modelling of Polymeric Film-Blowing Process”, Polym. Eng. Sci., 22:172-181.

Winter

H. H.

1983. “A Collaborative Study on the Relation Between Film Blowing Performance and Rheological Properties of Two Low-Density and Two High-Density Polyethylene Samples”, Pure & Appl. Chem., 55(6):943-976.

Kanai

and J. L.

White

. 1984. “Kinematics, Dynamics and Stability of the Tubular Film Extrusion of Various Polyethylenes”, Polym. Eng. Sci., 24:1185-1201.

Huang

T. A.

and G. A.

Campbell

. 1985. “Deformational History of LLDPE/LDPE Blends on Blown Film Equipment”, Advances in Polymer Technology, 5(3):181-192.

Huang

T. A.

and G. A.

Campbell

. 1986. “Deformational and Temperature History Comparison for LLDPE and LDPE Elements in the Bubble Expansion Region of Blown Films”, J. Plastic Film & Sheeting, 2:30-39.

Iks

P. P.

1994. “Film Blowing: from Polymer to Product”, Ph.D. Dissertation, Eindhoven University of Technology.

10.

Michaeli

and G.

Schmitz

. 1995. “Investigation of Blown Film Extrusion Using the Laser Doppler Velocimetry”, ANTEC '95, pp. 181-185.

11.

Dealy

J. M.

and K. F.

Wissbrun

. 1990. Melt Rheology and Its Role in Plastics Processing: Theory and Application, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

12.

Janeschitz-Kriegl

1983. Polymer Melt Rheology and Flow Birefringence, Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

13.

Wales

J. L. S.

1976. The Application of Flow Birefringence to Rheological Studies of Polymer Melts, The Netherlands: Delft University Press.

14.

Van Aken

J. A.

and H.

Janeschitz-Kriegl

. 1980. “New Apparatus for the Simultaneous Measurement of Stresses and Flow Birefringence in Biaxial Extension of Polymer Melts”, Rheol. Acta, 19:744-752.

15.

Osaki

, N.

Bessho

, T.

Kojimoto

and M.

Kurata

. 1979. “Flow Birefringence of Polymer Solutions in Time-Dependent Field”, J. Rheol., 23:457-475.

16.

Fuller

G. G.

1990. “Optical Rheometry”, Annu. Rev. Fluid. Mech., 22:387-417.

17.

Kimura

, K.

Osaki

and M.

Kurata

. 1981. “Stress Relaxation of Polybutadiene at Large Deformation. Measurements of Stress and Birefringence in Shear and Elongation”, J. Polym. Sci.: Polym. Physics Edition, 19:151-163.

18.

Subramanian

, D. R.

Wilson

and J. J.

C. Picot

. 1992. “Flow Birefringence in Polymer Rheology”, Polym. Eng. Sci., 32:573-578.

19.

Koyoma

and O.

Ishizuka

. 1989. “Birefringence of Polyethylene Melt in Transient Elongational Flow at Constant Strain Rate”, J. Polym. Sci.: Part B, Polym. Physics, 27:297-306.

20.

Nagasawa

T. T. Matsumura

and S.

Hoshino

1973. “Film Forming Process of Crystalline Polymer. I. Factors Inducing a Molecular Orientation in Tubular Blown Film”, Applied Polymer Symposium, 20:275-293.

21.

Fuller

G. G.

and K. J.

Mikkelsen

. 1989. “Optical Rheometry Using Rotary Polarization Modulator”, J. Rheol., 33:761-769.

22.

Azzam

R. M. A.

and N. M.

Bashara

. 1979. Elipsometry and Polarized Light, Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Company.

23.

Fuller

G. G.

1994. “Optical Rheometry: Optical Methods for Structure and Dynamics”, Short Course Presented for the Society of Rheology at the 66th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.

24.

Born

and E.

Wolf.

1965. Principles of Optics, 3rd Edition, Oxford: Pergamon Press.

25.

Stein

R. S.

1957. “Measurement of Birefringence of Biaxially Oriented Films”, J. Polym. Sci., 24:383-396.

26.

Hongladarom

and W. R.

Burghart

. 1994. “Measurement of the Full Refractive Index in Sheared Liquid Crystalline Polymer Solutions”, Macromolecules, 27:483-489.

27.

Ashizawa

, J. E.

Spruiell

and J. L.

White

. 1984. “An Investigation of Optical Clarity and Crystalline Orientation in Polyethylene Tubular Film”, Polym. Eng. Sci., 24:1035-1042.

28.

Brandrup

and E. H.

Immergut

, eds. 1975. Polymer Handbook. 2nd Edition, Toronto: John Wiley.

29.

Butler

T. I.

and R.

Patel

. 1993. “Blown Film Bubble Forming and Quenching Effects on Film Properties”, J. Plastic Film & Sheeting, 9:181-200.

30.

Samuels

R. J.

1974. Structured Polymer Properties. Tbronto: John Wiley.

APPLICATION OF BIREFRINGENCE To FILM BLOWING

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References