Characterizing the Impact of Shear Induced Crystallization on a Polymer Melt

Description:

In this webinar, we explore characterizing the impact of shear induced crystallization on a polymer melt. 

Understanding the morphology is critical in polymer rheology as the degree of crystallization can impact various material properties. Solidification of a semi-crystalline polymer is more impacted by increase in crystallinity, than by decrease in temperature, which impacts the flowability of the polymer.Understanding how to characterize and control this behavior is important from a processing standpoint.  Despite its importance, this field of study struggles with the ability to accurately measure the rheology and evolution of the crystalline structure in-situ.  However, in most cases, the two behaviors are measured on separate devices. In this work, an optical module was adapted to a rotational rheometer. This combination allows characterizing the viscoelastic properties of a material, while changes in the morphology can be studied through microscopic imaging, in the form of pictures or videos.