Extrusion of Polymer Melts and Melt Flow Instabilities. I. Experimental Study of Capillary Flow and Extrudate Distortion

Abstract

The extrusion of molten plastics, elastomers and fibers represent an important industrial operation. The rate of extrusion of melts through dies is limited by the onset of a flow instability. This phenomenon consists of a change in flow from uniform to irregular that results in the production of rough and distorted extradates drastically different from the smooth cylinders obtained at lower rates. Extrusion melt flow instability is observed in the entire spectrum of polymer melts ranging from silicone gums through nylon and polyolefin plastics to raw elastomers. Since the first descriptions of this phenomena in the 1940's considerable research effort has been expended in this area with limited agreement. It is the purpose of part I to: (1) present new experimental data on capillary flow of polymer melts and extrudate distortion, and (2) to review critically the literature on extrudate distortion.