Enhanced polymer processability
Polymers, often called plastics, have become ubiquitous. They are in products ranging from food and beverage containers to automotive components to consumer electronics and are a major pillar of the EU economy. Viscosity plays a critical role in processability as a polymer melt is typically employed to fill a mould. High viscosity (internal friction and resistance to flow) affects processing temperature, cycle time, productivity and product quality. Low-frequency pulsed shear and extensional mechanical treatment helps reduce shear stress. This could help in orienting the melt during extrusion (sustained orientation or disentanglement of the normally tangled polymer chains). However, the topic is one surrounded by controversy given its contradiction of established theories. EU-funded scientists investigated the physical mechanisms of sustained orientation with EU-funding of the project SISAPEM. Researchers made an inestimable contribution to the field of polymer science by verifying the existence and mechanisms of sustained orientation. Decreasing the viscosity of high-tech polymer mixtures with high concentrations of fillers including carbon nanotubes opens important new markets for the polymer industry. These include the production of flame retardants and components with high electrical conductivity. Future research will focus on controlling the viscosity of polymer melts using low-frequency pulsed shear and extensional mechanical treatment during processing. SISAPEM outcomes are expected to spawn a flurry of research and discovery and a superior components for high-tech devices could be just around the corner.
Keywords
Polymers, viscosity, filllers, polymer melt, low-frequency pulsed shear, mechanical treatment, sustained orientation, disentanglement
