RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF HOLLOW SPHERE LOADED POLYMER MELTS

A simple and semiempirical rheological equation of state was developed to describe and predict the steady-state shear viscosities of hollow sphere loaded polymer melts as functions of temperature, shear rate, a nd composition of hollow sphere. High density polyethylene (HDPE) was used as a matrix polymer and steady-state shear viscosities of various compositions of HDPE/hollow sphere polymeric composites were measured at various temperatures. The destruction of hollow spheres was observ ed during viscosity measurement. The proposed model successfully predi cted the rheological behaviour of HDPE/hollow sphere systems. It is a simplified algebraic form with a few parameters and gives a great adva ntage for practical application. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.