The stress-strain curve of Luflexen in tension

This work investigated the stress-strain properties of a low density polyet hylene based on novel metallocene catalysts, marketed by BASF under the tra de name of Luflexen. It was found that the polymer exhibited rubber-like pr operties similar to those associated with the styrene-butadiene block copol ymers. The stress-strain properties were modelled using the HT model propos ed by Haward and Thackray. The model employs a dashpot to represent a visco sity in parallel with a spring defined by the theory of rubber elasticity f or which non-Gaussian chain statistics were initially selected. It was show n that at extension ratios lambda > 2 the model generates curves in good ag reement with experimental results. A significant feature of the treatment w as the ability of the model to provide an estimate of the limiting extensio n ratio lambda (max) as represented, in the model, by the parameter n(1/2). (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.