Flow instability for binary blends of linear polyethylene and long-chain branched polyethylene

The theological properties and flow instability are studied for binary blends composed of a long-chain branched polyethylene and a linear polyethylene. It is found that the blends containing a linear-polyethylene with high shear viscosity exhibit higher oscillatory moduli, drawdown force, and strain-hardening behavior. The blends showing the anomalous theological phenomena show sharkskin failure in low shear rate region as compared with a pure linear polyethylene. Moreover, the blends exhibit severe gross melt fracture at low output rate. Enhanced strain-hardening in elongational viscosity and large entrance angle at a die entry will be responsible for the severe gross melt fracture for the blends. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.