The stress-strain curve of Luflexen in tension

This work investigated the stress-strain properties of a low density polyethylene based on novel metallocene catalysts, marketed by BASF under the trade name of Luflexen. It was found that the polymer exhibited rubber-like properties similar to those associated with the styrene-butadiene block copolymers. The stress-strain properties were modelled using the HT model proposed by Haward and Thackray. The model employs a dashpot to represent a viscosity in parallel with a spring defined by the theory of rubber elasticity for which non-Gaussian chain statistics were initially selected. It was shown that at extension ratios lambda > 2 the model generates curves in good agreement with experimental results. A significant feature of the treatment was the ability of the model to provide an estimate of the limiting extension ratio lambda (max) as represented, in the model, by the parameter n(1/2). (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.