A novel method for industrial manufacturing of thermoplastic multilayer films: Processing, microstructure, and properties. (17th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Qu, Jin‐ping; Luo, Yue
• Is Part Of: Polymer engineering & science. Volume 59(2019)Supplement 1
• Page Start: E339
• Page End: E349
• Publication Date: 2018-10-17
• Subjects: Polymer engineering -- Periodicals; Polymers -- Periodicals; 668.9
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.24969
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-3888

Abstract

Abstract : This article reports a facile approach for industrial‐scale manufacturing of multilayer coextrusion‐blown films by developing a novel rotation homogenization distribution (RHD) method. Materials in this unique process are subjected to a flow field combining both shear circulation and pressure flow. In RHD, circumferential shear causes a laminar flow, where the stable interface between layers can be obtained, and assigns melt evenly to the entire circumferential direction. This equipment has been used to prepare multilayer low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) films under various shear rates by altering the mandrel rotation speed. The effects of mandrel rotation speed on the microstructure, morphology, and properties of bilayer LDPE films were investigated. Multilayer LDPE films with superior interfacial stability and uniform layer distribution, which differ from the multiple melt channels in conventional multilayer coextrusion blown facilities, were successfully fabricated using the proposed equipment. Evident enhancements were observed in thermal shrinkage and mechanical properties of the multilayer films, especially in the transverse direction. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E339–E349, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers