Extrusion Instabilities

Subject:-
Polymer processing
Presented to –
Presented by :- Dr. Roli Purwar
DEVANSH 2k17/PS/19
DIKSHA 2K17/PS/20
At low flow rate the extrudate is initially smooth and considered to be defect free . As the flow rate increases ,an
initial sharkskin defect occurs. If the flow rate is increased further stick spurt instability occurs. With a increase
flow , superflow may exist where again extrudate is smooth and defect free.Finally at very high flow rates a ‘Melt
Free Region’ may develop.
 Sharkskin instability
• Initially small scale surface defect occurs
• Development of roughness on the surface of the extrudate

Examples of sharkskin SEM

 Methods of Sharkskin Minimisation
• Modification of Die Surface
• Exit Curvature
Effect of Additives
 Melt Fracture
1) Five pictures of a molten polyethylene flowing out of the pipe visible at the top. Flow rate
increases from left to right.

2) Note that in the two leftmost photographs the extrudates are smooth, while in the middle
one unadulations start to develop. As the flow rate increases even further towards the
right , the amplitude of unadulations gets stronger. When the flow rate is enhanced even
more, the extrudate can break. Hence the name “melt fracture.”
The melt fracture can be reduced by-

1)Lowering the shear rate.

2)Raising the temperature.
3)Using the lower molecular weight compound.
 Volume Extrusion Instabilities
• instabilities that involve the whole volume of the extrudate

The effect of apparent shear rate and L/D on

Examples of upstream instabilities volume instabilities for polystyrene
 The Minimisation of Volume Instabilities
• Influence of Temperature on Viscoelastic Properties
• Influence of the Die Converging Angle
• introducing filters