| Abstract: | This article investigates the radial extrudate swell and velocity profiles of polystyrene melt in a capillary die of a constant shear‐rate extrusion rheometer, using a parallel coextrusion technique. An electro‐magnetized capillary die was used to monitor the changes in the radial extrudate swell profiles of the melt, which is relatively novel in polymer processing. The magnetic flux density applied to the capillary die was varied in a parallel direction to the melt flow, and all tests were performed under the critical condition at which sharkskin and melt fracture did not occur in the normal die. The experimental results suggest that the overall extrudate swell for all shear rates increased with increasing magnetic flux density to a maximum value and then decreased at higher densities. The maximum swelling peak of the melt appeared to shift to higher magnetic flux density, and the value of the maximum swell decreased with increasing wall shear rate and die temperature. The effect of magnetic torque on the extrudate swell ratio of PS melt was more pronounced when extruding the melt at low shear rates and low die temperatures. For radial extrudate swell and velocity profiles, the radial swell ratio for a given shear rate decreased with increasing r/R position. There were two regions where the changes in the extrudate swell ratio across the die diameter were obvious with changing magnetic torque and shear rate, one around the duct center and the other around r/R of 0.65–0.85. The changes in the extrudate swell profiles across the die diameter were associated with, and can be explained using, the melt velocity profiles generated during the flow. In summary, the changes in the overall extrudate swell ratio of PS melt in a capillary die were influenced more by the swelling of the melt around the center of the die. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:2298–2307, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers. |
