Abstract: | Viscoelastic properties of polymer fluids are single-valued functions of shear stress or shear rate only at high total applied shear. These parameters may vary with applied shear under milder shear histories. The mean total shear in capillary extrusion is shown to be a function of orifice geometry. Apparent flow curves can be measured at various total shear values by changing the length/radius ratio of the capillary. The true shear stress and true shear rate at the orifice wall correspond to infinite total shear conditions. The true flow curve and elastic parameters like die swell are not measured at equivalent total shear unless the capillary is extremely long. |