The determination of polymer additive effects in a spherilene process HDPE matrix upon water carry-over in water quenched,cast film extrusion

A test method useful in determining the effects of polymer additives upon water carry-over (WCO) in water quenched, cast film extrusion is presented. Data from this test is obtained on film specimens based in a Spherilene process HDPE resin individually doped with 250 and 500 ppm of six various primary and secondary antioxidants and acid scavengers. Water contact angles and film surface tension data is also presented. The WCO test is reproducible and data may be applied to commercial production. Different additives that carry out the same function in the polymer may have greatly varying WCO properties; these differences are not detected by equilibrium goniometry.