DTI MMP13 Program

IRC in Polymer Science & Technology, University of Bradford Three unique books have recently been published to help industry take up in-process measurements. These deal with aspects of the measured rheology of polymer melts, of key importance in processing and product quality. All three involve comparisons of in-process measurements with off line (laboratory) measurements for a range of industrial polymers.

1. The first book covers shear flows, with data from injection moulding nozzles and extrusion dies using actual processing flows.
2. The second book deals with entry pressure measurements, again in injection moulding nozzles and extrusion dies.
3. The third book covers these and other techniques such as melt fibre stretching and flow visualisation for extensional flow measurements. In all cases, off line data is obtained from a standard capillary rheometer.

A key feature of each book is that they contain carefully obtained rheology data, which has not normally been available in such an accessible manner, or in one source. In the second book the measured entry pressures are used to generate apparent extensional viscosities of each polymer; the extensional flows book expands on measurement routes for apparent extensional viscosity, including direct measurements of stress and strain rates. These books form the new In Process Measurements series, published by the University of Bradford/ Polymer Insights. Copies are available for sale the first volume sold over 220 copies in its first month of publication (June 1998). Books can be obtained direct from the University, via Prof Coates, or as a full set from RAPRA Ltd.