Abstract
A METHOD for estimating the molecular weight of a long chain linear polyethylene filament is discussed. This method is based on the assumed chain configurations of the polymer before and after extrusion from a jet, and on the straightening of the chain of the filament in a load elongation experiment. This filament can be considered as partially oriented at extrusion (jet stretch). The degree of such orientation is largely related to the speed of extrusion and the speed of taking up the filament. A typical load–elongation curve of a high crystalline, linear polyethylene filament is shown in Fig. 1. “Necking” begins after a few per cent of elongation. The load is approximately a constant during necking. After the completion of necking the load increases with further extension until the filament breaks.
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Flory, P. J., Principles of Polymer Chemistry, 415 (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 1953).
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LIANG, C. Method for estimating the Molecular Weight of Linear Polyethylene. Nature 213, 1122 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/2131122a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2131122a0
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