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Flow-induced crystallization behavior of high-density polyethylene evaluated by Rheo-Raman spectroscopic system

Polymer Journal volume 55, pages 1141–1150 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

The flow-induced crystallization behavior of high-density polyethylene was investigated using Rheo-Raman spectroscopy that combined a rheometer with a Raman spectrometer. Although crystallization did not progress at 128 °C without shear flow, the crystallization was greatly enhanced by applying shear flow. When a 10-s−1 shear flow was applied for 30 s, short consecutive trans chains were formed during the initial crystallization, followed by the formation of long consecutive trans chains and crystalline chains. However, isotropically oriented lamellar crystals were formed, indicating that the increased crystallization rate was attributed to the enhanced density fluctuations prior to crystallization. By increasing the shear rate or shear-flow time, the fraction of long consecutive trans chains immediately increased during the initial stage of crystallization, and the oriented crystalline structure formed. This enhancement indicated that stretched molecular chains were formed stably during the shear flow process with a high shear rate and/or long shear-flow time. According to these results, the shear rate and applied work were the important parameters for the formation of the oriented crystalline structures.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI (grant number 20K15345).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Shiga Prefecture, 2500 Hassaka, Hikone, 522-8533, Japan

    Takumitsu Kida & Katsuhisa Tokumitsu

  2. School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, 923-1292, Japan

    Takumitsu Kida, Khunanya Janchai & Masayuki Yamaguchi

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  1. Takumitsu Kida
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  2. Khunanya Janchai
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  4. Masayuki Yamaguchi
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Correspondence to Takumitsu Kida.

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Kida, T., Janchai, K., Tokumitsu, K. et al. Flow-induced crystallization behavior of high-density polyethylene evaluated by Rheo-Raman spectroscopic system. Polym J 55, 1141–1150 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-023-00821-5

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