A reactive melt modification of polyethylene terephthalate
A reactive melt modification of polyethylene terephthalate
A reactive melt modification of polyethylene terephthalate
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polymers tend to swell more, but it is not possible to generalize when both branching and<br />
MWD are altered simultaneously. In summary, <strong>melt</strong> <strong>modification</strong> <strong>of</strong> PET by inducing<br />
long chain branching and/or widening <strong>of</strong> MWD may result in increased potential <strong>of</strong> using<br />
the material for extrusion blow molding.<br />
Thermoplastic foams are prepared by various techniques. Among them, extrusion<br />
foaming by incorporating non-reacting physical blowing agents is <strong>of</strong> current interest. In a<br />
typical extrusion foaming to low densities, continuous gas phase (physical blowing agent)<br />
is injected into a continuous polymeric <strong>melt</strong> in the extruder at a high pressure (Xanthos et<br />
a1. 2000a). As shown in Figure 1.7, a solution <strong>of</strong> a gas dissolved into polymer under<br />
pressure is extruded into a region <strong>of</strong> lower pressure, usually the atmosphere, where it<br />
becomes supersaturated (Xanthos, 1998). As the gas-laden <strong>melt</strong> emerges from the die it<br />
experiences a sudden pressure drop; this thermodynamic instability causes phase<br />
separation. The escaping gas leads to expansion within the fluid matrix in such a manner<br />
that individual bubbles merge into cells and through subsequent solidification, stable<br />
expanded structures are produced.