Modeling Flow-Induced Crystallization

Peter C. Roozemond, Martin van Drongelen, Gerrit W.M. Peters

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)
235 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

A numerical model is presented that describes all aspects of flow-induced crystallization of isotactic polypropylene at high shear rates and elevated pressures. It incorporates nonlinear viscoelasticity, including viscosity change as a result of formation of oriented fibrillar crystals (shish), compressibility, and nonisothermal process conditions caused by shear heating and heat release as a result of crystallization. In the first part of this chapter, the model is validated with experimental data obtained in a channel flow geometry. Quantitative agreement between experimental results and the numerical model is observed in terms of pressure drop, apparent crystallinity, parent/daughter ratio, Hermans’ orientation, and shear layer thickness. In the second part, the focus is on flow-induced crystallization of isotactic polypropylene at elevated pressures, resulting in multiple crystal phases and morphologies. All parameters but one are fixed a priori from the first part of the chapter. One additional parameter, determining the portion of β-crystal spherulites nucleated by flow, is introduced. By doing so, an accurate description of the fraction of β-phase crystals is obtained. The model accurately captures experimental data for fractions of all crystal phases over a wide range of flow conditions (shear rates from 0 to 200 s−1, pressures from 100 to 1,200 bar, shear temperatures from 130°C to 180°C). Moreover, it is shown that, for high shear rates and pressures, the measured γ-phase fractions can only be matched if γ-crystals can nucleate directly on shish
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPolymer Crystallization II: From Chain Microstructure to Processing
EditorsFinizia Auriemma, Giovanni Carlo Alfonso, Claudio de Rosa
PublisherSpringer
Pages243-294
ISBN (Print)9783319506838
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Publication series

NameAdvances in polymer science
PublisherSpringer International Publishing
Volume277

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