The Spinnability of Low Molecular Weight Polyethylene

Viscosities of spinnabilities were measured for six molten polyethylene samples in the molecular weight range, 3450-7200. A glass rod of 2 mm in radius was dipped into the molten polyethylene and drawn up at various velocities V (cm/sec). The length of the liquid thread l (cm) increased linearly with the immersed depth of the rod. Defining the length at zero immersed depth as l0, l0 increased with V and decreased with rising temperature. Its dependency on temperature and molecular weight of the polymer could be attributed to the variation in bulk viscosity η(poise). It was shown that l0 can be expressed by the following experimental formula