Stress Birefringence Induced on Pplystyrene by Extensional Flow

F. F. ROSS; M. D. FAILLA; L. M. QUINZANI

Río de Janeiro, Brasil

Congreso; 41 th. International Symposium on Macromolecules (Macro 2006) y Simposio Latinoamericano de Polímeros (SLAP?2006).; 2006

In this work, molten polystyrene was subject to a planar flow under different conditions of temperature and pressure to induce different degree of molecular orientation. The planar flow was generated using a especially designed and built in home deformation geometry that allows for a fast cooling of the polymer to freeze the molecular orientation generated during the deformation.  The geometry consists of two parallel rectangular plates where the polymer is placed in-between them. The temperature of the plates was set and properly controlled with electrical heaters. One of the plates is moved at constant pressure to squeeze out the polymer. The degree of orientation produced on the solid polymer was determined using an optical system that allows measuring the birefringence at different location of the plate-like solid polymer.