Journal of Rheology, Vol.57, No.6, 1773-1785, 2013
Experimental determination of interfacial slip between polyethylene and thermoplastic elastomers
Interfacial slip was determined for linear-low-density polyethylene (PE)/thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) immiscible systems by use of layered samples between rotational parallel-plates according to the method described by Zhao and Macosko (2002) and Lee et al. (2009). Six different types of TPEs based on polyesters, polyethers, and polysiloxane were investigated. Interfacial slip between PE and TPE could be detected and quantified at low shear stresses in the range of 30-3000 Pa using samples consisting of only three layers. In agreement with the scaling law of Brochard-Wyart and de Gennes (1993) for weakly entangled interfaces at low shear stress, the polymer-polymer interfacial slip velocity was found to scale linearly with the applied shear stress and slip velocities ranging from 0.5 to 50 mu m/s were observed. To quantify the amount of wall slip during the rotational measurements, the procedure presented by Yoshimura and Prud'homme (1988) was used. As a result the steady shear viscosities of three TPEs had to be corrected for wall slip. Due to differences in the first normal stresses of PE and TPE, secondary flow was observed during prolonged rotation at much higher shear stresses, leading to a complete rearrangement of the sample: Starting the rotation with two layers of PE/TPE between parallel-plates, a core-shell structure was found at the end of the experiment. (C) 2013 The Society of Rheology.