MODELING THE EFFECTS OF SOLED STATE ORIENTATION ON BLOWN HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE FILMS: A COMPOSITE THEORY APPROACH

摘要

High molecular weight high density polyethylenes (HMW-HDPE) are unique, in that they can be uniformly oriented to high draw ratios to produce films with significantly enhanced physical properties. Such improvements are the result of the transformation of isotropic piles of lamellae into rigid, long, fibrous microstructures, which can be characterized by various analytical techniques. This work represents the first industrially usable approach to the prediction of mechanical properties in oriented polyolefin films and may have wider application to other fiber-like microstructure forming polymers. The model presented is tied both to the observed structural features, as well as to properties that are routinely measured in the industrial setting. These enhanced films create new opportunities for flexible packaging in high strength and stiffness applications.