A novel method to study the distribution of filler particles and polymer orientation of a polymer melt within a capillary die has been developed.Material within the die is quench-cooled and then removed to provide information about the flow regime at the instant it was frozen.The equipment has been used to examine calcium carbonate-filled high density polyethylene under high shear.The samples were examined using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) as well as being studied using X-ray Diffraction (XRD).The distribution of filler particles across the radius of the capillary has been studied at high and low wall shear rates using EDS.A constant particle distribution across the radius of the die was observed for both flow regimes.The arrangement of crystalline structures within the specimens was examined by XRD.An increase in crystalline order was noticed with increasing wall shear rate.
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