ABSTRACT
The torque rheometer is equipment that enables to simulate the polymer processing in a laboratory scale. A set of parameters, i.e., rotor speed, temperature and processing time are predefined and imposed to the compounds under analysis. The necessary torque for melting and mixing the compound is measured. Through the plots of torque as a function of time and temperature, which are linked to the rheological properties, microstructure and molar weight of the samples, it is possible to acquire information regarding the flow behavior of polymers, meaning during processing. In this work, the effect of acrylic acid-grafted polyethylene (PEgAA) and maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene (PEgMA) in bio-polyethylene (Bio-PE) and in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was performed by torque rheometry. PEgAA and PEgMA increased the torque rheometry values of the polymeric systems under investigation, i.e, Bio-PE/PEgAA, Bio-PE/PEgMA, PCL/PEgAA and PCL/PEgMA, possibly due to chemical interaction and/or reactions occurred during the processing. FTIR spectra presented possible interactions and/or chemical reactions between the functional groups of grafted polymers and Bio-PE and PCL. Higher torques were observed for the systems with similar solubility parameters agreeing with the mathematical calculations provided by Hansen.
Keywords:
Bio-PE; PCL; PEgAA; PEgMA; torque rheometry; solubility parameter.
