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Viscoelastic behaviour and flow instabilities of biodegradable poly (ε-caprolactone) polyesters

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Abstract

The viscoelastic behaviour of a number of commercial and newly synthesized linear biodegradable polyesters—poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCLs) with different molecular characteristics was investigated using both rotational and extensional rheometry. The variation of the zero-shear viscosity and relaxation spectrum with molecular weight was studied in detail. The damping function of these PCLs was also determined in order to model their viscoelastic behaviour. The classic Wagner constitutive equation was found to represent the rheology of all PCL polymers quite well. Finally, the PCL processing instabilities were studied by capillary extrusion using a number of capillary dies having various diameter and length-to-diameter ratios. Sharkskin and gross melt fracture was observed at different shear rates depending on the molecular characteristics of the resins and the geometrical details of the capillary dies.

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Acknowledgements

Financial assistance from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada is gratefully acknowledged. Perstorp is also gratefully acknowledged for kindly providing the Capa products for this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Nazbanoo Noroozi & Savvas G. Hatzikiriakos

  2. Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Jaclyn A. Thomson & Laurel L. Schafer

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Nader Noroozi

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  1. Nazbanoo Noroozi
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  2. Jaclyn A. Thomson
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  3. Nader Noroozi
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  4. Laurel L. Schafer
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  5. Savvas G. Hatzikiriakos
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Correspondence to Savvas G. Hatzikiriakos.

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Noroozi, N., Thomson, J.A., Noroozi, N. et al. Viscoelastic behaviour and flow instabilities of biodegradable poly (ε-caprolactone) polyesters. Rheol Acta 51, 179–192 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-011-0586-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-011-0586-6

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