QUANTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF GELS IN PE FILM

摘要

Gel problems have been observed in polyethylene films throughout the history of this polymer. The advent of gel counters has been very useful in providing objective data to make quantitative comparisons. The method of reporting gel levels, however, has never been standardized thus there exists many different reporting techniques. Further, the quantification of gel levels is simply the first step in solving a gel problem. The presence of high gel levels requires characterization of the gel to a specific type. Each gel type may have multiple sources (in the polymer process and in the extrusion system), each of which must also be investigated. Finally, the type and source of gel present will then indicate what potential corrective actions to apply to reduce the gel problem. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a facile reporting method and then describe the basic methodologies used to resolve a gel problem.