Influence of the Molar Mass Distribution on the Elongational Behaviour of Polymer Solutions in Capillary Breakup

Abstract Commercially available, blended methylhydroxyethyl celluloses with similar weight-average molar masses but varying molar mass distributions were characterized by different techniques like steady shear flow and uniaxial elongation in capillary breakup experiments. The determined relaxation times t were then correlated with the absolute molar mass distribution acquired via SEC/MALLS/DRI (combined methods of size-exclusion-chromatography, multi angle laser light scattering and differential refractometer). In order to describe the longest relaxation time of the polymers in uniaxial elongation via integral mean values of the molar mass distribution, defined blends of polystyrene standards with varying molar mass distributions were characterized. The obtained data was scaled via different moments of the molecular weight distribution and could be correlated with the results obtained for the methylhydroxyethyl celluloses.