Study on the viscosity of polypropylene composites filled with different size and size distribution CaCO3

Abstract Two kinds of different size calcium carbonates are blended and filled into polypropylene in 30 wt%. The melting viscosity of PP composites samples is measured by capillary extrusion rheometer at 230°C. The results show that the melt viscosity of PP composites evidently decreased when that was filled with the blending 325 and 1,500 mesh CaCO 3 and the 1,500 mesh proportion in fillers was from 20 to 60 wt%. The viscosity in the low shear velocity decreased more than that in the high shear velocity. The shear viscosity of single filler and filler samples with the size distribution at the different temperature was studied by capillary extrusion rheometer. The results show that the flow activation energy and the flow activation entropy of composites filled with the size distribution filler increased. The change of the flow activation entropy and the model of the efficient arrangement of the structure are used to explain the phenomenon in melting viscosity decrease of PP filled with the size distribution fillers. A structural model of composites that filled with the size distribution fillers was set up. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers