Rheological Standards For Testing Polymer Melts

NPL is currently holding the convenorship of the ISO TC61/SC5/WG91 Melt

Rheology committee that is responsible for the following standards:

• ISO 1133 Plastics - Determination of the melt mass-flow rate (MFR) and
the melt volume-flow rate (MVR) of thermoplastics
• ISO 11443: 2005 Plastics - Determination of the fluidity of plastics using
capillary and slit-die rheometers
• ISO 20965: 2005 Plastics - Determination of the transient extensional
viscosity of polymer melts [tensile drawing method]
• ISO 16790: Plastics - Determination of drawing characteristics of
thermoplastics in the molten state [fibre-spinning method]
• ISO 17744: 2004 Plastics - PVT Determination of specific volume as a
function of temperature and pressure (pVT diagram) - Piston apparatus
method

NPL have also contributed to the development of the following standards held by
other TC61 committees:

• ISO 6721-10: 1999 Plastics - Determination of dynamic mechanical

properties - Part 10: Complex shear viscosity using a parallel plate
oscillatory rheometer
• ISO 11403-2 Plastics - Acquisition and presentation of comparable
multipoint data - Part 2: Thermal and processing properties

New work items:

Melt flow rate testing of moisture sensitive materials

Within the Melt Rheology Committee proposals for development of ISO 1133 to
encompass moisture sensitive (PET, PBT, PA6 etc) and very high rate MFR/MVR
materials, and for on-line rheological measurements are being developed.

The melt flow rate standard has recently being revised to allow for various
changes in the specification including:

• allowing the use of non-dead weight loading systems,

• the use of a half length-half diameter die for testing high melt mass flow
rate (MFR)/melt volume flow rate (MVR) materials, and
• changes to the temperature control requirements

For more information: Martin Rides (martin.rides@npl.co.uk)