On the apparent relation between adhesive failure and melt fracture

The theory of adhesive failure between elastomers and a nonpolymeric surface provides a framework for the analysis of melt fracture in polymer melts. Peeling experiments on LLDPE below the melt processing temperature are shown to predict the onset of melt extrudate surface distortion and the functional form and magnitude of subsequent wall slip in capillary flow experiments using the same polymer. The equation for the slip velocity is based only on peeling experiments and knowledge of the temperature‐ and pressure‐dependence of the viscoelastic shift factor.