Melt rheological properties of nickel powder filled polypropylene composites

Abstract The melt rheological properties of nickel powder filled polypropylene composites were investigated. The effect of filler concentration on shear stress‐shear rate data, melt viscosity and melt elasticity parameters were determined by using a capillary rheometer. The study shows that the materials follow a power law in viscous behavior over the entire range of shear rates investigated and that the viscosity increases and elasticity decreases as filler concentration is increased up to a critical value. However, beyond the critical filler content melt viscosity decreases while melt elasticity increases. The effect of temperature on the viscoelastic properties of filled polypropylene was also investigated.