Controlling melt fracture in bimodal resin pipe

Abstract

A method of preparing a medium-density polyethylene pipe comprising melting a multimodal metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin to form a molten polyethylene, wherein the multimodal metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin has a density of from about 0.925 g/ml to about 0.942 g/ml, a magnitude of slip-stick greater than about 300 psi, a stress for smooth to matte transition of greater than about 90 kPa of stress, and a shear rate for smooth to matte transition greater than about 10 s−1, wherein the magnitude of slip-stick, stress for smooth to matte transition, and shear rate for smooth to matte transition are determined by a capillary rheology test; and forming the molten polyethylene resin into pipe. A pipe prepared from a multimodal metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene resin having a density of from about 0.925 g/ml to about 0.942 g/ml, a magnitude of slip-stick greater than about 300 psi; a stress for smooth to matte transition of greater than about 90 kPa, and a shear rate for smooth to matte transition greater than about 10 s−1, wherein the magnitude of slip-stick, stress for smooth to matte transition, and shear rate for smooth to matte transition are determined by a capillary rheology test.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.