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Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene/ Polycarbonate Blends
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene/ Polycarbonate Blends
Materials
Abstract
Purpose: Researches, which are presented in this paper, consider the effect of chosen different weight ratios polycarbonate blended in a polypropylene matrix (PP/PC) at variable injection moulding conditions and its effect on the microstructure, and also on fracture and flexural properties. Design/methodology/approach: Composites contain between 0 and 30 wt % of polycarbonate and changes at constant rate of 10wt%. Specimens were produced with advantage of melt manipulation technology, further called as non-conventional injection moulding technique (SCORIM). Then, the results were compared with conventional injection moulding, as a result of comparison structure development and mechanical behaviour. Fracture and flexural tests were done on universal testing machine - Instron. The structure sample appearance was observed in polarized light microscope. Findings: PC addition influence on energy absorption and flexural modulus. There are also visible microstructure changes. The SCORIM technique have a significant influence on mechanical properties. Higher settings of those processing variables give higher values of energy at break and flexural modulus. Research limitations/implications: Further work contains research of termomechanical indices to establish straightforward connection between mechanical properties and processing set-ups. Other mechanical properties will be assessed. Practical implications: The improvement of mechanical response is clearly visible by using SCORIM technique and increasing a percentage polycarbonate volume. Originality/value: The Shear Controlled Injection Moulding technique is based on the in-mould shear melt manipulation during the solidification phase. This technology is very important for morphology manipulation and the improvement on the mechanical polymer system properties. Keywords: Engineering polymers; Polypropylene; Polycarbonate; SCORIM; Non-conventional injection moulding
Short paper
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1. Introduction 1. Introduction
Polymer blends have drawn great attention in scientific research and industrial production. Polypropylene (PP) is a lowcost polymer with versatile applications but with limited impact strength. In recent years, polymeric composites were widely used in the production of new engineering materials. It is perceived as a reflection of technological development. Meanwhile the polymeric composites are promising, due to their economic versatile applicability and good mechanical properties[1-4,15]. Due to the increasing demand for polymers, these materials bring new problems. A frequent goal of polymeric material research is the improvement of physical properties [5,7]. An approach that is widely used the combination of two polymers in the hope of obtaining favorable properties in the blend [6,8]. Structures and properties of products made of immiscible polymer blends reinforced plastics are more strongly affected by processing than those of simples, single phase polymers. Flow in the machinery and in the mold affects the shape, size, as well as the orientation of the dispersed phase in the matrix. This leads to a flow induced anisotropy in mechanical and other physical properties [9-12] . One of the most popular commercial technique for manufacturing polymers is injection moulding. Many processing variables play an important role during forming technique, determining the product morphology and properties [13-14]. In this study shear controlled orientation technique in injection moulding has been used to improve the mechanical properties of PP/PC composites.
a) melt manipulation injection moulding technique, (SCORIM); b) conventional injection moulding, for comparison purpose (CIM). All composites were injection moulded into rectangular bar with the following dimensions: 130mm x 12mm x 8mm, by using a Ferromatik Milacron injection moulding machine type K85. Pressure of two pistons of the SCORIM device was controlled by external hydraulic system from Allen Bradley UK, with a maximum pressure of 150 bar per cylinder . All specimens were moulded on stabilized processing condition. Composites constitution is presented in table 2. Table 2. Investigated polymers and its weight blending ratio Polypropylene Polycarbonate Composites [wt%] [wt%] description 100 0 Neat PP 90 10 PP/PC 10 80 20 PP/PC 20 70 30 PP/PC 30 The following processing variables were selected as of interest for the investigation: melt temperature, Tp, stroke time, St and stroke number, Sn. Table 3 presents details of processing steps. Table 3. Moulding programme for rectangular specimens Melt temp. Stroke time Stroke Run [s] number [ C] 1 240 1 3 2 240 3 12 3 280 1 3 4 280 3 12 Conventional injection 5 240 moulding 6 280 All the other processing parameters were kept constant (Table 4). Table 4. Constant injection processing set-up (machine readings) Injection velocity 10mm/s Injection pressure 150bar Holding pressure 50bar Mold temperature 30 C Cooling time 30s
Mixing of the blends has been done in a rotational drum at the rotor speed of 60 rpm and at room temperature. After mixed, blends were direct injection moulded.
2.3. Preparation for optical 2.3. Preparation for optical observation observation
The microstructure of the mouldings was characterized on an Olympus polarized light optical microscopy (PLM) type BH-2 additionally equipped by the Olympus digital camera type DFC280. Thin slices with 20 m of thickness have been performed on the cut machine Microtome Anglia type 200 from the mid-length of the mouldings, perpendicularly to the flow direction.
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Short paper
Materials
2.4. Preparation for mechanical 2.4. Preparation for mechanical tests tests
A fracture test was performed in an Instron universal testing machine type 4505 with cross-head velocity of 10mm/min (according to the ASTM E399 standard) at 23 C and 55% of humidity. A three point bending support was used in a SENB mode (Single Edge Notched Bar). The moulded bars were notched in its middle length with depth of 6.35mm in a Ceast cutting notch machine type 6816 with the blade radius 0.47mm. Before testing each notch was additionally sharpened by sliding with a fresh razor blade. A flexural test was performed in an Instron with cross-head velocity of 2.8mm/min (according to the ISO-178-75 standard). At least five specimens have been analyzed for each test.
the high stress field and cooling rates imposed during the processing stage.
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Table 5. Mechanical characterization of the blends Neat PP Energy at Modulus Run break [MPa] [J] 1 0.33 1351 2 0.59 1370 3 0.23 1244 4 0.43 1263 5 0.53 1128 6 0.37 1352
PP/PC 10 Energy at Modulus break [MPa] [J] 0.72 1271 0.56 1242 0.63 1178 0.54 1274 0.41 1311 0.33 1313 [2]
PP/PC 20 Energy at Modulus break [MPa] [J] 0.37 1289 0.37 1299 0.41 1317 0.41 1388 0.33 1310 0.39 1342
PP/PC 30 Energy at Modulus break [MPa] [J] 0.25 1479 0.2 1593 0.33 1520 0.23 1618 0.3 1387 0.34 1374
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6] Fig. 3. Energy at break of the composites for all of the runs
4. Conclusions 4. Conclusions