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Impact of compression molding conditions on the thermal and mechanical properties of polyethylene
Author(s) -
Shamloo Azar,
Fathi Babak,
Elkoun Saïd,
Rodrigue Denis,
Soldera Armand
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.46176
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , compression molding , ultimate tensile strength , flexural strength , molding (decorative) , differential scanning calorimetry , polyethylene , flexural modulus , mold , compression (physics) , melting point , thermodynamics , physics
Compression molding is a current technique in polymer processing. Despite numerous studies, effect of molding pressure on physical properties has surprisingly not been fully investigated. In this study, the thermal and mechanical behavior of the compression‐molded polyethylene were thus explored to better grasp the relationship between processing parameters and ensuing properties. The effect of the molding temperature, pressure, cooling rate, and temperature profile on the tensile and flexural moduli as well as melting point of polyethylene was studied. We conclude that higher tensile and flexural moduli are obtained by increasing pressure and molding temperature, as well as decreasing the cooling rate. Our results were corroborated by X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements. Moreover, the use of a temperature gradient with different temperatures for the upper and bottom plates of the mold leads to asymmetric samples whose tensile and flexural moduli are improved. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135 , 46176.