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The use of subcomponents for the prediction of the mechanical behaviour of polypropylene injection moulded products
Author(s) -
Cunha A. M.,
Pouzada A. S.,
Oliveira M. J.,
Crawford R. J.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
makromolekulare chemie. macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 0258-0322
DOI - 10.1002/masy.19880200150
Subject(s) - polypropylene , microstructure , materials science , composite material , bending , ultimate tensile strength , injection moulding , tensile testing
The mechanical performance of injection moulded products is strongly dependent on the processing conditions due mainly to the way in which these affect the microstructure of the moulded material. This paper presents a new approach to this problem whereby the mechanical behaviour is predicted using data obtained from subcomponents, such as discs. These were moulded in polypropylene using different gate types and moulding conditions (injection rate and mould temperature). The microstructure of the subcomponents was examined by polarized light microscopy to assess the average size of the spherulites and the skin/wall thickness ratio. These were then related to the mechanical properties of the subcomponents as characterized by a three point bending test and by an instrumented tensile impact test. The paper presents the data obtained and describes the correlation between processing structure and mechanical behaviour. The value of this subcomponent approach is illustrated through its application to some commercial mouldings.