scholarly journals Mechanical Behavior—Microstructure Relationships in Injection-Molded Polyamide 66

Polymers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noëlle Billon ◽  
Joan Giraudeau ◽  
Jean Bouvard ◽  
Gilles Robert

Clear relationships between the semi-crystalline microstructure of injection molding polymers and their mechanical behavior are not yet totally established for all polymers. Part of this relative lack of understanding is because an unambiguous scientific approach is difficult to build up. The processing of samples promotes a microstructure which is not uniform and can be described in various ways on different scales. This introduces uncertainty in the correlations. Most completed studies were conducted on polyolefin, which exhibits an evolution of microstructure that is quite easy to observe and to correlate to mechanical properties. This paper intends to illustrate a more diffuse case. To achieve this, combined characterizations along the flow path and throughout the thickness of a plaque as well as characterizations of the local microstructure and tensile behavior of polyamide 66 are described. The microstructure was explored in terms of skin-core structure, spherulites sizes, crystallinity ratio and lamellae organization. Mechanical properties were addressed with non-monotonic tests with the use of DIC (Digital Image Correlation) to assess true behavior. The effect of humidity is also accounted for. It is demonstrated that small changes in lamellae or interlamellar amorphous phase are likely to be responsible for non-uniform mechanical properties, whereas more macroscopic levels (skin core structure, spherulites level of crystallinity ratio) appeared to be irrelevant levels of description. Consequently, the usual simplified analyses based on optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) can be inefficient in improving knowledge in that field.

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-286
Author(s):  
Z. Dekel ◽  
S. Kenig

Abstract The mechanical, electrical, thermal, and rheological properties of micro injection molded nanocomposites comprising 2% and 5% carbon nanotubes (CNTs) incorporated in polycarbonate (PC), and polyamide 66 (PA) were studied. The design of experiments method was used to investigate the composition-process – properties relationship. Results indicated that the process variables significantly affected the flow patterns and resulting morphology during the filling stage of the microinjection molding (lIM) process, using 0.45 mm diameter lIM samples. Two distinct flow regimes have been identified in lIM using the low cross-section samples. The first was a conventional “fountain flow,” which resulted in a skin/core structure and reduced volume resistivity up to 10 X cm in the case of 5% CNTs and up to 100 X cm in 2% CNTs, in both polymers, respectively. In addition, inferior mechanical properties were obtained, attributed to polymer degradation under high shear rate conditions, when practicing high injection speeds, high mold temperatures, and high screw rotation velocities. The second was a “plug flow” due to wall slippage, obtained under low injection speeds, low mold temperatures, and low rotation velocities, leading to a substantial increase in modulus of elasticity (60%) with increased electrical resistivity up to 103 X cm for 5% CNTs and 105 X cm for 2% CNTs, respectively. The rheological percolation threshold was obtained at 2% CNTs while the electrical threshold was attained at 0.4% CNTs, in both polymers. It was concluded that in lIM, the process conditions should be closely monitored. In the case of high viscous heating, degradation of mechanical properties was obtained, while skin- core morphology formation enhanced electrical conductivity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1841-1847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Liu ◽  
Dan Wu ◽  
Ken Chen

AbstractMechanical properties are vital for living cells, and various models have been developed to study the mechanical behavior of cells. However, there is debate regarding whether a cell behaves more similarly to a “cortical shell – liquid core” structure (membrane-like) or a homogeneous solid (cytoskeleton-like) when experiencing stress by mechanical forces. Unlike most experimental methods, which concern the small-strain deformation of a cell, we focused on the mechanical behavior of a cell undergoing small to large strain by conducting microinjection experiments on zebrafish embryo cells. The power law with order of 1.5 between the injection force and the injection distance indicates that the cell behaves as a homogenous solid at small-strain deformation. The linear relation between the rupture force and the microinjector radius suggests that the embryo behaves as membrane-like when subjected to large-strain deformation. We also discuss the possible reasons causing the debate by analyzing the mechanical properties of F-actin filaments.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Artur Kościuszko ◽  
Dawid Marciniak ◽  
Dariusz Sykutera

Dimensions of the injection-molded semi-crystalline materials (polymeric products) decrease with the time that elapses from their formation. The post-molding shrinkage is an effect of secondary crystallization; the increase in the degree of polymer crystallinity leads to an increase in stiffness and decrease in impact strength of the polymer material. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the values of post-molding shrinkage of polypropylene produced by injection molding at two different temperatures of the mold (20 °C and 80 °C), and conditioned for 504 h at 23 °C. Subsequently, the samples were annealed for 24 h at 140 °C in order to conduct their accelerated aging. The results of shrinkage tests were related to the changes of mechanical properties that accompany the secondary crystallization. The degree of crystallinity of the conditioned samples was determined by means of density measurements and differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that the changes in the length of the moldings that took place after removal from the injection mold were accompanied by an increase of 20% in the modulus of elasticity, regardless of the conditions under which the samples were made. The differences in the shrinkage and mechanical properties of the samples resulting from mold temperature, as determined by tensile test, were removed by annealing. However, the samples made at two different injection mold temperature values still significantly differed in impact strength, the values of which were clearly higher for the annealed samples compared to the results determined for the samples immediately after the injection molding.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 853-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahabodin Goodarzi ◽  
Zahed Ahmadi ◽  
Mohammad Reza Saeb ◽  
Farkhondeh Hemmati ◽  
Mehdi Ghaffari ◽  
...  

Abstract Since polyethylene (PE) has been widely accepted for the production of high-pressure fluid conveying pipelines, studies devoted to weldability of PE connections were always of major importance. In this study, two industrial PE grades designed for pipe production, namely PE80 and PE100, were injection molded, cut, and then welded as PE100-PE100, PE100-PE80, and PE80-PE80. The heat-welded joints were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry and tensile measurements. The results obtained from thermal and mechanical analyses were compared with equivalents for aged samples. Thermal analysis revealed that the melting point of the PE100-PE100 sample is obviously larger than the one for the PE80-PE80 joint, for the PE80 chains deteriorate the crystallization of PE100. Further, the PE80-PE80 sample showed the lowest lamellar thickness and crystalline molecular weight among the studied joints. The aging process was found to increase lamellar thickness and molecular weight, though in the PE100-PE100 sample such quantities very limitedly increased. The yield stress of aged joints was higher than that for just-prepared samples, while an inverse trend was seen for strain at break. From a practical viewpoint, the PE100-PE100 welds offer better properties.


2020 ◽  
pp. 095400832094392
Author(s):  
Xiangmin Xu ◽  
Beibei Tong ◽  
Xiaoyan Zhang ◽  
Yudong Zhang ◽  
Binjie Li

Constructing a hierarchical structure of nanomaterials on the surface of reinforcing fibers is the best strategy to obtain other desired functions while improving the mechanical properties of polymers. In this article, acid-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were introduced to the surface of milled glass fiber (MGF) under the combined action of tetraethyl orthosilicate and 3-aminopropyltriethyloxysilane to prepare a hierarchical fiber (MWCNTs-GF). The surface morphology and microstructure of this hierarchical fiber were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, and a composite coating with MWCNTs as the main component was observed on each fiber surface. Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy revealed the presence of the specific interactions between MWCNTs and MGF. Polyamide 66 (PA66) composites with different content of MWCNTs-GF were fabricated by melt blending. The resulting composites exhibited improved mechanical properties relative to pure PA66, in which the tensile strength and notched impact strength of the composite filled with 3 wt% MWCNTs-GF increased by 23.3% and 69.0%, respectively. Subsequently, by analyzing fracture morphology and interfacial adhesion of the composites, the strengthening and toughening mechanisms of MWCNTs-GF were elaborated in detail. In addition, the results of thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry showed that MWCNTs-GF possessed strong heterogeneous nucleation ability, and its addition could refine the grain size of PA66 and significantly increase the crystallization temperature and thermal stability of the corresponding composites. Compared to PA66 composites reinforced with neat MGF, it was found that the unique surface structure of MWCNTs-GF was likely responsible for improved thermal properties of this hierarchical fiber-reinforced PA66 composites.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 545-556
Author(s):  
A. Hamza ◽  
R. K. Arya ◽  
A. D. Palsodkar ◽  
G. R. Bhadu ◽  
S. J. A. Rizvi

Abstract Isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was nucleated in-situ with calcium pimelate during melt compounding. Calcium pimelate is a highly effective β-nucleator for isotactic polypropylene (iPP). The β-nucleated iPP was characterized by wide angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for its crystallinity and crystal structure. In addition, the injection-molded samples were tested for thermo-mechanical properties. It is found that very low quantity (< 0.1 wt. %) of β-nucleator is required to produce sufficiently high β-crystal fraction (Kβ) in isotactic polypropylene. β-nucleated iPP shows increment of 11 to 14 °C in its heat deflection temperature (HDT). It was also observed that slow cooling rate of β-nucleated iPP promotes the formation of β-crystals and that tensile stretching leads to complete transformation of β crystals into a-crystals at room temperature. It was also revealed that the presence of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA), a well-known coupling agent (or compatibilizer), may reduce the (Kβ) value to a marginal extent. It was also observed that the thermo-mechanical properties were not much affected by the presence of PP-g-MA. Therefore, calcium pimelate may be used as β-nucleator in case of neat as well as reinforced polypropylene containing maleic anhydride as coupling agent.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 155892501801300
Author(s):  
Fei Wang ◽  
Lichao Liu ◽  
Ping Xue ◽  
Mingyin Jia ◽  
Hua Sun

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) blend fibers with the highest tensile strength of 1.13 GPa were prepared by a melt spinning process. The crystal structure and mechanical behavior of the as-spun filaments and fibers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), sound velocity orientation test and tensile strength test. The results suggested that the degree of molecular chain orientation, crystallinity and mechanical properties of the blend fibers were improved by blending with the low melt flow index (MFI) HDPE. The crystal grains of low MFI HDPE blend fibers that were formed by more highly oriented molecular chains could be stretched more effectively in the drawing direction, and the improved mechanical properties were due to the more regular and compact crystal structure.


2014 ◽  
Vol 941-944 ◽  
pp. 1229-1232
Author(s):  
Guo Rui Dou ◽  
Qiang Dou

Injection-molded β-isotactic polypropylene (β-iPP) specimens were prepared by adding three β nucleation masterbatches, i.e., NT-MA, NT-MB and NT-MC, respectively. The melting, crystallization and mechanical properties of β-iPP specimens were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and mechanical tests. It is revealed that β crystalline form contents were enhanced by the β nucleation masterbatches, and the β contents of the cores were higher than those of the skins of injection molded specimens. The tensile strain at break and Izod notched impact strength of iPP were greatly improved by the β nucleation masterbatches. It was found that the β nucleation efficiency was in the order: NT-MC > NT-MA > NT-MB.


Author(s):  
Catalin Fetecau ◽  
Felicia Stan ◽  
Petru Timotin ◽  
Nicoleta V. Stanciu ◽  
Razvan T. Rosculet

In this study, the effects of fatigue and cryogenic treatments on the mechanical behavior of low-density polyethylene/ multi-walled carbon nanotube (LDPE/MWCNT) composites have been investigated. Injection-molded samples of LDPE/MWCNT composite with different MWCNT weight fractions (0.1–5.0 wt.%) were subjected to cryogenic and fatigue treatments under different testing conditions, and the residual-mechanical properties were investigated. To monitor the fatigue damage, additionally, the electrical conductivity was measured. The results show that the LDPE/MWCNT composites retained good residual-mechanical properties after fatigue (more than 85% of its initial Young modulus) and cryogenic (more than 75% of its initial tensile strength and Young’s modulus) treatment. For the LDPE/MWCNT composites, the electrically conductive nanotube network can be efficiently maintained up to 25 000 fatigue cycles.


2016 ◽  
Vol 879 ◽  
pp. 1420-1425
Author(s):  
Artem Arlazarov ◽  
Melanie Ollat ◽  
Jean Philippe Masse ◽  
Magalie Bouzat

Q&P annealing cycles with different partitioning conditions were performed on cold rolled 0.2C-2.22Mn-1.44Si-0.21Cr steel. An important influence of partitioning temperature and time on the evolution of retained austenite fraction was shown through the saturation magnetization measurements. Such effect of partitioning conditions was also observed on the evolution of mechanical behavior. The evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties with the partitioning conditions was analyzed. Mechanical stability of retained austenite as a function of partitioning time was also assessed. Finally, modeling of the obtained stress-strain curves was performed and some explanations of the observed tendencies between partitioning conditions and tensile properties were proposed.


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