Processing of Polymers

PROCESSING OF POLYMERS

PROCESSING OF POLYMERS

INTRODUCTIONThe variety of shaping processes, and the ease with which polymers can be processed, allows an almost unlimited variety of part geometries to be formed Many plastic parts are formed by molding, which is a net shape processLess energy is required than for metals because the processing temperatures are much lowerMany plastic processing methods are one-step operations (e.g., molding), the amount of product handling required is substantially reduced compared with metalsTypes of PlasticsThermoplastics do not cure, their chemical structure remains unchanged upon reheating even though they transform from solid to fluidThermosets undergo a curing process during heating and shaping, which causes a permanent chemical change (cross-linking) in their molecular structure. Once they have been cured, they cannot be melted through reheatingProperties of Polymer Melt Viscosity

ViscoelsticityMaterial remembers its former shape and attempts to return to it after leaving the die orifice (Extrusion)

Extrusion ProcessFeedstock in pellet or powder form is fed into an extrusion barrel where it is heated and melted and forced to flow through a die opening by means of a rotating screwThe die is not a component of the extruder; it is a special tool that must be fabricated for the particular profile to be produceThe material is conveyed through the barrel toward the die opening by the action of the extruder screw, which rotates at about 60 rev/min

Profiles like solid, hollow, sheets or filaments can be extrudedPolymers with high melt viscosities are the best candidates for extrusion, because they hold shape better during coolingCooling is accomplished by air blowing, water spray, or passing the extrudate through a water troughTo compensate for die swell, the die opening is made long enough to remove some of the memory in the polymer melt. In addition, the extrudate is often drawn (stretched) to offset expansion from die swellExtrusion of hollow profiles, such as tubes, pipes, hoses, and other cross sections containing holes, requires a mandrel to form the hollow shape

Defects in ExtrusionMelt FractureSharp reduction in die entranceTurbulent flow

Sharkskinsurface of the product becomes roughened upon exiting the die

BambooingTensile stresses develop at the surface as this material is stretched to keep up with the faster moving center core. These stresses cause minor ruptures that roughen the surface. If the velocity gradient becomes extreme, prominent marks occur on the surface, giving it the appearance of a bamboo pole

INJECTION MOLDINGA polymer is heated to a highly plastic state and forced to flow under high pressure into a mold cavity, where it solidifiesThe molded part, called a molding, is then removed from the cavityThe process produces discrete components that are almost always net shapeThe production cycle time is typically in the range of 10 to 30 secThe mold may contain more than one cavity, so that multiple moldings are produced each cycleMost widely used molding process for thermoplastics

Molding Cycle

Injection Molding MachinesInjection unitsReciprocating screw (uses same barrel for melting and injection)Two stage (melting and injection is done in two separate units)Clamping unitsToggleHydraulicHydromechanical

Defects in Injection MoldingShrinkageShort shotFlashingSink marks and voidsWeld lines

AssignmentWrite a report on injection molding of Thermo sets metalsCompression MoldingAn old and widely used molding process for thermosetting plasticsApplications also include rubber tires and various polymer matrix composite partsThe process consists of (1) loading a precise amount of molding compound, called the charge, into the bottom half of a heated mold(2) bringing the mold halves together to compress the charge, forcing it to flow and conform to the shape of the cavity(3) heating the charge by means of the hot mold to polymerize and cure the material into a solidified part(4) opening the mold halves and removing the part from the cavityMaterials for compression molding include phenolics, melamine, urea-formaldehyde, epoxies, urethanes, and elastomers

AdvantagesSimpler and less expensive moldsLess scrapDisadvantagesLong cycle time

Blow MoldingAir pressure is used to inflate soft plastic inside a mold cavityIt is a process for making one-piece hollow plastic parts with thin walls, such as bottles and similar containers.Accomplished in two steps: Fabrication of a starting tube of molten plastic, called a parison (same as in glass-blowing)Inflation of the tube to the desired final shapeForming the parison is accomplished by either extrusion or injection moldingBlow molding is limited to thermoplastics. Polyethylene is the polymer most commonly used for blow moldingin particular, high density and high molecular weight polyethylene. Other materials include PP, PVC and PETExtrusion Blow Molding

Injection Blow Molding

ThermoformingA flat thermoplastic sheet is heated and deformed into the desired shapeThe process is widely used in packaging of consumer products and fabricating large items such as bathtubs, contoured skylights, and internal door liners for refrigeratorsTwo main steps: heating and formingHeating is usually accomplished by radiant electric heaters, located on one or both sides of the starting plastic sheetMethods by which forming is accomplished can be classified into three basic categories:vacuum thermoformingpressure thermoformingmechanical thermoformingVacuum Thermoforming

Pressure Thermoforming

Mechanical Thermoforming

Polymer Foam ProcessingA polymer foam is a polymer-and-gas mixture, which gives the material a porous or cellular structureThe most common polymer foams are polystyrene (Styrofoam) and polyurethaneOther polymers used to make foams include natural rubber (foamed rubber) and polyvinylchloride (PVC).The characteristic properties of a foamed polymer include low densityhigh strength per unit weightgood thermal insulationgood energy absorbing qualitiesPolymer foams can be classified as:elastomeric (polymer is a rubber, capable of large elastic deformation)flexible (the matrix is a highly plasticized polymer such as soft PVC)rigid (polymer is a stiff thermoplastic such as polystyrene or a thermosetting plastic such as a phenolic)Depending on chemical formulation and degree of cross-linking, polyurethanes can range over all three categoriesApplicationsThe characteristic properties of polymer foams, and the ability to control their elastic behavior through selection of the base polymer, make these materials highly suitable for certain types of applications includinghot beverage cupsheat insulating structural materials cores for structural panelspackaging materials cushion materials for furniture and beddingpadding for automobile dashboardsproducts requiring buoyancyUse of GasesCommon gases used in polymer foams are air, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. The proportion of gas can range up to 90% or moreThe gas is introduced into the polymer by several methods, called foaming processes. These include: mixing a liquid resin with air by mechanical agitation, then hardening the polymer by means of heat or chemical reaction mixing a physical blowing agent with the polymera gas such as nitrogen (N2) or pentane (C5H12), which can be dissolved in the polymer melt under pressure, so that the gas comes out of solution and expands when the pressure is subsequently reducedmixing the polymer with chemical compounds, called chemical blowing agents, that decompose at elevated temperatures to liberate gases such as CO2 or N2 within the meltOpen Cell vs Closed Cell

Polystyrene Foam-ShapingPolystyrene foams are shaped by extrusion and molding In extrusion, a physical or chemical blowing agent is fed into the polymer melt near the die end of the extruder barrel; thus, the extrudate consists of the expanded polymerLarge sheets and boards are made in this way and are subsequently cut to size for heat insulation panels and sectionsIn molding, widely used process is expandable foam molding, in which the molding material usually consists of prefoamed polystyrene beads. The prefoamed beads are produced from pellets of solid polystyrene that have been impregnated with a physical blowing agentPrefoaming is performed in a large tank by applying steam heat to partially expand the pellets, simultaneously agitating them to prevent fusion.Then, beads are fed into a mold cavity, where they are further expanded and fused together to form the molded productHot beverage cups of polystyrene foam are produced in this wayPolyurethane Foam-ShapingTwo liquid ingredients (polyol and isocyanate) are mixed and immediately fed into a mold or other form, so that the polymer is synthesized and the part geometry is created at the same time.Shaping processes for polyurethane foam can be divided into two basic types: 1.Sprayinginvolves use of a spray gun into which the two ingredients are continuously fed, mixed, and then sprayed onto a target surfaceThe reactions leading to polymerization and foaming occur after application on the surfaceThis method is used to apply rigid insulating foams onto construction panels, railway cars, and similar large items 2.Pouringinvolves dispensing the ingredients from a mixing head into an open or closed moldIn which the reactions occur.An open mold can be a container with the required contour (e. g., for an automobile seat cushion)The closed mold is a completely enclosed cavity into which a certain amount of the mixture is dispensedExpansion of the reactants completely fills the cavity to shape the part.