Comparison of long and short fibre injection moulded electrical connector housings

Abstract

The adoption of injection moulded fibre-reinforced polymer electrical connector housings is being held back by the mechanical properties of the traditional ‘short fibre’ moulding materials. The recent development of ‘long fibre’ injection moulding materials with improved mechanical properties could change this situation. Long and short fibre electrical connector housings are characterized in terms of mechanical properties (using a novel test), fibre lengths and volume fractions in the as-moulded test part, and microstructure. The four materials reported on include: polyphenylene sulphide ( pps) reinforced with long and short glass and long and short carbon fibres. The results show a substantial improvement in ‘step strength’ for both long glass and carbon fibres compared to short fibres. Fibre length measurements show the expected relationship between long and short fibres. Strength differences are attributed to the difference in fibre lengths and not to any fibre orientation effects.