Crystal orientation distributions in injection‐molded polypropylene compounds

Abstract

AbstractThe crystal orientation distribution in injection‐molded bars made from several polypropylene compounds has been investigated using pole figure analysis. The fillers used were glass fibers, chalk, and talc, and some compounds contained one filler and others contained glass fibers plus one or both of the others. All compounds showed strong orientation in the skin with the b‐axis of the monoclinic crystals lying preferentially normal to the flow direction and in many cases parallel to the normal to the bar face. This normal direction orientation was very strong in compounds containing talc and is probably caused by crystals forming with their (010) planes on the talc platelet faces, which align themselves parallel to the mold face. Strong orientation persists into the interior of the moldings containing talc, whereas in the other compounds, the orientation at intermediate depths is much less pronounced than in the skin. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.