Effect of consolidation on the flexural creep behaviour of all-polypropylene composite

Abstract

The long-term viscoelastic behaviour of self-reinforced polypropylene composites (SRPPC) was studied by short-term flexural creep tests at different temperatures. As reinforcement a fabric, woven from highly stretched split PP yarns, whereas as matrix materials α and β crystal forms of isotactic PP homopolymer and random copolymer (with ethyl- ene) were selected and used. The composite sheets were produced by film-stacking method and compression moulded at different processing temperatures (5, 20, 35°C above the melting temperatures of the matrices) keeping the holding time and pressure constant. The manufactured specimens were subjected to isothermal creep tests at different temperatures rang- ing from -20 to 80°C under an applied load. The time-temperature superposition principle was verified for the creep data. An Arrhenius type relationship described the shift data obtained from the creep tests. It was found, that with improving con- solidation (increasing processing temperature) the creep compliance decreased and good correlation was found between creep compliance and density/peel strength.