Effect of Mold Temperature on Structure and Property Variations of PBT Injection Moldings in the Thickness Direction

Abstract

Abstract During injection molding process, the surface of flowing resin in contact with the mold surface is cooled first followed by the cooling of inner part. This results in the variation of microstructure in moldings through the thickness direction. It has been reported that these phenomena result in the layered structure of injection moldings. Particularly, because of the rapid rate of crystallization, PBT injection moldings have well-defined skin and core layers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of mold temperature on the development of structure and property variations of PBT injection moldings in the thickness direction. Tensile tests were performed using dumbbell specimens that were stamped out from the sliced specimens of moldings. Neck phenomenon occurred irrespective of mold temperature and distance from the surface of moldings. The start point of neck propagation shifted to higher strain with increasing distance from the surface. Tensile modulus increased with increasing distance from the surface. In order to discuss these results from a structural viewpoint, the microstructure of each layer was evaluated by density, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared absorption measurements. The delay in necking start points with increasing distance from the surface is due to the higher crystallinity of the inner layer compared to that of the layer near the surface. Two crystal forms of PBT (α- and β-forms) were developed in injection moldings. The region near the surface, where content of α-form is larger than that of β-form, becomes thinner with increasing mold temperature. It is known that the crystal modulus of α-form is lower than that of β-form. Therefore the portion of moldings with lower tensile modulus and yield strength becomes smaller. It is suggested that the border between the skin and core layers, where tensile property changes, shifts to the surface of PBT injection moldings as mold temperature increases.