Effect of oven residence time on mechanical properties in rotomoulding of LLDPE

Abstract

In rotational moulding of plastics, improving the mechanical properties without sacrificing the processibility is a challenging task. In this paper, an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of oven residence time on the mechanical properties of the rotationally moulded products made using linear low density polyethylene. Simulation studies were conducted using ROTOSIM software to analyze thermal transitions and phase changes during the process. Degree of curing of the polymers was also assessed and correlated with mechanical properties. Experiments were further conducted to obtain favourable oven residence time to obtain highest mechanical properties. Experimental investigation revealed that there exist regions where the part was ‘under-cured’ and mechanical properties were found to be inferior. It was also found that when parts were ‘over-cured’, the mechanical properties were severely affected. A regime of favourable processing window was identified where the highest tensile, flexural and impact properties were noticed.