Abstract
Among the composite manufacturing methods, injection molding has higher time efficiency and improved processability. The production of composites via injection molding requires a pre-process to mix and pelletize the matrix polymer and reinforcement material. Herein, we studied the effect of extrusion process conditions for making pellets on the mechanical and thermal properties provided by injection molding. Polyamide 6 (PA6) was used as the base, and composites were produced by blending carbon fibers and Al2O3 as the filler. To determine the optimum blending ratio, the mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, and melt flow index (MI) were measured at various blending ratios. With this optimum blending ratio, pellets were produced by changing the temperature and RPM conditions, which are major process variables during compounding. Samples were fabricated by applying the same injection conditions, and the mechanical strength, MI values, and thermal properties were measured. The mechanical strength increased slightly as the temperature and RPM increased, and the MI and thermal conductivity also increased. The results of this study can be used as a basis for specifying the conditions of the mixing and compounding process such that the desired mechanical and thermal properties are obtained.
Highlights
Composites refer to materials produced by combining two or more materials to complement the shortcomings of each material while taking advantage of the features of each material [1,2]
When polyamides are exposed to humidity, the absorption of moisture affects some mechanical properties of Polyamide 6 (PA6) compounds
The tensile strength decreased as the proportion of Al2 O3 increased, which was added to improve the thermal conductivity
Summary
Composites refer to materials produced by combining two or more materials to complement the shortcomings of each material while taking advantage of the features of each material [1,2]. Resin transfer molding (RTM) is increasingly being used to manufacture large-sized structures consisting of composites, such as fuselage frames, turbo-propeller blades, boats, and wind turbine blades [12,13] Among these composite manufacturing methods, injection molding has lower cost, higher time efficiency, and improved processability. Yahui et al [17] fabricated composites via injection molding according to the variation in the initial length of the CF and analyzed the physical and thermal properties They reported that the initial fiber length had no effect, the process conditions played a significant role. To analyze the effect of the extrusion process conditions on the mechanical and thermal conductivities, pellets were prepared using filler in the polymer matrix, and various mixing ratios and extrusion tests were performed. Electron Microscope (SEM) to determine the dispersibility of the fillers according to the process conditions
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