Abstract
A theoretical model is proposed for curing in polymer reaction molding operations like casting, thermoset molding or reaction injection molding (RIM), with mold temperature controlled by fluid circulation over the mold wall. Convection and mass diffusion are neglected. A modified separation-of-variables technique for the heat conduction problem with time-dependent boundary conditions is used to determine an analytical expression for the unsteady mold wall temperature profile. The result is then combined with the non-linear differential equations of heat and mass balance for curing polymers and solved numerically. Quasi-static mold wall temperature is also considered. This greatly simplifies the boundary conditions. The quasi-static assumption is tested for several cases and found applicable to polymer reaction molding. Biot number for heat transfer can be used as a convenient parameter to describe the polymer surface boundary condition. The model was tested with a fast polymerizing RIM polyurethane in a slab mold instrumented with thermocouples. Various mold wall materials were used. Measurements of temperature profiles in the polymer slab and mold wall compare well to model predictions.
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