pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S04 - Injection molding
Oral Presentation
 
 

Slip of polypropylene melts over laser-induced periodic nano-structures having different dimensions

Lucchetta Giovanni (1)*, Sorgato Marco (1), Piccolo Leonardo (1), Masato Davide (2), Orazi Leonardo (3)

(1) University of Padova - PD - Italy, (2) University of Massachusetts Lowell - MA - USA, (3) University of Modena and Reggio Emilia - MO - Italy

In injection molding, high pressure is required to completely replicate the mold geometry, due to the viscosity of thermoplastic polymers, the reduced thickness of the cavity and the low mold temperature. The reduction of the drag required to fill a thin-wall injection molding cavity can be promoted by inducing the strong slip of the polymer melt over the mold surface, which occurs within the first monolayer of macromolecules adsorbed at the wall. In this work, the effects of different size Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) topographies on the reduction of the melt flow resistance of polypropylene were characterized. Ultrafast laser processing of the mold surface was used to manufacture oriented nano-scale ripples with different dimensions. Moreover, the effects of those injection molding parameters that mostly affect the interaction between the mold surface and the molten polymer were evaluated. The effect of LIPSS on the slip of the polymer melt was modelled to understand the effect of the different treatments on the pressure required to fill the thin-wall cavity. The results show that LIPPS can used to treat injection mold surfaces to promote the onset of wall slip, thus reducing the injection pressure.