pps proceeding
Symposium: S11 - In-line Analytics and Process Monitoring Oral Presentation
Determination of the flow and curing behavior of highly filled phenolic injection molding compounds by means of spiral mold
Scheffler Thomas (1)*, Gehde Michael (1)
(1) Chemnitz University of Technology, Professorship of Plastics Engineering - Chemnitz - Germany
Thermosetting molding compounds feature a high material and substitution potential for high temperature thermoplastics in technical applications due to their excellent thermo-mechanical properties. Due to the complex flow and curing behavior of thermosetting molding compounds, the quality of parts made from this materials depends to a high degree on the reactive and viscous characteristics during their processing. The rheological characterization of these materials is difficult to carry out with offline measurements like the plate-plate-rheometer, the capillary rheometer or by using a continuous kneader. High filling rates up to 80 percent (fibers, beads, particles) of phenolic moulding compounds, very high reaction rates and undefined shear rates of the measuring instruments constitute the reasons for this characteristic. In the presented study a flow spiral was used to determine the viscosity directly during the injection moulding. In addition to the flow path, the flowability is determined by measuring the pressure loss over time at three different flow path lengths with two pressure sensors. Two new thermal gradient sensors were built in the flow spiral over the flow path to measure the degree of curing influenced by dwelling time into the mold. To compare the measuring result of sensors in the mold with the data obtained by the injection moulding machine, the hydraulic pressure and the driving torque of the screw were recorded. The results display a high accordance of the recorded machine parameters with the parameters measured in the mold. They will be discussed and interpreted depending on the degree of filling and content of water of the phenolic moulding compound. The mold temperature and the injection speed was varied during the tests to determine their influence on the complex flow and curing behavior of thermosetting moulding compounds.