The SPE Library contains thousands of papers, presentations, journal briefs and recorded webinars from the best minds in the Plastics Industry. Spanning almost two decades, this collection of published research and development work in polymer science and plastics technology is a wealth of knowledge and information for anyone involved in plastics.
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John Vlachopoulos | Nickolas Polychronopoulos | Shinichiro Tanifuji, November 2011
The methodology is based on some conventional
models for flow in the hopper, solids bed and melting
zone. In the melt pumping zone the Hele – Shaw
approximation is applied, which describes spreading flow
in two dimensions. The momentum and energy equations
are solved layer – by – layer starting from the barrel wall.
This methodology enables significant reduction of
computer time required for simulation of extruders with
complex screw geometry, over the fully 3D approach.
Good agreement was obtained with some available
experimental data and further evaluations of predictive
capabilities are currently underway.
Shih-Po Sun | Lyndon Charles | Fei Peng | James R. Olson | Montgomery T. Shaw | Mei Wei, November 2011
Orthopedic procedures often require repair materials
that can carry large loads without excessive deformation or
failure. To this end, we designed composites using two
biocompatible/bioabsorbable polymers, poly(L-lactic acid)
(PLLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL). The latter was filled
with nano-needles of hydroxyapatite (HA), while the
PLLA was used in long-fiber form. Theory advises that
the HA nano-needles must be of high aspect ratio and be
aligned in the matrix to gain sufficient stiffness. We have
explored several processing techniques for accomplishing
this task, and have successfully made composites in the 8-
to 10-GPa range. Variations of this structure will also be
described.
J. Escudero | J. Tirado | M.A. Rodriguez-Perez | J.A. de Saja | D. Rosa | J.A. Vazquez, November 2011
This paper presents a novel technology to produce
plastic parts called “Stages Moulding”. The patented
technology allows producing plastic parts with complex
shapes, from a wide variety of polymers, with excellent
surface quality, reduced thermal and mechanical stresses
and possibility to produce parts with reduced weights.
This novel process uses cheaper moulds and equipments
than those used in injection moulding. The specific
characteristics previously mentioned make this
technology very promising for the production of plastic
parts for different markets. The paper explains the main
characteristics of this technology presenting some real
examples of parts produced.
A. Lopez-Gil | M.A. Rodriguez-Perez | J.A. De Saja | F.S. Bellucci | M. Ardanuy, November 2011
This research work develops new methods to
produce biodegradable starch-based trays for the
purpose of replacing expanded polystyrene in the food
packaging market. The starch based biopolymers
present several drawbacks like poor mechanical
properties and very high density. In order to overcome
these drawbacks two research lines have been set up:
blending thermoplastic starch with biobased
reinforcements from agricultural wastes like barley
straw and grape wastes, and testing the foamability of
these materials with a Microwave-foaming method.
David Arencón | Antonio B. Martínez | Pablo Moreno | Ana García, November 2011
The traditional sharpening through the razor blade
method employed in the fracture characterization of
polymers creates plastic deformation at the notch tip,
which affects the fracture toughness values. Recently it
has been applied a technique based on femtosecond
pulsed laser ablation, which removes material with almost
no heat dissipation, preventing melting and thermal
deformation of the surrounding area and without plastic
deformation at the crack tip. In this work, the fracture
toughness of polycarbonate was studied using the Linear
Elastic Fracture Mechanics testing procedure at impact
velocity, evaluating the influence of crack sharpening by
femtolaser or razor blade sliding.
S. Pardo-Alonso | S. Estravís | E. Solórzano | M.A. Rodríguez-Perez | J.A. de Saja, November 2011
X-ray radioscopy is a technique in which a series of
radiographies are acquired during an evolving process.
The present study aims to investigate the mechanisms
occurring during the reactive foaming process of rigid
polyurethane (PU) foams in its liquid state. The work
addresses a comparative study of in-situ pore growth
determination in PU foams with and without
nanoadditives (nanoclays), based on the mentioned
technique and thus providing a valid methodology to
investigate the foaming process in all its stages. The
results confirm that nanoparticles addition modify the
final pore size most probably based on a higher
nucleation rate at initial stages.
S. Estravís Sastre | M. A. Rodríguez Pérez, November 2011
Nanofillers are added to rigid PU foams to improve their mechanical properties, however this expected behaviour is not always found. A poor dispersion of the fillers is usually accepted as a possible explanation, but chemical interaction between matrix and fillers could also result in a reduction of the final foam properties. In this study, polyurethane rigid foams (with and without nanoclays) have been produced and characterized. Different dispersion techniques have been used. The experimental results suggested that chemical interaction between fillers and matrix plays a critical role in the mechanical behaviour of these type of systems.
Juan Lobos | Migue A. Rodriguez-Perez | Gemma Gasa | Miguel Muñoz, November 2011
This paper presents an investigation on the improvement
of the thermal conductivity of polystyrene foams by using
different types of carbon blacks as additives. Carbon
blacks with different morphologies were used as IRblockers.
To test the changes in the conductivity foams
with densities between 20 and 100 kg/m3 were produced
using the solid state foaming technique. The cellular
structure and thermal conductivity were analyzed in
detail. In addition the thermal conductivity was
analytically modeled to study the influence of the
different carbon black types on the heat flow by radiation.
The best morphology to reduce the thermal conductivity
has been detected.
Rapid Manufacturing (RM), as one of the most important emerging technologies, has a high potential as part of European industry, with a clear role in manufacturing process and economy. In this context, seven EU entities have proposed an e-learning program on these technologies, to increase its knowledge and use, with the aim of improving competitiveness in companies. Results on surveys prepared in this project with the aim of establishing the actual situation in Europe in this field and filled in by companies and training centres are presented in this communication, providing an overview of RM general knowledge and use.
Tu Le Ngo | Alain Choquet | Dominique Valligny, November 2011
Many vehicle manufacturers are aiming diversifying
their car interiors with more daring colours and textures
with limiting the amount of investment. For large
interior parts, like instrument or door panels, special
resins or painting technology was considered current
state of the art. A new technology, thin TPO film
overmoulding, could replace this current state of the art
technology.
The main paper objective of this paper is to describe the
advantages and the issues in using thin thermoplastic
olefin (TPO) foil overmolding as an alternative. This
paper presents the new generation of TPO “ready for
graining” soft foils and the innovative tooling & process
needed to laminate the foil during the PP direct injection
shot
Christian Bey | Alain Choquet | Dominique Valligny, November 2011
By the year 2025, carbon emissions levels will require for
the main vehicle in the world important weight
reductions. Plastics components can now be expanded
during injection keeping correct mechanical behavior to
design vehicle interiors. The paper presents the
instrument panel application and describes the
importance of the Polypropylene (PP) material, the
expansion technology and the related component,
injection press and tooling designs. The paper aims to
demonstrate how applications like visible instrument
topper panels or side trimmings could be designed in
purpose to respect esthetical and mechanical
specifications
C. Saiz-Arroyo | M.A. Rodríguez-Pérez | J.A. de Saja, November 2011
Foaming of polypropylene is not trivial due to its
weak melt strength and its semicristalline character. The
solutions proposed up to now are based in crosslinking
the polymeric matrix or in the use of special
polypropylene grades.
A collection of samples with relative densities in the
range of 0.3-0.6 have been produced using a conventional
PP grade. The improved compression moulding foaming
process which uses a chemical blowing agent was used to
produce the analyzed foams. The effect of chemical
composition on both cellular and mechanical properties
has been analyzed.
Miguel Sánchez-Soto | Silvia Illescas | Tobias Abt | Maria Virginia Candal | Jaime Francisco Gómez, November 2011
In this work, a hybrid polypropylene (PP)/steel car
part (Traverse leg) was created by over moulding. PP was
modified with 10%wt. of PP-g-Ma coupling agent.
Different surface treatments were applied to the steel
determining its influence on adhesion. Best peel strength
was reached when the steel was sanded. Etching and shot
peened plates showed similar but lower levels of
adhesion. In all cases, the application of torch heating was
necessary to create a thin layer of iron oxide strongly
bonded to the steel and by reaction to the PP-g-Ma. To
create adhesion a minimum steel temperature of 120ºC
was necessary.
J. Castany | J. Fuentelsaz | F. Serraller | D. Mercado | I. Clavería | J. Aísa, November 2011
Created from University of Zaragoza, the group T.I.I.P. has developed its activities since 1989 around injection molding. This team has always worked as near as possible to the industry (its name includes “workshop”, not “laboratory") and, in its aims, it promotes the research work pushed from market demands. However, for an effective knowledge exchange, the members of the group T.I.I.P. have promoted hundreds of training courses teaching to all the injection´s actors, about how to arrange the whole process to improve final results. During these twenty years, fifteen doctoral theses and twenty friendly computer programs for training were made, closing the loop.
S. Román Lorza | M. A. Rodríguez Pérez, November 2011
A new type of materials has been produced by means of
creating a cellular structure in blends of LDPE/LLDPEg-
MAH/ATH. The presence of the aluminium hydroxide
(ATH) in a polymer blend, both as flame retardant and
reinforcement, significantly increases the density of the
end product. The aim of this work is to achieve a cellular
structure by foaming these materials, when high loading
levels up to 60wt% of ATH are included. As a result, a
density reduction of 50% has been obtained together
with excellent mechanical and flame retardant
properties. A comparison of these properties between
solid and foamed materials is included.
H. Kishimoto | A. Takenaka | H. Moriwaka | H. Enomoto, November 2011
Polylactide (PLA) and other bio-based plastics have been attracting much attention for environment problems. In this report, modified PLA resin have been developed and based on “Technology of Nano-Modification for Polymer”, such as control of softening and of crystallization in nano size. Two types of modified PLA of which one is clear and soft PLA for extrusion molding and another one is high moldability PLA for injection molding have been developed. These modified PLA have been applied as alternative plastics of PP and ABS to stationery, packaging, convenience goods, electrical appliance and so on. Performances and technologies will be presented.
Susana Petisco | Jone M. Ugartemendia | Jorge Fernández | Jose-Ramon Sarasua, November 2011
In the design of new polymeric materials the longterm
stability and durability are matters of considerable
importance. It is known that during physical aging volume
contraction and densification of polymers occur and
therefore physical properties such as mechanical or
crystallization behavior of amorphous polymers may be
affected. In this work the impact that physical aging has on
two biodegradable poly(L-lactide/ε-caprolactone) (PLCL)
copolymers differing on their randomness character was
studied. Their thermal behavior has been evaluated by
specific aging strategies using Differential Scanning
Calorimetry (DSC).
Erlantz Lizundia | Jose-Ramon Sarasua, November 2011
The thermal degradation behaviour of poly (L-lactide)
nanocomposites containing both as-received (MWCNT)
and purified multi wall carbon nanotubes (p-MWCNT)
was evaluated by means of thermogravimetric analysis
(TGA). Composites with carbon nanotube contents of 0,
0.75, 1.25, 2.5, 4 and 5 wt. % were prepared. The thermal
degradation process was analyzed in the light of Kissinger
and Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OFW) models revealing a
lowering of the activation energy (E) due to iron and
aluminium residues present in carbon nanotubes.
Aitor Larrañaga | Jose-Ramon Sarasua, November 2011
The mechanical properties of highly porous scaffolds
have been investigated. Scaffolds of poly(Llactide)(
PLLA) and poly(L-lactide/ε-caprolactone)(PLCL)
filled with 5, 10 and 15 vol.% of Bioglass® (BG) and
hydroxyapatite (HA) particles were prepared by a solvent
casting/particulate leaching procedure. The thermal
properties of the scaffolds were determined using
differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric
analysis (TGA), while the morphology was
characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All
scaffolds presented a highly porous structure (≈90%
porosity) and well-interconnected pores. Tensile test
results revealed that the addition of bioactive particles
increases the modulus and decreases the relative
elongation at break.
Marilyn L. Minus | Yiying Zhang | Kenan Song | Jiang Sha Meng | Emily C. Green, November 2011
Composites based on carbonaceous materials and polymers have been researched since the production of carbon fibers in the 1960s, leading to disruptive technological changes in the field of materials science. Today micro- and nano-scale carbon materials have opened new directions within this field to produce composites for high-performance applications. This work outlines in-situ analysis of the POLYMER-NANO interfacial zones in the composite as a function of nano-carbon structures. Stress transfer analysis of the composite interface couples nano-carbon structure with morphology and mechanical performance. This work addresses fundamental issues for materials design toward commercialization of polymer-based nano-composites meant for high-performance technologies.
Any article that is cited in another manuscript or other work is required to use the correct reference style. Below is an example of the reference style for SPE articles:
Brown, H. L. and Jones, D. H. 2016, May.
"Insert title of paper here in quotes,"
ANTEC 2016 - Indianapolis, Indiana, USA May 23-25, 2016. [On-line].
Society of Plastics Engineers
Available: www.4spe.org.
Note: if there are more than three authors you may use the first author's name and et al. EG Brown, H. L. et al.
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