Short fiber reinforced thermoplastics. I. Rheological properties of glass fiber reinforced Noryl

An experimental study on the flow behavior of glass fiber reinforced Noryl (a commercial poly(phenyleneoxide)/polystyrene blend) using a capillary rheometer is described. The effect of fiber concentration on shear viscosity and die swell was studied at various temperatures. Breakage of glass fibers during flow through the rheometer is discussed; it was found that the average fiber length (about 230 μm) was not significiantly altered, except at the highest shear rate (575 s⁻¹) studied. The incorporation of short fibers into thermoplastic polymer melts increases their viscosity without changing the basic rheological character-shear rate dependency. No discernible viscosity changes were measured by incorporating 10 weight percent fibers, and upon further increase of fiber concentration from 20 to 30 weight percent no appreciable increase in viscosity was noted. It is shown that short glass fibers cause a large reduction in extrudate swell. The presence of voids and fiber orientation contribute to the decrease of the die swell, an effect greater than expected from volumetric considerations alone.