Effect of the injection moulding processing conditions on the development of pea protein‐based bioplastics

Bioplastic materials from renewable polymers, like proteins, constitute a highly interesting field for important industrial applications such as packaging, agriculture, etc., in which thermo‐mechanical techniques are increasingly being used. Pea protein‐based bioplastics can be made through a mixing process followed by an injection moulding. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of different injection parameters (moulding time and injection pressure) on the properties exhibited by the final bioplastics obtained. A dynamic mechanical analysis and tensile strength measurements were performed, along with water absorption capacity and transparency tests. The results indicated that the major differences between bioplastics obtained at different moulding times are in transparency and in the Young's Moduli, exhibiting lower values as moulding time increases. On the other hand, modifying the injection pressure lead to more consistent bioplastics which differed mainly in the elastic component (E′ profiles) and in the strain at break. Furthermore, the water uptake was more than 100% in almost all the different bioplastics processed because of its hydrophilic character, so they could be considered as potential sources for absorbent material. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43306.     

Curing characteristics,mechanical properties and morphology of butyl rubber filled with ground tire rubber (GTR)

The results on testing application of ground tire rubber (GTR), as potential filler for butyl rubber, are presented. The GTR content variation, within the range of 10–90 phr, was studied with respect to the vulcanization process, static mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation-at-break, hardness and resilience), dynamic mechanical properties and the morphology of the obtained vulcanizates. Butyl rubber was characterized by its low compatibility to other elastomers [i.e., natural rubber and styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR)—the main ingredients of tires] and low degree of unsaturation. To evaluate the impact of these factors on curing characteristics and mechanical properties of butyl rubber vulcanizates filled with GTR, the same compositions of SBR compounds, cured under identical conditions, were used as reference samples. Based on the obtained data, it can be stated that butyl rubber vulcanizates containing 30 phr of GTR as filler revealed the highest tensile strength and elongation-at-break. The microstructural analysis of a sample containing 30 phr of GTR revealed strong interactions between the butyl rubber matrix and GTR. This phenomenon resulted mainly from two factors. First, the cross-link density of the butyl rubber matrix was affected by its competition against GTR for cross-linking agents. Secondly, the migration of carbon black particles from GTR into the butyl rubber matrix had a significant impact on properties of the obtained vulcanizates.     

Shear properties of isotropic conductive adhesive joints under different loading rates

Epoxy-based conductive adhesives have been widely used in the electronic field given the lead-free development of electronic packaging. The conductive adhesive joints must be subjected to shear loads during the service of electronic products considering the mismatch in mechanical properties between packaged chip and substrate. In this study, INSTRON 5544 universal material testing machine was used for tensile–shear tests of isotropic conductive adhesive joint specimens, which were prepared using pure copper plate adherend in the form of single-lap joints. Four loading rates, that is, 0.05, 0.5, 5, and 10 mm/min, were adopted. The relationship between shear load and displacement of two overlapping copper plates is deduced from a mechanical perspective. A mechanical model of the conductive adhesive shear specimen was developed by introducing dimensionless parameters, which are obtained from interfacial fracture energy and shear strength, to interpret the effect of loading rate on the shear properties of the conductive adhesive specimen considering the loading rate. Results show that this model can effectively reflect the relationship between shear load and displacement in the range of 0.05–10 mm/min.     

Flow behaviour of rubber in capillary and injection moulding dies

This study is concerned with the flow behaviour of a rubber compound in capillary and injection moulding dies in the temperature range of 80–120°C. The injection moulding die designs had a tapered angle ranging from 40° up to 150°. The rheological characterisation of the rubber compound in the capillary dies showed that rubber slips at the wall, and this was modelled with an appropriate slip law. The pressure drops in the system were measured for all tapered dies. Numerical simulations were then carried out with a purely viscous (Carreau) model and a multimode viscoelastic (K-BKZ) model. The results showed a good agreement with the experiments for both the capillary and the injection moulding dies, provided that slip is included in the simulations as determined experimentally.     

Natural rubber–cassava starch foam by compression moulding

Abstract

The foaming processes of mixtures of cassava starch–water and cassava starch–natural rubber latex blends have been carried out by compression moulding. The appropriate conditions under which to produce expanded foam are as follows: a temperature of 150°C, 10·8 MPa pressure, and a 2 min moulding time. For the foam from the cassava starch with water as a blowing agent, it was found that water levels in the range of 150–200% by weight of the dry starch gave good conditions for foaming. The resulting foamed material has a uniform closed cell structure. Regarding blending of cassava starch with natural rubber, the natural rubber could not be dispersed in the gelatinised starch when blended at a temperature of 70°C. To stabilise and prevent the coagulation of natural rubber in the blending process, Nonidet P40, a nonionic surfactant, was used. A suitable amount of Nonidet P40 was 1·5% by weight of natural rubber latex. The compressive stress and the storage modulus of the foam obtained increased (42–233%) with increasing natural rubber content owing to the high elasticity of the natural rubber and its promotion of more elasticity to the foams. When 2–5% of benzoyl peroxide by weight of natural rubber was added to the rubber latex, the compressive stress of the foam was further increased (20–118%) owing to vulcanisation of the natural rubber. Furthermore, an addition of 15–30% of calcium carbonate by weight of the dry starch of the blends was found to increase the compressive stress and storage modulus of the foams (69–148%) and the hardness and brittleness of the foams.     

Preparation,morphology and properties of natural rubber composites filled with untreated short jute fibres

Green composites were obtained by incorporation of short jute fibres in natural rubber matrix using a laboratory two-roll mill. The influence of untreated fibre content (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 phr) on the mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical properties, swelling properties was examined. The behaviour of prepared green composites under cyclic compression was also investigated. Fibre dispersion in rubber matrix was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The highest tensile strength (21.1 MPa) and highest tear strength (39.9 N/mm) were found for composites containing 2.5 and 5 phr of short jute fibres, respectively. The results also suggested that increasing fibrous filler content resulted in increasing of tensile moduli 100, 200 and 300 % of elongation and hardness, and decreasing of rebound resilience and abrasion resistance of prepared jute/natural rubber composites. The cyclic compression test showed that increasing the amount of short jute fibres in the rubber matrix is related to increase of the energy dissipated in the composite. The incorporation of short jute fibres into the rubber matrix improves the stiffness of the composites, and it is related to the interaction between fibre surface and rubber matrix. The application of short fibres in higher amounts leads to formation of fibre agglomerates reducing the mobility of the rubber polymer chains. The mentioned agglomerates act as defects in rubber matrix, which caused decreasing of some properties, e.g. relative elongation at break.     

A Vacuum Drying Model for Mango Pulp

Abstract

Vacuum drying of mango pulp at varying conditions of pulp thickness (2, 3, and 4 mm) and vacuum chamber plate temperature (65, 70, and 75°C) was carried out under 30–50 mm of mercury absolute pressure. A model based on moisture diffusivity was found to give close prediction to moisture content of the pulp at different times of drying with correlation coefficient varying between 0.98–0.99 for pure mango pulp and pulp with ingredients. Color change of reconstituted pulp made from mango powder was found to depend more on pulp thickness than plate temperature. For getting low color change vacuum drying should be carried at maximum pulp thickness of 2.6 mm and vacuum chamber plate temperature of 72.3°C.     

Effect of nAl(OH)3 on thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of millable polyurethane (MPU) rubber

Aluminium hydroxide nanoparticles [nAl(OH)₃] were synthesized using continuous ultrasonic cavitation technique. The size and shape of synthesized nanoparticles were confirmed using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, which was found to be ~55 nm in diameter with needle shape. Millable polyurethane (MPU) rubber nanocomposites were prepared with nAl(OH)₃ as a filler (0.5–2.5 wt% loading) using two-roll mill and moulded on compression moulding machine. Dicumyl peroxide was used as a curing agent. Mechanical property and abrasion resistance was determined using universal testing machine (UTM) and abrasion resistance tester, respectively. Physical (hardness and swelling index) and thermal (flammability and stability) properties were also studied on shore A hardness tester, flammability tester and thermo gravimetric analyzer, respectively. The extent of dispersion of nAl(OH)₃ in MPU matrix was studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). MPU rubber:nAl(OH)₃ nanocomposites show improved mechanical, physical and thermal properties compared to pristine MPU composite. This dramatic improvement in properties was due to very small grain size of nAl(OH)₃, which facilitates uniform dispersion of nanoparticles within the chains of MPU rubber. This improvement in properties were up to 2 wt% and decreases subsequently (2.5 wt%) due to agglomeration. nAl(OH)₃ behaves like an ordinary filler at higher wt% loading.     

Effect of mica addition on the properties of natural rubber and polybutadiene rubber vulcanizates

The rheometric, mechanical, and dynamic mechanical properties as well as fracture surfaces of natural rubber–mica and polybutadiene rubber–mica vulcanizates were studied. Mica was used in the range of 0–30 phr and the rheometric study was carried out at 160°C. The results indicate that the mechanical properties are improved as filler addition increases. Dynamic mechanical testing was used to analyze the observed mechanical behavior. The two elastomers showed different fracture behaviors. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2156–2162, 2003     

Mechanical and thermal behavior of styrene butadiene rubber composites reinforced with silane-treated peanut shell powder

Biocomposites of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) reinforced with silane-treated peanut shell powder (SPSP) of different filler loadings and particle sizes were prepared by two roll mixing mills with sulfur as a vulcanizing agent. The cure characteristics of composites were studied, and they vulcanized at 160 °C. Test samples were prepared by compression moulding, and their physicomechanical properties, such as tensile strength tear strength, modulus, hardness, and abrasion resistance of SBR vulcanizates, were studied with filler loading 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 parts per hundred rubber (phr). Composites with 10 phr filler having small particle size exhibited better properties. The interfacial adhesion between filler and matrix has a major role in the properties of composites. Surface modification of PSP was done by silane coupling agent to improve the interfacial adhesion and it characterised by FTIR, XRD, TGA, UV, and SEM. Better properties are shown by the composites with SPSP. Thermal stability of the composites was also determined using thermogravimetric analysis.     

Effect of cavity pressure on crosslink density of injection moulded silicone rubber

Abstract

The effects of injection moulding conditions (temperatures 120 and 160°C, pressures from 5 to 50 MPa) on the crosslink density of the resulting parts (determined from equilibrium solvent swelling experiments) have been studied for an elastomer of the liquid silicone rubber type in which crosslinking results from platinum catalysed vinyl–silane addition. It was shown, unexpectedly, that a pressure increase leads to an increase in the cure rate, despite the unfavourable effect of pressure on viscosity.     

Micromoulding: process characteristics and product properties

Abstract

Key aspects of the technology and challenges associated with the micromoulding process are discussed. The apparent shear and extensional viscosity behaviour of a polyacetal at high wall shear rates have been measured using inline capillary rheometry on a commercial micromoulding machine and a larger servoelectric injection moulding machine; the polymer behaved predictably at shear rates in excess of 10⁶ s^-1. Initial moulding trials indicated that a stepped plaque and 0·25 mm thick rectangular plaque mouldings filled in a satisfactory manner, but a thicker plaque cavity exhibited a jetting flow into the cavity.

A data capture system capable of measuring multiple process dynamics at high sampling rates (up to 50 kHz per channel) allowed detailed process measurements taken during moulding of the stepped plaque moulding. Atomic force microscopy of the moulded products showed different surface finishes on each step of the stepped plaque moulding. Topography scans of the 0·25 mm thick rectangular plaque moulding showed that mould surface features with length scales of the order of a few micrometres were well replicated on the moulded product and the quality of the surface finish is dependent on the melt pressure during moulding.     

Preparation and Use of Nano Zinc Oxide in Neoprene Rubber

Zinc oxide (ZnO) of nanometer particle size was prepared by solid-state pyrolytic method. TEM, XRD, and surface area studies showed that the prepared zinc oxide had particle size in the range of 15–30 nm and surface area in the range of 12–30 m²/g. This nano zinc oxide was used as a curing agent in neoprene rubber. The optimum dosage of ZnO was found to be low compared to commercial ZnO. The cure characteristic and mechanical properties were compared with those containing conventional ZnO. It was found that a low dosage of zinc oxide was enough to give equivalent curing and mechanical properties compared to one containing a higher dosage (5 phr) of commercial zinc oxide in neoprene rubber.     

Filling Effect of Silica on Electrical and Mechanical Properties of EPDM/NBR Blends

Filling effect of silica on dielectric and mechanical properties of ethylene propylene diene/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber EPDM/NBR blends with different compositions was studied. To solve the problem of phase separation polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with concentration 10 phr was added. The dielectric data for the investigated systems on the frequency domain 100 Hz to 100 kHz were found to be fitted using Fröhlich function by two absorption regions. These regions ascribe the Maxwell-Wagner effect and the aggregates that are expected to be formed by the addition of different ingredients to rubber. The study led to a conclusion that the blend 75/25 EPDM/NBR possesses the most promising properties. For such reason, this blend was chosen to be loaded with silica in increasing quantities up to 90 phr and then study the various properties. This study indicates that the EPDM/NBR blend loaded with 50–60 phr of silica possess the most suitable electrical and mechanical properties.     

Effects of temperature on interlaminar fracture toughness of fibre reinforced plastic composites made by newly proposed rubber pressure moulding technique

Abstract

The present paper has investigated the effect of temperatures (i.e.?70–100°C) on the interlaminar fracture toughness (ILFT) of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) composite panels made by a recently developed process known as the rubber pressure moulding (RPM) technique. The RPM technique is based on the matching die set, where the die is made of hard metal like steel and the punch from flexible rubber like materials. The use of flexible rubber punch helps to intensify and uniformly redistribute pressure (both operating pressure and developed hydrostatic pressure due to the flexible rubber punch) on the surface of the product. Natural rubber was used to prepare rubber punch in this investigation. For performance evaluation of FRP composites made by the RPM technique, FRP composites were also made by conventional method and tested at the same temperatures. It is observed that Mode I ILFT of FRP composites decreases towards higher and lower extremes of the temperature range selected. FRP composites made by the RPM technique show a higher Mode I ILFT over the 25–100°C temperature range than those made by the conventional process.     

Mechanical,Water-Swelling,and Morphological Properties of Water-Swellable Thermoplastic Vulcanizates Based on High Density Polyethylene/Chlorinated Polyethylene/Nitrile Butadiene Rubber/Cross-Linked Sodium Polyacrylate Blends

A novel water-swellable rubber (WSR) had been prepared by dynamically vulcanized high density polyethylene (HDPE)/chlorinated polyethylene (CPE)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) blends where a cross-linked poly(sodium acrylate) (CPNaAA) was used as a super water-absorbent resin. The mechanical, water-swelling and morphological properties of the WSRs were investigated. Increasing CPNaAA dosages, mechanical properties of WSRs decreased while water-swelling ratio were increased significantly; moreover, swelling ratio of WSRs with 70 phr CPNaAA was reached 956.7% at 55 h. Morphological studies showed that CPNaAA were dispersed randomly in the TPVs, and significant gaps could be found in the surface of dried WSRs.     

橡胶注射过程中压力变化的研究

对橡胶注射过程中的压力变化进行了理论与实验研究。充模流动模型的压力、能量控制方程分别为：选用高斯方法求解总体有限元方程。实验与计算分析对比证明．本文选用的数学模型和计算方法所得结果与实测结果基本吻合、该模型可用以代替大量的实验，对橡胶充模过程进行模拟，并用Ｇｒａｐｈｅｒ软件对数值结果进行处理，以图表直观地表达出各种因素对充模过程的影响。     

Modeling Microwave Vacuum Drying Kinetics and Moisture Diffusivity of Carrot Slices

Carrot slices of 3.5 mm thickness were dried in a laboratory microwave vacuum dryer at five different microwave power density levels of 2, 4.66, 7.33, 10, and 12.66 W/g and at three vacuum chamber pressure levels of 6.66, 19.98, and 33.3 kPa to 4–6% d.b. moisture content. Inside the dryer the sample holding plate was rotated with the speed of 4 rpm for uniform microwaves application. The drying rates were increased with the increase in microwave power density at all pressure levels and the Page model was found to be the most suitable model to predict the drying behavior of carrot slices at all process conditions. The Page model drying rate constant (k, min^?1) showed high correlation with microwave power density at constant pressure by a power law equation and showed a logarithmic relationship with the microwave power density and pressure. Similar to the drying rate constant, the average moisture diffusivity at constant pressure was found to be function of microwave power density by power law equation as well as was also dependent on the power density and pressure by a logarithmic relationship.     

Modification In Situ of EPDM Filled with Carbon Black by Glycidyl Methacrylate

A method of chemical modification in situ of ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) filled with carbon black was studied. A bifunctional monomer, glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), was used as the modifier to improve the dispersibility of carbon black in the rubber and to enhance the mechanical properties of EPDM vulcanizates. The effects of GMA on the structure and properties of EPDM vulcanizates such as determination of cross-linking density and vulcanizing properties as well as mechanical properties were investigated by FT-IR, SEM, and DMTA. The results showed the addition of GMA into carbon black filled EPDM compounds could remarkably improve the mechanical properties of the vulcanizates. The optimum content of GMA was about 5.0 phr when the content of carbon black was 50 phr. The reason for improvement of the mechanical properties might be attributed to the chemical combinations between rubber macromolecular chains and carbon black surfaces by GMA. The action of GMA was similar to a cocuring agent and a coupling agent.     

Recycling of thermoset polyurethane foams

A new way for recycling polyurethane (PU) foams is shown by scrap pulverization and subsequent compression molding of resulting particles. The compression molding stage is also called “direct molding” to highlight the absence of any linking agent or virgin material. Large disks, 190 mm in diameter, were molded by recycling foam scraps from motorcycle seats. Aluminum alloy molds and a hot parallel press plate press were used: the molding temperature was fixed to 180°C, the molding pressure to 4.2 MPa, and the molding time to 15 min, whereas the weight of the particles to mold was changed so as to obtain disks with different thickness. The final density of molded product was close to 1 g/cm³, resulting in a compacting factor of 14 in comparison with the initial PU foam. Indentation tests and tensile tests showed that final products exhibit good mechanical performances. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers