| Abstract: | Five glass bead-filled polypropylene composites were rheologically characterized at 240°C using two rotational rheometers to obtain low shear-rate data and a capillary rheometer to obtain high shear-rate data. Both steady and dynamic properties were measured at low shear rates. Each composite was also injection molded into tensile and flexural test bars for a mechanical properties profile at 25°C. The tensile modulus was determined from a simple extensional deformation whereas the flexural modulus was determined from a three-point-bend test. The relative shear viscosity and relative loss modulus are different nonlinear functions of the volume fraction of beads at a constant shear rate, while the relative storage modulus appears to be a linear function of bead fraction. The relative viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate and the zero shear-rate data are in very good agreement with the Guth-Gold equation. The relative tensile modulus and relative flexural modulus are each linear functions of bead fraction over the entire range of filler concentration, 0-29 vol percent. From these data it is concluded that a simple correspondence between slow viscous flow and small strain elasticity does not exist for these composites. |
