Injection molding of polypropylene/polycarbonate blends

This work deals with the effects of material and processing parameters on the mechanical behavior and morphology of noncompatlbilized polypropylene-polycarbonate (PP-PC) blends. The blends containing between 0 and 40 vol. percent of polycarbonate were compounded using a twin screw extruder and converted by injection molding using molds with rectangular as well as dogbone shaped cavities. The blends exhibit a complex skin-core morphology which evolves with the composition. Despite the absence of interfacial adhesion, the low strain modulus increases with PC concentration and follows approximately the Takayanagi model for systems with perfect adhesion. A slight increase of stiffness and strength with increasing PP/PC viscosity ratio is also observed. Weldline strength of these blends is generally poor and decreases with the increasing PC concentration.