Impact of compression molding conditions on the thermal and mechanical properties of polyethylene |
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| Authors: | Azar Shamloo Babak Fathi Saïd Elkoun Denis Rodrigue Armand Soldera |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Centre Québécois sur les Matériaux Fonctionnels, Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Matter, Department of chemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québeck J1K 2R1, Canada;2. Centre Québécois sur les Matériaux Fonctionnels, Department of mechanical engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québeck J1K 2R1, Canada;3. Centre Québécois sur les Matériaux Fonctionnels, Department of Chemical Engineering, Université Laval, Québec, Québeck G1V 0A6, Canada |
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| Abstract: | Compression molding is a current technique in polymer processing. Despite numerous studies, effect of molding pressure on physical properties has surprisingly not been fully investigated. In this study, the thermal and mechanical behavior of the compression‐molded polyethylene were thus explored to better grasp the relationship between processing parameters and ensuing properties. The effect of the molding temperature, pressure, cooling rate, and temperature profile on the tensile and flexural moduli as well as melting point of polyethylene was studied. We conclude that higher tensile and flexural moduli are obtained by increasing pressure and molding temperature, as well as decreasing the cooling rate. Our results were corroborated by X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements. Moreover, the use of a temperature gradient with different temperatures for the upper and bottom plates of the mold leads to asymmetric samples whose tensile and flexural moduli are improved. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46176. |
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| Keywords: | crystallization mechanical properties thermal properties |
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