CAPCE Advanced Thermplastic Processing Thrust Area

Research Scope:

Current trends in thermoplastic processing demand for reduced part weight and faster cycle times while maintaining part strength and appearance. The CAPCE thermoplastic processing thrust area is devoted to the research of polymer rheology and advanced processing techniques involving injection molding (IM), gas-assist IM, thin-wall IM, and extrusion technology.

Advanced Injection Molding

Thin-Wall Injection Molding

Determine the rheological behavior of polymer melts under high-speed and high-pressure processing conditions.
Establish design guidelines for temperature, pressure, injection speed, and materials.
Evaluate different mold design and melt delivery systems.
Simulate mold filling for TW-IM.
Determine the mechanical properties of TW-IM parts.

Gas-assist Injection Molding

Evaluate and optimize equipment (gas units, gas nozzles).
Establish detailed design guidelines.
Evaluate different methods of quality control and material limitations of the process.
Simulate mold filling and gas injection.
Determine the mechanical properties of GIM parts.

Polymer Extrusion

Polymer Blending and Reactive Compounding

Evaluate the effect of screw rotation mode on solid conveying, melting and blend morphology.
Evaluate the effect of compatibilizers on blend morphology.
Evaluate the use of supercritical CO₂ to enhance polymer blending.

Extrusion of Microcellular Foams

Evaluate the CO₂ uptake of polymer melts.
Determine the rheological behavior of CO₂ containing polymer melts.
Evaluate the effect of die design.
Evaluate the structure and mechanical properties of foams.
Determine CO₂ desorption and effects on the matrix.

Determine the onset of melt fracture.

Fiber and Film Processing

Determine the effect of extensional viscosity.
Model the fiber spinning process.
Determine the mechanical properties of fibers and films.
Determine the onset of melt fracture.