Effects of Processing Parameters and Glass fiber and Rubber Content on the Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Rubber-Toughened Nylon6 and Reinforced Rubber-Toughened Nylon6 Composites
Advancing the chemical engineering fundamentals
Polymer Science & Engineering - II (T2-12b)
Keywords: Nylon6 Composites, Rubber, Taguchi, , Mechanical properties, morphology
The effects of processing conditions on the short glass fiber length, mechanical properties and phase morphology of blends of nylon 6 with maleated ethylene propylene random copolymer (EPR-g-MA) and composites of short glass fiber reinforced toughened nylon6 with various rubber and glass fiber contents are explored. Glass fibers are used in conjuction with rubber toughening to produce matherials with a balance of stiffness, strength and toughness. Materials containing 0–20 wt% glass fiber and 0–20 wt% EPR-g-MA with various production conditions (temperature, screw speed and feed rate) were formulated with tauguchi experimental design method and Qualitek-4 soft ware. The mechanical properties are examined as a function of rubber and glass fiber content, screw speed, temperature and feed rate with the Qualitek-4 soft ware.
The blends were melt compounded in industrial twin screw extruder. The pelletized extrudates were injection molded to different standard specimens for mechanical testing such as ASTM-D638 standard for tensile testing and ASTM-D256 standard for impact testing. Morphology of the fractured surface of the composites was examined by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) Rubber particles size and their distribution examined by the Mesearment soft ware from SEM photos. An optical microscope was used for the determination of the length of glass fibers and their distribution. For this purpose, reinforced samples were heated in a furnace to 600 °C for 30 minutes to remove the matrix and the fibers were then observed under the microscope where about 60–80 random length were measurements by Olysia soft ware.
The modulus and yield strength of the unreinforced materials decreased as EPR-g-MA content increased. Izod impact of the unreinforced materials increased as EPR-g-MA content increased but The rubber particle size decreased. Izod impact strength of reinforced materials was reduced by addition of small amounts of glass fiber. In the glass fiber reinforced, rubber-toughened blends rubber and fiber contents, feed rate, screw speed and temperature have significant effects on fiber length, rubber particle size and their distribution. All these factors influence considerably on the mechanical properties of composites of glass fiber reinforced toughened nylon6 but in the composites of nylon 6 and EPR-g-MA only the rubber conent conrols the morphology and mechanical properties. All these factors have significant interactions with each other witch examined by Qualitek-4 soft ware.
Presented Tuesday 18, 10:05 to 10:25, in session Polymer Science & Engineering - II (T2-12b).
