• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.31 no.7 s.262
• /
• pp.732-738
• /
• 2007

Effects of melt-mixing conditions on fracture properties of hydroxyapatite filled bioabsorbable poly(L-lactic acid)(HA/PLLA) composites was investigated by measuring the firacture toughness value of HA/PLLA composites prepared under different mixing time and rotor speed. The fracture surface morphology was also examined by profile measurement and scanning electron microscopies. It was found that the fracture toughness of HA/PLLA composites decreases due to decrease of ductile deformation of PLLA matrix and debonding of interfaces with increase of the rotor speed and mixing time. Effect of mixing process on neat PLLA was also assessed, and it was found that the fracture toughness of PLLA decreases due to disappearance of multiple craze formation and increase of defects. Such thermal and shear-stress degradation were found to be the primary mechanisms of the degradation of HA/PLLA composites during melt-mixing process.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.382-389
• /
• 2008

To manufacture Al MMCs, in-situ melt mixing process is used because it is free from contamination, and it makes reinforcements homogeneously dispersed. Large eddy simulation method is used to find the optimum melt mixing condition. At the Re 3000, the most suitable mixing is occurred between Al-Ti and Al- B melts. The in-situ formed $TiB_2$ particles has the size varying from 40 nm to 130 nm, due to the increase of cooling rate, and exhibits a homogeneous dispersion. And the interface between reinforcement and matrix is clean. Both hardness and Young's modulus of this composite are improved with increasing the cooling rate.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.289-297
• /
• 2009

We numerically analyzed flow characteristics of the polymer melt in the screw equipment using a proper modeling and investigated design parameters which have influence on the mixing performance as the capability of the screw equipment. We considered the non-Newtonian and non-isothermal flow in a single rotor equipment to investigate the mixing performance with respect to screw dimensions as shape parameter of the single rotor equipment and screw speed as process parameter. We used Bird-Carreau-Yasuda model as a viscous model of the polymer melt and the particle tracking method to investigate the mixing performance in the screw equipment and considered four mixing performance indexes: residence time distribution, deformation rate, total strain and particle standard deviation as a new mixing performance index. We compared these indexes to determine design parameters and object function. On basis of the analysis results, we carried out the optimal design by using the response surface method and design of experiments. In conclusion, the differences of results between the optimal value and numerical analysis are about 5.0%.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.117-124
• /
• 2014

Conductive polymer composites (CPCs) consist of a polymeric matrix and a conductive filler, for example, carbon black, carbon fibers, graphite or carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The critical amount of the electrically conductive filler necessary to build up a continuous conductive network, and accordingly, to make the material conductive; is referred to as the percolation threshold. From technical and economical viewpoints, it is desirable to decrease the conductive-filler percolation-threshold as much as possible. In this study, we investigated the effect of polymer/conductive-filler interactions, as well as the processing and morphological development of low-percolation-threshold (${\Phi}c$) conductive-polymer composites. The aim of the study was to produce conductive composites containing less multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) than required for pure polypropylene (PP) through two approaches: one using various mixing methods and the other using immiscible polymer blends. Variants of the conductive PP composite filled with MWCNT was prepared by dry mixing, melt mixing, mechanofusion, and compression molding. The percolation threshold (${\Phi}c$) of the MWCNT-PP composites was most successfully lowered using the mechanofusion process than with any other mixing method (2-5 wt%). The mechanofusion process was found to enhance formation of a percolation network structure, and to ensure a more uniform state of dispersion in the CPCs. The immiscible-polymer blends were prepared by melt mixing (internal mixer) poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF, PP/PVDF, volume ratio 1:1) filled with MWCNT.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.61-65
• /
• 2001

Thermoplastic nanocomposites based on the copolymers of polypropylene (PP)-polystyrene (PS) and organically modified montmorillonite (org-MMT) were produced by using power ultrasonic wave in an intensive mixer. Owing to the unique action of the ultrasonic wave, free radicals of styrene monomers and macroradicals of PP were generated, by which copolymers of PP and PS were formed. Another important aspect of using ultrasonic wave during the mixing process was to enhance nano-scale dispersion of org-MMT by destructing the agglomerates of org-MMT in the polymer matrix. Optimum conditions for the in-situ copolymerization and melt intercalation were studied with various concentrations of styrene monomer, sonication time and different kinds of clay. It was found that a novel attempt carried out in this study yielded further improvement in the mechanical performance of the nanocomposites compared to those produced by the conventional melt mixing process.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.86-92
• /
• 2015

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polycarbonate (PC) nanocomposite was prepared by direct melt mixing to investigate the effect of the shear rate on the surface resistivity of the nanocomposites. In this study, an experiment was carried out to observe the shear induced orientation of the MWCNT in the polymer matrix using a very simple melt flow indexer with various loads. The compression-molded, should be eliminated. MWCNT/PC nanocomposite sample exhibited lower percolation thresholds (at 0.8 vol%) and higher electrical conductivity values than those of samples extruded by capillary and injection molding. Shear induced orientation of MWCNT was observed via scanning electron microscopy, in the direction of flow in a PC matrix during the extrusion process. The surface resistivity rose with increasing shear rate, because of the breakdown of the network junctions between MWCNTs. For real applications such as injection molding and the extrusion process, the amount of the MWCNT in the composite should be carefully selected to adjust the electrical conductivity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.125-128
• /
• 2005

The dispersion of carbon nanofiber (CNF) was carried out by solution blending, mechanical mixing, and sonication. CNFs at levels of 5-50% fiber weight content were mixed with polypropylene (PP) powder, and then were melt-mixed using a twin-screw extruder. For the further alignment of fibers, extruded rods were stacked uni-directionally in the mold cavity for the compression molding. For the evaluation of mechanical properties of nanocomposites, tension, in-plane shear, and flexural tests were conducted. CNF/PP composites clearly showed reinforcing effect in the longitudinal direction. The tensile modulus and strength have improved by 100% and 40%, respectively for 50 % fiber weight content, and the flexural modulus and strength have increased by 120% and 25%, respectively for the same fiber weight content. The shear modulus showed 65% increase, but the strength dropped sharply by 40%. However, the property enhancement was not significant due to the poor adhesion between fiber and matrix. In the transverse direction, the tensile, flexural, and shear strength decreased as more fibers were added.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.143-151
• /
• 2006

We analyzed the non-Newtonian and non-isothermal flow in a single screw extruder system and investigated the mixing performance with respect to the screw speed and the screw pitch. The viscosity of polymer melt was described with Carreau-Yasuda model. The mixing performance was computed numerically by tracking the motions of particles in the screw element system. The extent of mixing was characterized in terms of the deformation rate, the residence time distribution, and the strain. The results revealed that the high screw speed reduces the residence time but increases the deformation rate while the small screw pitch increases the residence time. It is concluded that the high screw speed increases the dispersive mixing performance and the small screw pitch increases the distributive mixing performance.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2007

By combining ultrasonic energy which is essential for the chain scission of polymer molecules and a multifunctional agent (MFA) having double bonds at its ends, we were able to modify the molecular structure of polycarbonate (PC) from linear to a branched structure during melt processing. The three double bonds in chain ends of MFA were expected to act as sites for trapping macroradicals of PC during the course of ultrasound-assisted mixing process. The transformation of molecular structure of PC was confirmed by the measurements of rheological properties of the modified PC. After the ultrasonic irradiation of PC together with MFA, increase in complex viscosities and shear-thinning behavior were observed. The Cole-Cole plot and measurement of extensional viscosities revealed the characteristic features of branched structure with well-defined extensional behavior which is comparable to that of a commercial branched PC.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.17-24
• /
• 2002

There has been an increasing demand over the years for steels with lower[s] content. For the purpose of improving the efficiency of desulphrization in the powder injection process of ladle, experimental studies were carried out by using cold model to optimize the lance configuration, gas flow rate, immersion depth of lance nozzle, position of lance nozzle relative to the ladle and the effect with slag, etc. As the results of this study, it was made clear that 2-hole nozzle lance (C, E type) placed in an asymmetric position gives the shortest mixing times.