Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lubricated compression of BMC, a concentrated and fibre-reinforced granular polymer suspension

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
Rheologica Acta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bulk moulding compounds (BMCs) are thermoset polymer composites widely used in electric and automotive industries. During their processing by injection, BMCs look like fibre-reinforced granular suspensions in the form of pastes, the rheology of which is not well known. For that purpose, lubricated compression tests were performed on BMC samples with various formulations. Firstly, results show that samples flow without sticking to the rheometer’s plates, validating the efficiency of the lubricant. A correction, which requires few assumptions on the rheology of BMC, is then proposed to account for its contribution to the overall axial stress. Thereby, the influences of the axial strain rate, the loading path, the polydispersity of the mineral filler and the fibre content on the BMC flow are analysed. A 1D elementary non-linear viscoelastic model is proposed to capture the main observed trends.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. For the rest of the document, compressive axial strains and stresses will be plotted as positive data.

References

  • Abrams L, Castro J (2003) Predicting molding forces during sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding. I: model development. Polym Compos 24:291–303

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barone MR, Caulk DA (1986) A model for the flow of a chopped fiber reinforced polymer compound in compression molding. J Appl Mech 53(191):361–370

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blanc R, Agassant JF, Vincent M (1992) Injection molding of unsaturated polyester compounds. Polym Eng Sci 32(19):1440–1450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boyard N, Millischer A, Sobotka V, Bailleul J-L, Delaunay D (2007) Behaviour of a moulded composite part: modelling of dilatometric curve (constant pressure) or pressure (constant volume) with temperature and conversion degree gradients. Compos Sci Technol 67:943–954

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coussot P (1999) Rhéophysique des pâtes et des suspensions. EDP Science, Les Ulis

  • Coussot P, Ancey C (1999) Rheophysical classification of concentrated suspensions. Phys Rev E 59:4445–4457

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deslandes N, Bellenger V, Jaffiol F, Verdu J (1998) Relationship between morphology and solvent interactions of a polyester composite material. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf 29:1481–1487

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dumont P, Orgéas L, Favier D, Pizette P, Venet C (2007a) Compression moulding of SMC: in situ experiments, modelling and simulation. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf 38: 353–368

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dumont P, Orgéas L, Le Corre S, Favier D (2003) Anisotropic viscous behaviour of sheet molding compounds (SMC) during compression molding. Int J Plast 19(4):625–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dumont P, Vassal J-P, Orgéas L, Michaud V, Favier D, Månson J-E (2007b) Processing, characterization and rheology of transparent concentrated fibre bundle suspensions. Rheol Acta 46:639–641

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Estellé P, Lanos C, Perrot A, Servais C (2006) Slipping zone location in squeeze flow. Rheol Acta 45:444–448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kenny J, Opalicki M (1996) Processing of short fibre/thermosetting matrix composites. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf 27A(3):229–240

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lafranche E, Menio S, Guegan M-L, Krawczak P (2002) Étude expérimentale des mécanismes d’écoulement dans le moulage par injection des BMC. Rev Compos Mater Av 12:461–475

    Google Scholar 

  • Le TH, Dumont PJJ, Orgéas L, Favier D, Salvo L, Boller E (2008) X-ray phase contrast microtomography for the analysis of the fibrous microstructure of SMC composites. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf 39:91–103

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Le Corre S, Orgéas L, Favier D, Tourabi A, Maazouz A, Venet C (2002) Shear and compression behaviour of sheet molding compounds. Compos Sci Technol 62(4):571–577

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, C-CM, Hsieh C-T, Kuan H-C, Tsai T-Y, Yu S-W (2003) Effects of molecular weight and molecular structure of low profile additives on the properties of bulk molding compounds (BMC). Polym Eng Sci 43(5):989–998

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Millischer A, Delaunay D (2001) Experimental and numerical analysis of heat transfer in bulk molding compound injection process. J Reinf Plast Compos 20: 495–512

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vallat M-F, Schultz J, Mauzac C, Jacquin M (1999) Characterization of the surface of bulk-molded compounds. Polym Adv Technol 10:237–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vayer M, Serré C, Boyard N, Sinturel C, Erre R (2002) Surface morphologies of composites based on saturated polyester pre-polymer. J Mater Sci 37:2043–2051

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Compositec (Y. Gardet) for supplying BMC materials, as well as Schneider Electric (C. Venet) and the Fédération Rhône-Alpes Matériaux de Structures (FedeRAMS) for their financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Sols-Solides-Structures-Risques (3SR), CNRS - Université de Grenoble (INPG-UJF), BP 53, 38041, Grenoble cedex 9, France

    Laurent Orgéas, Thai-Hung Le & Denis Favier

  2. Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés Papetiers (LGP2), CNRS-INPG-EFPG, BP 65, 461, rue de la Papeterie, 38402, Saint-Martin-d’Hères, France

    Pierre J. J. Dumont

Authors
  1. Laurent Orgéas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pierre J. J. Dumont
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Thai-Hung Le
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Denis Favier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laurent Orgéas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Orgéas, L., Dumont, P.J.J., Le, TH. et al. Lubricated compression of BMC, a concentrated and fibre-reinforced granular polymer suspension. Rheol Acta 47, 677–688 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-008-0276-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-008-0276-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation