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Formation of double skin-core orientated structure in injection-molded Polyethylene parts: Effects of ultra-high molecular weight Polyethylene and temperature field

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Abstract

In the current work, the effect of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and temperature field on the unique double skin-core orientated structure and mechanical properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) parts molded by multi-melt multi-injection molding (MMMIM) were investigated using a variety of characterization techniques including rheological experiments, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and tensile testing. The SEM results revealed that a distinct double skin-core orientated structure was formed in samples molded via MMMIM. That is, compact lamellar together with typical shish-kebab structures was formed from the skin to the sub-skin, and large area of oriented lamellar was formed again near the core layer due to the significantly improved relaxation time of the UHMWPE/HDPE blend and intensive shear flow resulted from the secondary melt penetration process. Additionally, with increase temperature of the second melt, the oriented lamellar near the core layer tended to develop into irregularly-arranged lamellar and the double skin-core orientated structure weakened gradually. These results were further authenticated by SAXS. Results of tensile testing indicated that with reduced temperature of second melt, samples with higher tensile strength and modulus were obtained.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51033003 and 51121001). Particularly, we would also like to express our great thanks to Mr. Chao-liang Zhang for the assistance of SEM observations. The 2D SAXS experiments were kindly performed at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) in Shanghai, China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Jian Feng, Long Wang, Rui-Yan Zhang, Jing-Jing Wu, Chun-Yan Wang, Ming-Bo Yang & Xiao-Rong Fu

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  1. Jian Feng
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  2. Long Wang
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Correspondence to Ming-Bo Yang.

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Feng, J., Wang, L., Zhang, RY. et al. Formation of double skin-core orientated structure in injection-molded Polyethylene parts: Effects of ultra-high molecular weight Polyethylene and temperature field. J Polym Res 21, 432 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-014-0432-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-014-0432-5

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