SynopsisAn experimental study of foam extrusion was carried out to determine the effect of processing variables on the quality of the foam produced. For the study, the chemical blowing agent azodicarbonamide was used, together with an activator and a nucleating agent, to produce thermoplastic foams of low-density polyethylenes. The quality of foam was determined from photomicrographs and the tensile properties of extrudate samples. It was found that the percent elongation correlates with the foam density and that the cell structure (cell size and its distribution) correlates with the ultimate tensile properties of the foam produced. Also, an experimental study was carried out to observe the growth of gas bubbles as the polymer melt containing a blowing agent flows through a rectangular channel constructed of quartz. This experiment helped us to interpret the curued pressure profile of the polymer melt containing a blowing agent as the melt approaches the die exit, whereas the polymer without a blowing agent shows a linear pressure profile.

SynopsisAn experimental study was carried out to investigate the moldability of polymer blends which form two phases in the molten state and the effect of mixing on the morphology and mechanical porperties of molded specimens. Blends of polystyrene with polypropylene and blends of polystyrene with high-density polyethylene were used for this study. A plunger-type injection molding machine (Van Dorn) was employed for molding specimens. To improve the mixing performance of the plunger machine, a Static Mixer (Kenics Corp., Super Nozzle) was installed between the heating cylinder and the sprue. A number of different molding conditions (injection pressure. temperature, injection time, cooling time) were varied, and molded specimens were collected under each molding condition. 'The specimens were used for studying the degree of dispersion in the blends and for determining the mechanical properties. A differential thermal analysis (DTA) experiment was also carried out to determine the degree of dispersion of the blends in molded specimens. It was found that a linear correlation exists between the blend composition and thermal spectra area of the blends tested.