Morphology and orientation of PP-structural foam moldings

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the interaction between the macrostructure and morphology of PP-structural foam moldings made by gas-counter pressure process by egression of foamed melt from the core of the molding. The structural foam moldings, center-gated cylindrical plate "disk" (diameter 1800 mm, high 11 mm) were produced on an in-line injection molding machine KuASY 800/250, varying the shot weight and melt temperature. The polymer used was isotactic polypropylene "Buplen" 7523 with 1 wt.% chemical blowing agent (azodicarbonamide) added. The morphology, orientation, and processes of non isothermal phase transition have been studied using polarized optical microscopy, SALS, DSC and birefringence. Samples were cut from the disks at different distances from the gate. The presence of a two-layered structure was observed in the solid skin: an outer smectic layer and an inner particular crystalline layer. The thickness of the smectic layer and size of spherulites from skin to the foamed core were determined. The orientation in radical and tangential direction of the flow and perpendicular to the disk surface were studied in mold filling and egression stage. The fixed orientation in final moldings is a complex picture of bubble growth, bubble orientation and shear flow. It was found that the radical orientation decreases with the distance from the gate. Maximum orientation is located in the solid skin, and minimum in the foamed core, and was shown by means of a birefringence profile.