A STRUCTURE-ORIENTED MODEL TO SIMULATE THE SHEAR-INDUCED CRYSTALLIZATION IN INJECTION-MOLDED POLYMERS - A LAGRANGIAN APPROACH

In this work a Lagrangian approach was used to simulate the crystallin ity gradients in injection moulded PPS. This was done through the use of markers whose thermomechanical history was traced as they moved in the cavity. The results of the simulation are compared with our earlie r experimental observations. It has been found that there is a good qu antitative agreement between the experimental and calculated values of gapwise (ND-TD plane) and lengthwise (FD-ND plane) crystallinity dist ribution. The calculated results for morphological variables such as t he thickness of crystalline layers and their overall span agreed well with the experimentally measured values. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier S cience Ltd.