Hot compaction and consolidation of polycarbonate powder

In order to take advantage of the potential benefits provided by solid-stat e processing of thermoplastic polymers (1-3), conventional compaction and s intering techniques must be modified to prevent large-scale recovery (or di mensional changes) that occur upon heating polymeric compacts above their r espective glass transition temperature (T-g). Two solid-state processing te chniques that have the potential for reducing recovery, hot compaction and consolidation (sintering polymeric compacts under applied pressure), were i nvestigated in this study. The results presented in this paper show that wh ile hot compaction (below T-g) does not prevent large-scale recovery, conso lidation using pressures as low as 50 kPa (7.3 psi) did significantly reduc e recovery in polycarbonate compacts.