Temperature profiles of glass fibre-filled polypropylene melts in injection moulding

An experimental rig, coupled with the use of a temperature sensing array ha s been used to measure temperature profiles of flowing polypropylene melts in the barrel of an injection moulding machine. The effect of glass fibre c ontent on the melt temperature measurement is investigated with respect to maximum temperature rise and the shape of the temperature profiles. It is f ound that the temperature of the melt is affected by the presence of glass fibres due to shear heating between polymer-polymer and polymer-glass fibre s during the flow. The increase in melt temperature during the flow appears to be more pronounced as the glass fibre content increases. The experiment al results obtained are found to be different from theoretically calculated ones, (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.