Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
www.blowmoulds.info
www.plasticinjectionmoulding.info
www.blowmoulds.info
www.plasticinjectionmoulding.info
acrylics have low water absorption, good elec- Acrylonitrile-Based Resins. Sometimes
trical resistivity, and fair tensile strength. The called barrier resins, this family of plastics is
heat resistance of acrylics is on the order of intended primarily for use in packaging. Major
200°F. characteristics of the materials are barrier prop-
Recently, modified acrylics and acrylic mul- erties relating to the transmission of gas, aroma,
tipolymers that offer high impact strength and or flavor of the package's contents. The resins
toughness in addition to the standard acrylic are similar in melt processibility to rigid PVC
properties have been made available. These and some grades of ABS; they can be extruded,
grades incorporate elastomeric or alloying con- blow-molded, and thermoformed.
stituents that impart added strength (up to 10 to
20 times as much as that of general-purpose Cellulosics. The family of cellulosics in-
acrylic crystal). Acrylics are available as com- cludes cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate bu-
pounds for extrusion, injection molding, blow tyrate, cellulose propionate, and ethyl cellu-
molding, and casting. Extruded or cast sheet lose. There are other cellulosics as well, but
and film also are marketed. these are the most widely used. Cellulosics are
Typical applications include outdoor signs, characterized by good strength, toughness, and
glazing, aircraft canopies, skylights, auto tail- transparency and a high surface gloss. In ad-
lights, dials, buttons, lighting applications, dition, they have good chemical resistance.
knobs, and machine covers (see Fig. 3-8). Generally, these thermoplastics should not be
Some of the transparent acrylic multipolymers used at temperatures much above 170 to 220°F .
have found applications in the drug and food Cellulose acetate, which is the lowest-cost
packaging industry . cellulosic material, has good toughness and
PLASTIC INJECTION MOULDS
BLOW MOULDING
BLOW MOULDS
PLASTIC INJECTION MOULDING
www.blowmoulds.info
www.plasticinjectionmoulding.info
have reduced odor and mold deposit problems Fluoroplastics. Outstanding properties of
and widened the processing temperature range. fluorocarbon polymers (or fluoroplastics, as
The fact that acetals are highly crystalline they also are called) include inertness to most
thermoplastics accounts for their excellent chemicals and resistance to high temperatures.
properties and predictable long-range perfor- Fluoroplastics have a rather waxy feel, ex-
mance under load. In creep resistance, acetal is tremely low coefficients of friction, and excel-
one of the best thermoplastics; however, the lent dielectric properties that are relatively in-
apparent modulus falls off consistently with sensitive to temperature and power frequency.
long-term loading. Their mechanical properties normally are low,
Acetals have an excellent fatigue endurance but change dramatically when the fluorocar-
limit; at 100% RH it is 5000 psi at 77"F, and bons are reinforced with glass fibers or molyb-
it is still 3000 psi at 150°F. Furthermore, lu- denum disulfide fillers.
bricants and water have little effect on the fa- Numerous fluoroplastics are available, in-
tigue life. cluding polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), poly-
The impact strength of acetals does not fall chlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), fluorinated
off abruptly at subzero temperature like that of ethylene propylene (FEP), ethylene chlortri-
many other thermoplastics, and their hardness fluoroethylene (ECTFE), ethylene tetrafluoro-
is only slightly reduced by moisture absorption ethylene (ETFE), polyvinylidene fluoride
or temperature below 215°F. Although less (PVDF), polyvinylfluoride (PVF), and pertho-
good than that of nylons, the abrasion resis- roalkoxy (PFA) resin.
tance of acetals is better than that of many other PTFE is extremely heat-resistant (up to
thermoplastics. Like nylons, acetals have a 500°F) and has outstanding chemical resis-
slippery feel. tance, being inert to most chemicals. Its coef-
Acetals are especially notable among ther- ficient of friction is lower than that of any other
plastic moulding,plastic moulds.plastic molds,plastic injection moulding
moplastics because of their resistance to or- plastic, and it can be used unlubricated. TFE
ganic solvents. However, when in contact with has a tensile strength on the order of 1500 to
strong acids, acetals will craze. 5000 psi and an impact strength of 2.5 to 3.0
In addition to good mechanical properties, ft-lb/in. of notch. TFE also has outstanding
acetals have good electrical properties. The low-temperature characteristics and remains
dielectric constant and the dissipation factor are usable even at cryogenic temperatures.
uniform over a wide frequency range and up to PTFE is extremely difficult to process via
temperatures of 250°F. Aging has little effect melt extrusion and molding. The material usu-
on an acetal's electrical properties. ally is supplied in powder form for compres-
Acetals are available as compounds for in- sion and sintering or in water-based dispersions
jection molding, blow molding, and extrusion. for coating and impregnating.
Filled, toughened, lubricated, and UV-stabi- CTFE has a heat resistance of up to 390"F,
lized versions currently are offered. Grades and is chemically resistant to all inorganic cor-
reinforced with glass fibers (higher stiffness, rosive liquids, including oxidizing acids. It also
lower creep, improved dimensional stability), is resistant to most organic solvents except cer-
fluoropolymer, and aramid fibers (improved tain halogenated materials and oxygen-contain-
frictional and wear properties) also are on the ing compounds (which cause a slight swelling).
market. In terms of processibility, CTFE can be
Many applications involve replacement of molded and extruded by conventional thermo-
metals where the higher strength of metals is plastic processing techniques. It can be made
not required and costly finishing and assembly into transparent film and sheet with extremely
operations can be eliminated (see Fig. 3-10). low water vapor transmission.
Typical parts include gears, rollers, and bear- FEP, a copolymer of TFE and hexafluoro-
ings, conveyor chains, auto window lift mech- propylene, shows some of the same properties
anisms and cranks, door handles, plumbing as TFE (i.e., toughness, excellent dimensional
components, and pump parts. stability, and outstanding electrical insulating
PLASTIC INJECTION MOULDS
BLOW MOULDING
BLOW MOULDS
PLASTIC INJECTION MOULDING
www.blowmoulds.info
www.plasticinjectionmoulding.info
Fig, 3-10, "Credit card" spare car keys molded from acetal homopolymer resin. ( Courtesy of Du Pont Company)
www.blowmoulds.info
www.plasticinjectionmoulding.info
--- 'T
Fig. 3-12. Housing for power blower is molded from reinforced nylon 6 resin. (Courtesy ofAkzo Etigiricering Plastics)
For specific engineering applications, a imides, but their mechanical properties are dis-
number of specialty nylons have been devel- tinctly better than those of the polyimides.
plastic moulding,plastic moulds.plasticPA1
oped, including; molybdenum disulfide-filled
molds,plastic injection moulding
is inherently flame-retardant, with UL94
nylons (to improve wear and abrasion resis- V - 0 ratings down to less than 0.010 inch thick-
tance, frictional characteristics, flexural ness. The material bums with very low smoke
strength, stiffness, and heat resistance); glass- and passes FAA standards for aircraft interior
fiber-filled nylons (to improve tensile strength, use.
heat distortion temperatures, and, in some The chemical resistance of PA1 is excellent;
cases, impact strength); and sintered nylons. it generally is unaffected by aliphatic and aro-
Sintered nylons are fabricated by processes matic hydrocarbons, acids, bases, and halogen-
similar to powder metallurgy (the same as those ated solvents. At high temperatures, however,
used for TFE fluorocarbons). The resulting ma- it is attacked by steam and strong acids and
terials have improved frictional and wear char- bases.
acteristics, as well as higher compressive Polyamide-imide can be injection-molded,
strength. but some special modifications are needed be-
Nylons have also found increasing use in al- cause the material is reactive at processing tem-
loys, notably with ABS and with PPE. The ma- peratures. Special screws and accumulators are
terials' aroma bamer properties have led to ap- recommended. To develop the full physical
plications in multilayer packaging film properties of PAI, molded parts have to be post-
constructions. In many electrical applications, conditioned by gradually raising their temper-
the mechanical strength and resistance to oils ature.
and greases also are important properties. Applications for polyamide-imide include
engine and generator components, hydraulic
Polyamide-imide (PAI). Among the highest- bushings and seals, and mechanical parts for
temperature amorphous thermoplastics, poly- electronics and business machines.
amide-imide resins have a useful service tem-
perature range from cryogenic to almost 500°F. Polyarylates. These relatively new materials
Their heat resistance approaches that of poly- are amorphous, aromatic polyesters. They fall
PLASTIC INJECTION MOULDS
BLOW MOULDING
BLOW MOULDS
66 SPI PLASTICS ENGINEERING HANDBOOK
PLASTIC INJECTION MOULDING
between polycarbonate and polysulfone in ever, the materials are adversely affected by
terms of temperature resistance, with a deflec- weathering (slight color change and slight em-
tion temperature under load (DTUI) of 300 to brittlement can occur on exposure to ultraviolet
350°F at 264 psi. Other features are toughness, rays).
dimensional stability, UV resistance, flame re- Polycarbonate molding compounds are
tardancy, and good electrical properties. available for extrusion, injection molding, blow
Polyarylate polymers are transparent but tend molding, and rotational molding. Film and
toward yellowness. One producer has an al- sheeting with excellent optical and electrical
most water-white material. properties also are available. Among the spe-
Markets for polyarylate are in automotive cialty grades, glass-reinforced polycarbonates
parts such as headlamp and mirror housings, have proved especially popular by virtue of
brackets, and door handles, and in electrical/ their improved ultimate tensile strength, flex-
electronics components such as connectors, ural modulus, tensile modulus, and chemical
fuses, and covers. The material's temperature resistance.
resistance allows it to withstand the soldering Typical applications include the following:
temperatures encountered in making circuit safety shields, lenses, glazing, electrical relay
boards. covers, helmets, pump impellers, sight gauges,
cams and gears, interior aircraft components,
Polycarbonates. Polycarbonates are among automotive instrument panels, headlights,
the strongest, toughest, and most rigid ther- lenses, bezels, telephone switchgear, snow-
moplastics. In addition, they have a ductility mobile components, boat propellers, water bot-
normally associated with the softer, lower- tles, housings for hand-held power tools and
modulus thermoplastics. small appliances, and optical storage disks.
plastic These properties, together with excellent (See Fig. 3-13.)
moulding,plastic moulds.plastic molds,plastic injection moulding
electrical insulating characteristics, are main-
tained over a wide range of temperatures (-60 Polyesters, Thermoplastic. The two domi-
to 270°F) and loading rates. Although there nant materials in this family are polyethylene
may be a loss of toughness with heat aging, the terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene tere-
material still remains stronger than many ther- phthalate (PBT). The thermoplastic polyesters
moplastics. are similar in properties to types 6 and 6 / 6 ny-
Polycarbonates are transparent materials and lons but have lower water absorption and higher
resistant to a variety of chemicals, but they are dimensional stability than the nylons.
attacked by a number of organic solvents in- To develop the maximum properties of PET,
cluding carbon tetrachloride solvents. the resin has to be processed to raise its level
The creep resistance of these materials is of crystallinity and/or to orient the molecules.
among the best for thermoplastics. With poly- Orientation increases the tensile strength by 300
carbonates, as with other thermoplastics, creep to 500% and reduces permeability. PET is a
at a given stress level increases with increasing water-white polymer and is made into fibers,
temperature; yet even at temperatures as high films and sheets, and blow-molded and ther-
as 250"F, their creep resistance is good. moformed containers for soft drinks and foods.
The characteristic ductility of polycarbonate Glass-reinforced PET compounds can be injec-
provides it with very high impact strength. tion-molded into parts for automotive, electri-
Typical values are about 14 ft-lb/in. of notch cal/electronic, and other industrial and con-
on a 1/8-inch-thick specimen, although grades sumer products.
are available as high as 18 ft-lb. Unnotched PBT, on the other hand, crystallizes readily,
specimens show impact resistance greater than even in chilled molds. Most PBT is sold in the
60 ft-lb. Their fatigue resistance also is very form of filled and reinforced compounds for
good, engineering applications. Its uses include ap-
The moisture absorption for polycarbonates pliances, automotive, electrical/electronic, ma-
is low, with equilibrium reachedPLASTIC
rapidly. How- terials handling, and consumer products.
INJECTION MOULDS
BLOW MOULDING
BLOW MOULDS
PLASTIC
PLASTIC MATERIALS
INJECTION /PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS 67
MOULDING
Some newer members of the polyester fam- porating mineral fillers and glass fiber rein-
plastic moulding,plastic moulds.plastic molds,plastic injection moulding
ily are starting to find application in specific forcements. LCPs are resistant to most organic
niche markets. PCT (poly- 1-4-cyclohexylene- solvents and acids. They are inherently flame-
dimethylene terephthalate) has higher heat re- resistant (UL94 V-0) and meet federal stan-
sistance than either PET or PBT, and is used dards for aircraft interior use. Some LCPs
mainly as a component of blends. PEN (poly- withstand temperatures over 1000°F before de-
ethylene naphthalate) has a combination of composing.
higher heat resistance, mechanical strength, LCPs have found application in aviation,
chemical resistance, and dimensional stability, electronics (connectors, sockets, chip carriers),
and can be processed into films, fibers, and automotive underhood parts, and chemical pro-
containers. PEN has up to five times the oxy- cessing, and are used to mold household cook-
gen barrier of PET. ware for conventional and microwave ovens.
Thermoplastic polyesters can be used as a (See Fig. 3-14.)
component in alloys and blends. Widely used
combinations include those with polycarbon- Polyetherimide (PEI). An amorphous, trans-
ate, polysulfone, and elastomers. parent amber polymer, polyetherimide com-
Also in the family of thermoplastic polyes- bines high temperature resistance, rigidity, im-
ters is the class of materials known as liquid pact strength, and creep resistance. PEI has a
crystal polymers (LCPs), aromatic copolyes- glass transition temperature of 420°F and a
ters with a tightly ordered structure that is self- DTUL of 390°F at 264 psi. Thorough drying
reinforcing. LCPs generally flow very well in is required before processing, and typical melt
processing, but they have to be thoroughly temperatures for injection molding run from
dried and molded at high temperatures. They 650 to 800°F. PEI resins qualify for UL94
also exhibit very high mechanical properties al- V-0ratings at thicknesses as low as 0.010 inch
though molded structures tend to be quite an- and meet FAA standards for aircraft interiors.
isotropic. The anisotropy can be reduced by Polyetherimide is soluble in partially halo-
proper gating and mold design PLASTIC
and by incor- genated solvents but resistant to alcohols, acids,
INJECTION MOULDS
BLOW MOULDING
Blow mould Jar mold.
www.deekayengg.com
www.blowmoulds.info
www.injectionplasticmoulds.com
www.plasticinjectionmoulding.info
Fig. 3-14. Chip carrier test socket molded from aromatic polyester liquid crystal polymer. ( Courtesy of Amoco
Performance Products)