Linear viscoelastic and morphological description of multiphase systems affected by processing parameters

Abstract

Influence of processing methods, in terms of comparing compression and injection moldings, on the rheological behavior of polycarbonate (PC)/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) blends and PC/ABS/glass fibers composites is presented. Blend compositions and fiber content are considered as material variables. For blends, the effect of the processing route on the viscoelastic functions is evident only for low shearing frequencies. Injection molding created morphology with cocontinuous character, while compression molded blends have "relaxed'' structure, where dispersed phase domains are several times larger than in injection molded ones. The glass fiber reinforcement led to the significant differences in viscoelastic properties of composites processed by injection and compression molding. Injected composites have both moduli always higher than compression molded. Also, fiber lengths are reduced more for compressing molding. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 119: 989-999, 2011