Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 1 (2017): 127 - 135

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2101-15

 

 

 

Comparison Study between Extrusion and Injection Molding on Cellular Structure of PP/PS/PMMA Ternary Blend Foam

 

(Kajian Perbandingan di antara Kaedah Proses Penyemperitan dan Proses Pengacuan Suntikan ke atas Struktur Sel PP/PS/PMMA Campuran Pertigaan Busar Polimer)

 

Rahida Wati Sharudin¹* and Masahiro Ohshima²

 

¹Faculty of Chemical Engineering,

 Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

²Department of Chemical Engineering,

Kyoto University, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan

³Institute for Infrastructure Engineering & Sustainable Management (IIESM), Faculty of Civil Engineering,

 Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: rahida@salam.uitm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 21 October 2015; Accepted: 14 June 2016

 

 

Abstract

The effect of blending method on the blend morphology as well as cellular structure of Polypropylene (PP)/Polystyrene (PS)/ Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) ternary polymer blend was investigated. The blending method highly influenced the dispersion and size of dispersed domain where the injection molding method was successfully reduced the size of dispersed domain from 10 µm by extrusion further down to 1 µm in average diameter. The batch pressure quenched foaming of the ternary blend prepared by extrusion and injection molding with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO₂) was conducted in the temperature range of 130 to 160°C to observe the controllability of bubble location and size in two different ternary blend systems. The experimental results showed that method of sample preparation is one of the important factors in controlling the cellular structure of ternary blend foam besides interfacial tension, foaming temperature, and viscoelasticity.

 

Keywords:  polymer blend, extrusion, injection molding, cellular structure, foam

 

Abstrak

Kesan kaedah pencampuran pada morfologi dan juga struktur sel Polipropena (PP)/Polisterina (PS)/ Polimetil metaakrilat (PMMA) campuran pertigaan polimer telah dikaji. Kaedah pencampuran sangat mempengaruhi penyebaran dan saiz domain di mana kaedah pengacuan suntikan telah berjaya mengurangkan saiz domain dari 10 μm oleh kaedah penyemperitan kepada serendah 1 μm diameter purata. Proses pelepasan tekanan secara mendadak dengan karbon dioksida genting lampau (CO₂) telah dijalankan bagi penghasilan sampel busar daripada gabungan pertigaan polimer dalam lingkungan suhu 60-130°C untuk melihat kebolehkawalan lokasi gelembung dan saiz. Keputusan eksperimen menunjukkan bahawa kaedah penyediaan sampel, tegangan antara permukaan dua polimer, suhu pembentukan busar dan likat-kenyal adalah faktor penting untuk mengawal struktur sel dalam sistem gabungan pertigaan polimer.

 

Kata kunci:  percampuran polimer, penyemperitan, pengacuan suntikan, struktur sel, busar

 

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