Effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration process
Fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration (FR-MIM/IMD) is an emerging technique for producing lightweight polymer components with excellent mechanical performance and surface quality. However, unlike conventional injection molding (CIM), the FR-MIM/IMD process...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Materials & Design |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525004745 |
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| author | Shengrui Yu Haitao Hua Lei Xu Senzhen Song Tianyu Zhang Linan He Chunfa Dong Qingzhou Li Fei Chen Wen Han Lanyu Zeng Huamin Zhou |
| author_facet | Shengrui Yu Haitao Hua Lei Xu Senzhen Song Tianyu Zhang Linan He Chunfa Dong Qingzhou Li Fei Chen Wen Han Lanyu Zeng Huamin Zhou |
| author_sort | Shengrui Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration (FR-MIM/IMD) is an emerging technique for producing lightweight polymer components with excellent mechanical performance and surface quality. However, unlike conventional injection molding (CIM), the FR-MIM/IMD process involves complex interactions among supercritical fluid, polymer melt, and reinforcing fibers, complicating the control of crystallization and structure–property development. In particular, the effects of varying fiber contents on melt behavior, cellular structure, and crystallization dynamics remains poorly understood. This study investigates how glass fiber (GF) content influences melt flow characteristics, microstructure, crystallization behavior, mechanical performance, and apparent density in nitrogen (N2)-foamed polypropylene (PP)/GF composites, using simulations and experiments. Results show that increasing fiber content elevates melt temperature, while viscosity peaks at 20 wt% before declining. Higher fiber content promotes fiber alignment, reduces cell size, increases cell density, and improves cell uniformity. Crystallization temperature rises with fiber content, although the crystallization rate slows. Both crystal size and β-crystal content peak at 20 wt%. Tensile and flexural strengths increase significantly—by 193.4 and 157.4% from 0 to 30 wt%, respectively—while elongation at break peaks at 10 wt%. Apparent density increases by 26.3%. These findings provide insights for optimizing FR-MIM/IMD process and tailoring composite performance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-88f753d277dc4f63bf1ae1d2203e92d6 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0264-1275 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials & Design |
| spelling | doaj-art-88f753d277dc4f63bf1ae1d2203e92d62025-08-20T02:35:43ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752025-06-0125411405410.1016/j.matdes.2025.114054Effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration processShengrui Yu0Haitao Hua1Lei Xu2Senzhen Song3Tianyu Zhang4Linan He5Chunfa Dong6Qingzhou Li7Fei Chen8Wen Han9Lanyu Zeng10Huamin Zhou11School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, China; Corresponding authors at: School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, China.School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, China; Corresponding authors at: School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, China.School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Jingdezhen 333403, ChinaState Key Lab of Material Processing and Die & Mold Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaFiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration (FR-MIM/IMD) is an emerging technique for producing lightweight polymer components with excellent mechanical performance and surface quality. However, unlike conventional injection molding (CIM), the FR-MIM/IMD process involves complex interactions among supercritical fluid, polymer melt, and reinforcing fibers, complicating the control of crystallization and structure–property development. In particular, the effects of varying fiber contents on melt behavior, cellular structure, and crystallization dynamics remains poorly understood. This study investigates how glass fiber (GF) content influences melt flow characteristics, microstructure, crystallization behavior, mechanical performance, and apparent density in nitrogen (N2)-foamed polypropylene (PP)/GF composites, using simulations and experiments. Results show that increasing fiber content elevates melt temperature, while viscosity peaks at 20 wt% before declining. Higher fiber content promotes fiber alignment, reduces cell size, increases cell density, and improves cell uniformity. Crystallization temperature rises with fiber content, although the crystallization rate slows. Both crystal size and β-crystal content peak at 20 wt%. Tensile and flexural strengths increase significantly—by 193.4 and 157.4% from 0 to 30 wt%, respectively—while elongation at break peaks at 10 wt%. Apparent density increases by 26.3%. These findings provide insights for optimizing FR-MIM/IMD process and tailoring composite performance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525004745FR-MIM/IMDFiber contentCrystallization behaviorMechanical properties |
| spellingShingle | Shengrui Yu Haitao Hua Lei Xu Senzhen Song Tianyu Zhang Linan He Chunfa Dong Qingzhou Li Fei Chen Wen Han Lanyu Zeng Huamin Zhou Effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration process Materials & Design FR-MIM/IMD Fiber content Crystallization behavior Mechanical properties |
| title | Effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration process |
| title_full | Effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration process |
| title_fullStr | Effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration process |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration process |
| title_short | Effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber-reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in-mold decoration process |
| title_sort | effects of fiber content on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties for fiber reinforced microcellular injection molding combined with in mold decoration process |
| topic | FR-MIM/IMD Fiber content Crystallization behavior Mechanical properties |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525004745 |
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