Model Development and Validation of Crystallization Behavior in Injection Molding Prototype Flows

Abstract

Abstract To control the final properties of semi‐crystalline polymer products, an accurate prediction of the material microstructure developed upon processing is required. For that purpose a model for flow‐enhanced nucleation of semi‐crystalline polymers is proposed, which relates molecular deformation with the enhancement of crystallization. Flow kinematics, computed in a decoupled fashion, are used to solve a coupled viscoelastic stress—crystallization problem. Morphological features concerning the number, size, and shape of crystalline structures are predicted and a comparison is made with experimental results reported by Housmans et al. 1,2 in which the morphology development of an isotactic polypropylene (iPP) resin was studied. magnified image