Title: Flow visualisation of additive alignment inside a polymer matrix depending on hydraulic diameter of the mould channel

Authors: Do-In Jeong; Dong-Wook Oh

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chosun University, 309 Pilmum-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, South Korea ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chosun University, 309 Pilmum-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, South Korea

Abstract: The alignment of fibre-type additives inside the polymer composites has a considerable effect on the properties of materials. In manufacturing processes such as injection moulding, the angles of additives are determined when a mixture of molten polymer and additive flows through the channels inside a mould and is solidified, which in turn influences the properties of the materials. This study conducted a flow visualisation experiment that simulated the manufacturing process of polymer matrix composites. When a mixture solution of short carbon fibre and polydimethylsiloxane liquid flowed through transparent mould channels, the additives showed a variation in angle, which was then analysed using image processing calculation. The angle of the additives was traced according to the hydraulic diameters of channels. The trend obtained in this way was compared with the gradient of the velocity field of the flow.

Keywords: flow visualisation; additive alignment; polymer composite; shear thinning; anisotropic property; carbon fibre.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2019.104469

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2019 Vol.16 No.4/5, pp.251 - 257

Published online: 13 Jan 2020 *

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