Injection Molding and Characterization of a Fiber Reinforced Material.

The paper describes the experimental procedures carried out in order to investigate the rheological properties of carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and the mechanical properties of injection-molded parts from this material. Four test nozzles have been designed for the investigation of the rheological properties of PEEK. The nozzles containing two pressure sensors and a temperature sensor have been mounted on a 22 Tons injection molding machine. As a result, pressure-time and temperature-time curves have been obtained and then used to calculate the PEEK viscosity as a function of shear rate. Several test specimens have been molded to study the properties of injection-molded parts. First, tension tests have been performed to obtain stress-strain curve and the strength value for PEEK. Then the Young modulus has been experimentally determined using a vibrational method. Flexion tests have allowed to estimate the flexural modulus value. The experimental results obtained in this study can be used to improve the accuracy of injection molding simulation and structural FEM analysis. © 2004 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]