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Simulation of dispersed phase evolution for immiscible polymer blends in injection molding

Dan Chen (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mold Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China)
Fen Liu (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mold Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, and Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)
Yi Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mold Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China)
Yun Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mold Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China)
Huamin Zhou (State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mold Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China)

Engineering Computations

ISSN: 0264-4401

Article publication date: 2 October 2017

213

Abstract

Purpose

The numerical simulation of dispersed-phase evolution in injection molding process of polymer blends is of great significance in both adjusting material microstructure and improving performances of the final products. This paper aims to present a numerical strategy for the simulation of dispersed-phase evolution for immiscible polymer blends in injection molding.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the dispersed-phase modeling is discussed in detail. Then the Maffettone–Minale model, affine deformation model, breakup model and coalescence statistical model are chosen for the dispersed-phase evolution. A general coupled model of microscopic morphological evolution and macroscopic flow field is constructed. Besides, a stable finite element simulation strategy based on pressure-stabilizing/Petrov–Galerkin/streamline-upwind/Petrov–Galerkin method is adopted for both scales.

Findings

Finally, the simulation results are compared and evaluated with the experimental data, suggesting the reliability of the presented numerical strategy.

Originality/value

The coupled modeling of dispersed-phase and complex flow field during injection molding and the tracing and simulation of droplet evolution during the whole process can be achieved.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation Council of China (Grant No. 51675199, 51575207, 51635006), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2016YXZD059).

Citation

Chen, D., Liu, F., Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y. and Zhou, H. (2017), "Simulation of dispersed phase evolution for immiscible polymer blends in injection molding", Engineering Computations, Vol. 34 No. 7, pp. 2311-2329. https://doi.org/10.1108/EC-03-2017-0093

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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