TY - JOUR

T1 - Processing Fiber-Reinforced Polymers: Specific Wear Phenomena Caused by Filler Materials

AU - Blutmager, Andreas

AU - Spahn, Thomas

AU - Varga, Markus

AU - Friesenbichler, Walter

AU - Riedl, Helmut

AU - Mayrhofer, Paul Heinz

PY - 2019/10/18

Y1 - 2019/10/18

N2 - Fiber-reinforced polymers allow for the implementation ofplastic materials in structural components. However,increasing incorporation of fibers up to 50 wt% causesaccelerated component wear in injection moldingmachines. In particular, the barrel and screw in the compressionzone suffer from increased wear. The abrasivefibers of the compacted polymer pellets in the solid bedprotrude from the surfaces of the resin having an abrasive,brush-like behavior. A modified pin-on-disk testing systemwith specially designed polymer pins was used to emulatethe described tribological system in laboratory scale.Through varying contact pressure, temperature, and surfacemodifications of the counterparts (blank or coatedpowder-metallurgical steel), abrasive wear as observed inindustrial-sized extruder screws could be successfully simulatedon a laboratory-scale testing system. Detailed investigationsof the pins and disks highlighted that the glass fibersplow and cut the surface leading to abrasion as observed inthe real field application. Temperature has been proven to bethe most decisive driving force. Surface modifications suchas protective physical vapor-deposited CrN coatings areeffective against abrasive wear, clearly outperforminguntreated steels. The presented pin-on-disk-test setup willimprove screening of materials for extruders, thus enhancingthe durability of injection molding machines.

AB - Fiber-reinforced polymers allow for the implementation ofplastic materials in structural components. However,increasing incorporation of fibers up to 50 wt% causesaccelerated component wear in injection moldingmachines. In particular, the barrel and screw in the compressionzone suffer from increased wear. The abrasivefibers of the compacted polymer pellets in the solid bedprotrude from the surfaces of the resin having an abrasive,brush-like behavior. A modified pin-on-disk testing systemwith specially designed polymer pins was used to emulatethe described tribological system in laboratory scale.Through varying contact pressure, temperature, and surfacemodifications of the counterparts (blank or coatedpowder-metallurgical steel), abrasive wear as observed inindustrial-sized extruder screws could be successfully simulatedon a laboratory-scale testing system. Detailed investigationsof the pins and disks highlighted that the glass fibersplow and cut the surface leading to abrasion as observed inthe real field application. Temperature has been proven to bethe most decisive driving force. Surface modifications suchas protective physical vapor-deposited CrN coatings areeffective against abrasive wear, clearly outperforminguntreated steels. The presented pin-on-disk-test setup willimprove screening of materials for extruders, thus enhancingthe durability of injection molding machines.

U2 - 10.1002/pen.25261

DO - 10.1002/pen.25261

M3 - Article

VL - 60.2020

SP - 78

EP - 85

JO - Polymer engineering and science

JF - Polymer engineering and science

SN - 1548-2634

IS - 1

ER -