Mould rigidity

CEC monolith Moulded rigid porous polymer Size, charge and partition... 

System leakproofing also depends on mould rigidity, and to increase this, some manufacturers recommend extra torsion on the monld plates clamping the manifold by bolts located near to tbe nozzles - two bolts per nozzle (see Figure 4.61). The aim is to increase the clamping force in the open mould and eliminate the risk of leakage caused by residual melt pressure in the HR system. 

A manifold is usually installed in a recess in the spacer plate with a gap of about 10-20 mm at the side to locate protruding components of the manifold and to run leads. In the case of a large manifold, though, a more economic solution is to locate it between the risers. This does away with the need to mill a recess for the manifold, but at the cost of a diminution in mould rigidity. As a result, the most common solution is to create a recess in the plate matching the shape of the manifold (see Figure 4.88). 

Fortunately, the PVC compounder today has a very wide choice of heat stabilisers at his disposal. For technical reasons certain classes of stabilisers have become associated with particular areas of the industry, eg lead stabilisers for cables and tin-based materials for blow moulded rigid PVC bottles and transparent rigid sheet extrusions. 

An example of the effect on production rates is provided by injection moulding. The longer it takes after injection for solidification of the polymer to occur, the longer will be the overall cycle. (Provided the moulding is not distorted on ejection it will only be necessary to form a rigid skin to the moulding.)... 

The higher transparency coupled with the rigidity expected of a conventional polypropylene homopolymer is of particular interest in thin-wall moulding applications. 

Whilst it is inevitable that polypropylene will be compared more frequently with polyethylene than with any other polymer its use as an injection moulding material also necessitates comparison with polystyrene and related products, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate-butyrate, each of which has a similar rigidity. When comparisons are made it is also necessary to distinguish between conventional homopolymers and the block copolymers. A somewhat crude comparison between these different polymers is attempted in Table 11.7 but further details should be sought out from the appropriate chapters dealing with the other materials. 

Butadiene and styrene may be polymerised in any proportion. The Tfs of the copolymers vary in an almost linear manner with the proportion of styrene present. Whereas SBR has a styrene content of about 23.5% and is rubbery, copolymers containing about 50% styrene are leatherlike whilst with 70% styrene the materials are more like rigid thermoplastics but with low softening points. Both of these copolymers are known in the rubber industry as high-styrene resins and are usually used blended with a hydrocarbon rubber such as NR or SBR. Such blends have found use in shoe soles, car wash brushes and other mouldings but in recent times have suffered increasing competition from conventional thermoplastics and to a less extent the thermoplastic rubbers. 

Although it is not difficult to make injection mouldings from polystyrene which appear to be satisfactory on visual examination it is another matter to produce mouldings free from internal stresses. This problem is common to injection mouldings of all polymers but is particularly serious with such rigid amorphous thermoplastics as polystyrene. 

Tbe term structural foam was originally coined by Union Carbide to describe an injection moulded thermoplastic cellular material with a core of relatively low density and a high-density skin. The term has also been used to describe rigid foams that are load bearing. Today it is commonly taken to imply both of the above requirements, i.e. it should be load bearing and with a core of lower density than the skin. In this section the broader load-bearing definition will be used. Whilst structural foams are frequently made from polymers other than polystyrene, this polymer is strongly associated with such products and it is convenient to deal with the topic here. 

Linear polyesters Polyesters may be obtained in a wide variety of forms including rubbers, fibres, films, laminating resins, surface coatings and thermoplastic moulding powders. The last named are somewhat similar to the nylons but are more rigid. Chemical applications, would appear to be limited because of their sensitivity to alkaline solutions and hot water. 

Pipework and other components should be insulated after the safety pressure test, but usually before prolonged running of the plant, since it is very difficult to remove water and frost once it has formed. Only the low-pressure piping is insulated, where it does not form part of the evaporator, i.e. after the expansion valve, where this may be outside the cooled space, and from the evaporator back to the compressor. Basic materials are cork and the expanded plastics. These are sufficiently rigid to be moulded to the correct shape, remain firmly in place, and support the external vapour barrier which is essential to prevent the ingress of water vapour (see also Chapter 15). 

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