INJECTION MOLDING IS ONE OF THE LOWEST COST METHODS TO OBTAIN NET SHAPE FORMING OF THERMOPLASTICS. FOR THIS REASON, THE FABRICATION OF STRUCTURAL AEROSPACE COMPONENTS BY INJECTION MOLDING CAN FAVORABLY IMPACT THE OVERALL SYSTEM COST IF THE STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS OF THESE MATERIALS COULD APPROACH THE PROPERTIES OF ALUMINUM ALLOYS. THERMOPLASTICS HAVE THE ADDED ADVANTAGE THAT MATERIAL DENSITY IS APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 70% OF MOST ALUMINUM ALLOYS. OUR APPROACH WAS TO SELECT TWO HIGH-PERFORMANCE THERMOPLASTIC POLYMERS (PEEK AND PPS) AND CUSTOM COMPOUND INJECTION MOLDING FEEDSTOCK PELLETS WITH CARBON FIBERS OF SPECIFIC LENGTH AND TENSILE MODULUS. VOLUMETRIC LOADINGS OF THE FIBERS RANGED FROM 0 TO 60%. FOUR COMMERCIAL MASCERATED CARBON FIBER REINFORCED THERMOPLASTICS AND NEAT PEEK WERE USED AS CONTROL SPECIMENS FOR COMPARISON TO THE SPECIALLY COMPOUNDED MATERIALS. AFTER OPTIMIZING THE FINE PROCE
| Number of Pages : | 18 |
| Published : | 06/01/1990 |
