Sunday, April 30, 2023

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Hemp batteries

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:


Hemp batteries are an emerging technology that has been gaining attention for their potential to provide a sustainable and eco-friendly energy storage solution. These batteries are made using hemp fibers that are processed into a type of carbon nanomaterial known as graphene.





Graphene produced from hemp fibers is lightweight and highly conductive, making it an ideal component for use in batteries. This can potentially lead to longer-lasting and more efficient batteries that can be charged faster and hold their charge for longer periods of time.


Source:thehempville

Visit MY BLOG http://polymerguru.blogspot.com


#hemp #hempisthefuture #hempfiber #hempindustry #graphene #sustainable #hempcrete #hemptech #industrialhemp  #sdg #ecofriendly #biodegradable #hempplastic #evbatteries  #plasticalternative #hempboard #hempstalk #energystorage #batteries #carbonneutral #technology

Friday, April 28, 2023

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Constant Pressure

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Constant Pressure

Historically, early injection molding machines would essentially be pressure controlled.

Many good parts have been made under such process control. So, it is not all bad !





However, note that when molding an end-gated fairly long part, a constant pressure fill translates into an ever decreasing melt front velocity, as the pressure drop builds up.

This in turns corresponds to a decreasing average temperature of the melt front along the flow.


Such a decreasing T will create an increasingly strong degree of molecular orientation when moving away from the gate. The part, especially when using semi-crystalline grades, will have a strong gradient of mechanical properties along the flow which could be as serious as showing good ductility near the gate and severe brittleness far from the gate.


Source:Vito

Visit MY BLOG http://polymerguru.blogspot.com


#plastics #injectionmolding #ductility #pressure #mechanical #temperature #semicrystalline #melting #gate

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Plastic Fatigue

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Plastic Fatigue

I recently completed a failure analysis where the component cracked through fatigue. Fatigue is one of the primary plastic component failure mechanisms, along with impact, creep, environmental stress cracking, and molecular degradation.




Fatigue failure is the formation and propagation of cracks due to intermittent, repetitive or cyclic loading. Most fatigue failures are associated with cyclic loads that are significantly below the yield strength of the plastic material. Fatigue is sometimes referred to as dynamic fatigue in order to distinguish it from creep, which is at times called static fatigue.


“The failure occurs due to the cyclic nature of the load which causes microscopic material imperfections (flaws) to grow into a macroscopic crack (initiation phase). The crack can then propagate to a critical size that results in structural or pressure boundary failure of the component.” George Antaki, Ramiz Gilada, in Nuclear Power Plant Safety and Mechanical Integrity, 2015


Fatigue cracks commonly initiate at stress concentrations, structural discontinuities, or flaws within the molded component. Fatigue cracks can also propagate from existing macroscopic cracks, initiated through another failure mechanism, such as impact or molecular degradation.


Fatigue results in the progressive weakening of a component with increasing time under dynamic loading conditions, such that loads to be supported satisfactorily for short durations produce failure after long durations. Essentially, the intermittent, repetitive or cyclic loading results in a decay in the strength of the component. The fatigue strength of a plastic material depends on the period of action of the applied force. The applied stress can be compressive or tensile. This can result in various situations where the maximum and minimum stress of the dynamic loading are:


·   Tension - Tension

·   Tension - Neutral

·   Tension - Compression

·   Compression - Neutral

·   Compression - Compression


This is illustrated in the graphic below from “Fatigue and Tribological Properties of Plastics and Elastomers” Second Edition by Laurence McKeen.


In general, the higher the mean applied stress, the faster that cracking will initiate and propagate.


Source:Jeffrey A.Jansen

Visit MY BLOG http://polymerguru.blogspot.com


#polymers #plastic #polymerscience #materialsscience #fatigue #failure #cracking #failureanalysis #stress #force #tension #compression #testing #mechanical #degradation


Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: Beautiful FRP art sculpture brought to shape by BFG International!

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:


Check out this beautiful FRP art sculpture brought to shape by BFG International!




The company is proud to have recently completed the stunning sculptural 'Athar' monument in Bahrain. The monument was commissioned by the Supreme Council For Women and was unveiled on 30th November. This striking sculpture celebrates the achievements of women in Bahrain society, and its beautiful form was expertly realized by BFG using 3-dimensional design engineering skills and advanced composite materials.


The monument comprises two independent structures’ one of which integrates a 12m cantilever. The entire sculpture is self-supporting, with no steel structure. Manufactured from custom engineered Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer, the precision molded shapes perfectly represent the complex three-dimensional forms envisaged by the original design. The unique properties of this advanced material ensure the monument will retain its form and finish for decades to come even in the harshest environment and conditions.


The entire sculpture was erected in less than 7 days, a testament to expert design and to the skills of the BFG installation teams!


Source: #managingcomposites #thenativelab

Visit MY BLOG http://polymerguru.blogspot.com


#composites #compositestructures #design #gfrp #engineering #3d #materials #polymerscience #advancedmaterials #bahrain #bfg #monument #art #environment

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share: Loss of Molecular Weight

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Loss of Molecular Weight

It is correct that the degradation of plastic parts can lead to a decrease in their mechanical performance due to a loss of molecular weight.

However, the explanations provided in some posts I see on this platform may not always be entirely accurate.




The resistance to cavitation, which is the initiation of brittle failure, is controlled by the molecular weight between entanglements (Me) rather than the overall molecular weight (Mw). This means that cavitation will not be greatly affected by a loss of Mw as long as it remains well above Me (which is true in most commercial plastic grades except the very high flow grades).

However, many other mechanical properties, starting already from tensile strength, will sharply decrease as Mw decreases due to progressive disentanglement of the shorter polymer chains. This is especially confirmed by testing polymers at cryogenic temperatures where reputation and plasticity are suppressed.


The above explains why molecular weight does not influence the stress-strain response (measured in compression to avoid failure) while most tensile data will start collapsing with a decrease in Mw.


Source:VITO LEO

Visit MY BLOG http://polymerguru.blogspot.com


#polymers #polymerscience #stress #brittle #tensile #mechanical #testing #partfailure #molecularweight #entanglements 

Monday, April 24, 2023

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Polycarbonate Thermoforming Skylights System

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:


Polycarbonate Thermoforming Skylights System

advantage is variability in sizes with maximum unit size of 2 m x 2 m,

based on the requirements, and the manufactruers will do the die for it.





The Sky domes is made from polycarbonate solid UV sheets which achieve many advantages compared to other materials like;


Up to 250 times more impact resistant than glass

Light transmission value of up to 90 %, depending on the color and thickness of the sheets


Absorb dangerous UV radiation

Can be used at temperatures between – 100 °C up to +115 °C.


Fire performance according to EN 13501-1 is B-s1-d0 or B-s2-d0, depending on thickness and color


Reduce sound levels depending on sheet thickness


Designed against the harsh weathering of GCC countries

Up to 10 years of limited warranty against yellowing available in the market.


Thermoforming Skylights Design


1.The best cost-effective choice for the skylight with a high level of safety and security is Polycarbonate Thermoforming System, providing the same insulating quality as the glass skylight and is much stronger as well.


2.Polycarbonate Thermoforming Skylights System's advantage is variability in sizes with a maximum unit size of 2 m x 2 m.


3.For better thermal insulation, we can do single, double, or triple-layer glazing, as you can choose Dome or Pyramid shape.


4.For any span larger than 2 meters, this system can be used as a multi unit of domes or pyramids by using special extruded aluminium profile gutters and chairs.


Source:Al Mamary

Visit MY BLOG http://polymerguru.blogspot.com


#skylights #thermoforming #polycarbonate #plastics #impact #uv

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : Every process change has a thermodynamic story

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Every process change has a thermodynamic story Many people working in injection molding are skilled at identifyi...