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Polymers and Polymer Composites

SINTERING OF NON-SPHERICAL POLYETHYLENE PARTICLES

May 1, 2006 By: Torres F G; Cubillas M L; Quintana O A Research article

Title: SINTERING OF NON-SPHERICAL POLYETHYLENE PARTICLES
Page Range: p.503-513
Author(s): Torres F G; Cubillas M L; Quintana O A
File size: 346K
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 14
Issue No: No. 5

Abstract
Powder sintering has been well studied for metals and ceramics, but not many fundamental studies have been carried out in order to understand the nature of the underlying processes which take place during the formation of a dense material when a polymer powder is sintered as occurs during the rotational moulding process. This work reports on experimental observations of polymer sintering with non-spherical particles. The evolution of neck formation during sintering was studied by two-particle experiments in a temperature-controlled oven. Shrinkage and change in surface area were also measured using image analysis. Melt densification studies using powder particles were included to complement the two-particle experiments. It was found that ground polymer particles show an important shape recovery stage at the beginning of the sintering process. Comparisons with sintering models available in the literature were made, and deviations from the behaviour predicted by such models were discussed. 28 refs.

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