Pressure Equilibrium Time of a Cyclic-Olefin Copolymer

Integrative simulation techniques for predicting component properties, based on the conditions during processing, are becoming increasingly important. The calculation of orientations in injection molding, which, in addition to mechanical and optical properties, also affect the thermal shrinkage behavior, are modeled on the basis of measurements that cannot take into account the pressure driven flow processes, which cause the orientations during the holding pressure phase. Previous investigations with a high-pressure capillary rheometer (HPC) and closed counter pressure chamber (CPC) showed the significant effect of a dynamically applied pressure on the flow behavior, depending on the temperature and the underlying compression rate. At a constant compression rate, an effective pressure difference between the measuring chamber and the CPC was observed, which resulted in a stop of flow through the capillary referred to as dynamic compression induced solidification. In order to extend the material understanding to the moment after dynamic solidification, an equilibrium time, which is needed until the pressure signals equalize, was evaluated and investigated in terms of a pressure, temperature and a possible compression rate dependency in this study. The findings show an exponential increase of the determined equilibrium time as a function of the holding pressure level and a decrease of the equilibrium time with increasing temperature. In case of supercritical compression in the area of a dynamic solidification, a compression rate dependency of the determined equilibrium times is also found. The measurement results show a temperature-invariant behavior, which allows the derivation of a master curve, according to the superposition principle, to calculate the pressure equilibrium time as a function of the holding pressure and the temperature.