Spatial distribution of molecular orientation in injection molded iPP: influence of processing conditions

In this paper, the influence of processing conditions on the spatial distribution of the molecular orientation was determined within the depth of the thickness of injection molded isotactic polypropylene (iPP) plates. Small 35 μm-thick slices were microtomed from the surface to the core of 1 and 3 mm-thick plates. The orientation functions along the three crystallographic axes were determined on the slices from IR dichroism measurements and WAXS pole figures. It was found that the orientation of the amorphous phase was low and the crystalline orientation had a maximum in the shearing layer, which was solidified during the filling stage. The plate thickness seemed to govern the global level of orientation, while the injection speed determined the thickness of the shearing layer without changing the maximum of orientation. Changing the mold temperature from 20 to 40 °C did not modify the molecular orientation. A specific bimodal crystalline orientation was found in the shearing layer. This crystalline structure continued in the post-filling layer, but the local symmetry axes tilted towards the core.