Ageing of polymeric surfaces exhibiting flow marks - Effects on surface characteristics

Surface defects associated with manufacturing processes can severely impair the appearance of polymeric products. These defects can be enhanced with ageing (time, UV-light, heat and weather conditions). In the present contribution, the interest is focused on the defects generated during injection molding of elastomer-modified polymers that are often used in the automotive sector to produce interior and exterior components. In particular, defects denoted as “flow marks” or “tiger stripes” were investigated. Two different grades of elastomer-modified polypropylene (PP)-containing mineral fillers were studied here before and after heat ageing for 9 weeks at a constant temperature of 95°C. Although injection moldings are one of the grades that did not exhibit any flow marks, moldings of other PP-grade showed such defects and they were enhanced after the ageing process. The properties and structure of the glossy and the dull bands (as well as the effect of the thermal ageing) have been assessed by several characteristics such as microhardness, nanohardness, crystallinity, and surface composition. An increase in surface hardness was noted after the ageing treatment as a consequence of increased crystallinity. Dull and glossy bands also exhibited different values of the nanohardness, glossy bands were harder, and the dull bands appeared to be less crystalline. The surface composition of glossy and dull regions was slightly different; the surface regions of the glossy areas contained higher amounts of filler particles. The effect of the ageing on the striped appearance is furthermore discussed in relation to possible depletion of the stabilizer system. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012