Semi-automatic laboratory equipment for reactive injection molding

Traditional melt processing techniques limit in shape and thickness the parts of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites. Producing of thermoplastic hybrid composites through melt intercalation often results in heterogeneous products due to micron-scale agglomerations with a negative effect on the mechanical properties. The in-situ polymerization processes to form the matrix in polymer composites have proved to be a good approach toward the resolution of these issues. In the present work we report on the design and construction of a prototype semi-automatic laboratory equipment for reactive injection molding and its application for the preparation of various types of polyamide-6 based composites via in-situ activated anionic polymerization of e-caprolactam. preparation of thermoset composites attempted to be adapted for TPCs where the control on the chemistry of the matrix forming AAROP is still a big challenge. The present work describes our recently developed prototype semi-automatic laboratory equipment for reactive injection molding that was used for the preparation of various TPC types via in-situ AAROP of e-caprolactam. Some initial studies on the properties of these TPCs are briefly reported.