Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/M14159/01
Title:	MODELLING OF WELD LINE FORMATION IN LIQUID CRYSTAL POLYMER PROCESSING
Principal Investigator:	Windle, Professor A
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Plastic Moulding Consultants Ltd Pre Nexus Migration University of Surrey
Department:	Materials Science & Metallurgy
Organisation:	University of Cambridge
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	11 February 1999	Ends:	10 February 2002	Value (£):	155,958
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Processing
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Manufacturing
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The research programme aims to improve the control of microstructure during the processing of thermotropic liquid crystal polymers. The particular focus of the work will be the weld line formation in injection molding of both unfilled and filled Vectra (TM) LCPS. The weld line strength represents the single most important parameter industry would like to improve. To that effect, both modelling and experimental work will be carried out. The modelling work is multidisciplinary in its approach by combining a mesoscale model of LCPs with the rheological approach taken by mold filling simulations. Mesoscale simulations provide information of the interaction between the defect-rich microstructure and viscous flow on a micron level. Macroscale simulations provide the general flow and heat transfer behaviour. We propose to integrate these two levels to obtain not only improved flow simulations but most importantly detailed microstructural information about the molded product in general and the weld line in particular. The simulation work will be served by measurement of material input data and validated by means of production and characterization of injection molded parts from Vectra materials. The simulation will finally be used to suggest processing parameters for improving the weld line strength. These will be tested experimentally.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.cam.ac.uk