Tecnologia de Materiais Poliméricos

Objectives

The student should learn the main manufacturing methods and processing technologies used for polymeric materials, understand the principles involved in the manufacture of polymeric products, establish the relationship between processing technologies and the properties of the obtained products. The student should be able to select the most suitable processing technique according to the material in question and the desired product characteristics, and to define the critical processing parameters. In addition, the student should learn to use numerical simulation software for the injection molding process. In this curricular unit students can develop their own projects on polymer processing and recycling. They will use the Hands-on Polymers Lab at IST (http://handsonpolymers.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/)

Syllabus

1. Introduction. Facts about the industry of plastics and environmental sustainability. 2. Rheology of polymeric melts under isothermal and non- isothermal flow. 3. Melt flow index. 4. Melting and solidification of thermoplastics. 5. Mixing (distributive and dispersive). Mistures and polymeric alloys. Additives. 6. Continuous processing: extrusion and calendering. 7. Discontinuous processing (I): injection molding. 8. Numerical simulation of an injection molding process using the software Moldflow. 9. Discontinuous processing (II): blowing, thermoforming, compression molding, transfer molding, rotational molding and additive manufacturing. 10. Identification and analysis of different processing techniques according to the type of polymeric component to manufacture.

Prerequisites

The students should have passed the subject (curricular unit (CU)) "Science and Design of Polymers" or a CU with an equivalent syllabus

Cross Competence Component

In this course the student will have the opportunity to use and integrate previously acquired knowledge, as part of a project that aims at polymer processing and numerical simulation using Moldflow software to optimize a polymer injection process. The hands-on component is highly valued in this curricular unit, as well as soft skills, accounted for 20% in the project evaluation, such as (a) attitude at the laboratory, (b) autonomy and proactivity in performing the tasks and solving problems, (c) teamwork, assertiveness and leadership, (d) written, visual and oral communication critical to the presentation to the project class, (e) critical evaluation of media contents.It is expected that these skills will contribute to the overall evluation with 10%.

Laboratorial Component

The significant component of laboratory classes in this course will enable all students to use polymer processing equipments, in a planned and informed fashion, as well as to gain practice on a numerical simulation software to plan and optimize an injection molding process. This laboratory component was designed to promote "know-how" and to facilitate the understanding and consolidation of the knowledge acquired in TP classes. For this purpose, the equipemnt of the Lab "Hands-on-Polymers" will be available.

Programming And Computing Component

Moldflow software will be made available to students for numerical simulation of the injection molding process of polymeric components.

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group´s work. In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.