The improvement of the thermoplastic joints performance of Vibration Welding
The lateral reference material of related application
The U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.60/006 that on November 8th, 1996 files an application, 334 are incorporated herein by reference, and the application is needed from wherein benefiting.
The background of invention
The present invention relates to Vibration Weldings, or are related to the Vibration Welding of thermoplastic joints with more refering in particular to.
In recent years, the demand of metal is replaced to be continuously increased using thermoplastic in automobile application field such as air intake system.It estimates 2010,21,400,000 various air sucking parts will be produced with welding technique.The present invention relates to a kind of vibration welding methods of improved thermoplastic joints, and the Vibration Welding product produced in this way.
Thermoplastic, such as the Vibration Welding of nylon 6 and nylon66 fiber are well-known in the art." Vibration Welding of thermoplastic, first part: the phenomenon that welding process is learned " is seen in the engineering of the polymer " and science " 28,718 (1988) of V.K.Stokes;In " engineering and science of polymer " 28,728 (1988) of V.K.Stokes " Vibration Welding of thermoplastic, second part: the analysis of welding process ";In " engineering and science of polymer " 28,989 (1988) of V.K.Stokes " Vibration Welding of thermoplastic, Part III: the intensity of polycarbonate butt seam welding ";" engineering and science of polymer " 28 of V.K.Stokes, in 998 (1988) in " engineering of polymer with scientific " 20,432 (1980) of " Vibration Welding of thermoplastic; Part V: polymerization of butadiene acid terephthalate, polyetherimide and the intensity for improveing polyphenylene oxide butt seam welding " and C.B.Bucknall et al. " hot plate welding of plastics: the influence factor of weld strength ".
Vibration Welding can carry out in this way, and two parts are vibrated along its common interface under stress, frictional heat are generated, to by its surface melting and be fused together.Vibration Welding is to couple the quick and cheap method of the part in irregular shape of various specifications.Past, Vibration Welding have been used for low-load field of bearings.In the application field of automobile housing, such as air sucking gas collecting tube, air filter shell block and resonator, the application for expanding engineering plastics will be such that vehicle weight mitigates, and cost reduces.But so far, enough weld strengths can not be also obtained in these purposes.Welding result is extremely sensitive to parameter homogeneity and slight vibration, they may cause the significant changes of welding quality.Vibration Welding parameter such as pressure, frequency, amplitude, vibration (welding) time, retention time and layer thickness influence the tensile strength of welded joint.It is an object of the present invention to provide a kind of vibration welding method on fibre strengthening thermoplastic surface, the tensile strength of resulting welded joint is getable higher than institute before this.
United States Patent (USP) 4,844,320 thinks, weld strength not by it is more than certain level weld amplitude and weld interval influenced.In traditional Vibration Welding, welding layer is formed under 0.03 to 0.07 inch of amplitude.In contrast, it has been found that weld amplitude and weld interval are extremely important indexs for improving weld strength.Vibration Welding of the invention uses at least about 0.075 inch of amplitude.It was determined that strengthening the non-strengthening surface that the maximum tensile strength obtained by the conventional vibration welding layer on thermoplastic surface is corresponding thermoplastic material is formed by 80% of welding layer or so.For glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic, the reduction of this tensile strength is attributed to the change being orientated in welds joint glass fibre.According to the present invention, strengthen the maximum tensile strength obtained by the Vibration Welding layer on thermoplastic surface is up to the formed welding layer of non-strengthening surface of corresponding thermoplastic material 120%.This is because the fiber at least one surface is caught to penetrate welding layer and another surface.This provides additional, additional tensile strength just for welding layer.
The explanation of invention
The present invention provides a kind of joining methods of second surface that first surface by one including the first thermoplastic of fibre strengthening ingredient and one include the second thermoplastic ingredient, this method includes contacting first surface and second surface, and Vibration Welding is carried out to the first and second surfaces being in contact, a welding layer is formed between the first and second surfaces, the welding layer is made of the fusions of the first and second thermoplastic ingredients, it is characterized in that, Vibration Welding is carried out under conditions of being enough penetrates the fiber from first surface in welding layer and second surface.
The present invention also provides a kind of Vibration Welding products, it includes the first surface comprising the first fibre strengthening thermoplastic ingredient, it include the second surface of the second thermoplastic ingredient being in contact with first surface with one, an and welding layer between the first and second surfaces, it includes the fusions of the first and second thermoplastic ingredients, it is characterized in that, the fiber from first surface penetrates in welding layer and second surface.
Vibration welding technology and the device for implementing Vibration Welding are well-known in the art, as what is enumerated in the United States Patent (USP) 4,844,320 that is described herein by reference.The Vibration Welding of thermoplastic is there are four the stage, i.e. interface is by frictionally heating, and the lateral flow of unstable fusing and material, fusion zone is established under steady-state conditions;And flow instabilities and solidification due to vibration termination material in welding section.Welding can be carried out with having been subjected to improve with obtaining the standard vibration welding equipment of Parameter Conditions required for the present invention.Important parameter includes pressure, amplitude, frequency, time welding interval and retention time.
Vibration welding machine can be bought from the Branson Ultrasonics Corporation of the state Kang Nadige Danbury, such as micro-vibration bonding machine and 90 series VW/6 type vibration welding machines.But since their specified amplitude range is 0.040 to 0.070 inch under 240Hz output frequency, so must be adjusted.Vibration Welding can be carried out by contacting the first thermoplastic surface and the second thermoplastic surface under stress.At least one preferably two thermoplastic surface is all fiber strengthened.It contacts the surface to be welded each other, and keeps the interface between two surfaces under a predetermined pressure, such as be placed on a platform and be in by under cylinder or hydraulic cylinder pressure applied.Then so that a surface is done straight reciprocating motion relative to another surface, to cause to rub, generate heat, melt two surfaces and merge the thermoplastic material on the first and second surfaces.Fiber before welding in fibre strengthening thermoplastic material is substantially No yield point.In the vibration welding technology of prior art, thermoplastic surface melting, fusion, one welding layer of formation being in contact, still, on the direction that the fiber in welding layer is only located at welding plane.Opposite to that, when carrying out Vibration Welding according to the present invention, the reinforcing fiber on a surface or two surfaces is pressed into contact surface corresponding thereto.The weld strength being unable to reach in the past is just obtained when welding layer is cooling.
According to the present invention, the two thermoplastic surfaces that can be soldered can be made of any compatible thermo-plastic polymeric material.Suitable thermo-plastic polymeric material includes polyamide-based (but being not limited only to this), polyesters, polycarbonate, poly- maple class, polyimide class, polyamine lipid, polyethers, polyvinyls and their mixture.Such as nylon 6 and nylon66 fiber it is polyamide-based, such as Capron 8233G HS nylon 6 and Capron 5233G HS nylon66 fiber can buy from the AlliedSignal company of New Jersey Morristown.Such as the polyester material of Petra polyethylene teraphthalate is preferably also bought from AlliedSignal company.As long as in terms of fusion be it is compatible, different thermoplastic surfacings also can be used.Thermoplastic surface at least one be it is fiber strengthened, preferably two are strengthened.Suitable reinforcing fiber includes material as (but being not limited only to this), its representative temperature used in injection moulding, such as is not softened at a temperature of up to 400 DEG C, i.e., does not lose its rigidity.Preferred fiber-reinforced material includes such as glass, carbon, silicon, metal, minerals, polymer fiber and their mixture material.It is most preferably glass fiber-reinforced.In a preferred embodiment, which is rigid, and diameter is about 8 to 12 microns, and about 9 to 11 microns more preferably, preferably 10 microns.Preferred fibre length is from about 120 microns to about 300 micron, is better from about 130 to about 250 microns, and preferably from about 140 to about 200 microns.In a preferred embodiment, it is about 6% to about 40% which, which accounts for the weight percent of thermoplastic ingredient, and much better is that account for the weight percent of thermoplastic ingredient be about 13% to 25%.
The displacement for the linear peak to peak that one surface rubs on the other surface or distance are vibration amplitudes.In the preferred embodiment, vibration amplitude at least about 0.075.Preferable vibration amplitude range is about 0.075 to about 0.15 inch certainly, and preferably from 0.075 to 0.090 inch.The rated output vibration frequency of above-mentioned amplitude is 240Hz.Under other vibration frequencies, amplitude will change.For example, under the rated output vibration frequency of 120Hz, preferred amplitude range is from least about 0.09 inch (0.13 inch more preferably) to about 0.16 inch, and preferably from about 0.135 inch to about 0.145 inch.For professional person in the art, the amplitude that can be readily determined under other frequencies.
In a preferred embodiment, contact surface is in vibration welding process in perpendicular under about the 0.6 to about 1.5MPa of surface pressure.Better pressure limit is about 0.6 to about 1.2MPa, and preferably about 0.7 to about 0.8MPa.The preferred scope of time of vibration or fraction time is about 2 to 7 seconds, and much better is 4 seconds to 6 seconds.The preferred scope of retention time or cooling time are about 2 to about 8 seconds, and much better is about 4 to about 5 seconds, and within this period after vibration stops, pressure is still maintained.The preferred scope of welding layer thickness is about 160 to about 400 microns, and much better is about 200 to about 350 microns, and preferably about 250 to about 330 microns.When carrying out Vibration Welding under the above conditions, a part of fiber from strengthening surface penetrates welding layer and opposite surface.When two surfaces are that reinforcing thermoplastic is constituted, a part of fiber from each surface penetrates welding layer and opposite surface.In a preferred embodiment, (according to tensile strength) estimate from one or two strengthening surface penetrate into apparent surface fiber ratio in the range of about 2% to about 8%, much better is about 4% to about 8%, preferably about 5% to 8%.Vibration welding process of the present invention as a result, a reinforcing thermoplastic surface with the welding layer on another thermoplastic surface compared with being formed by welding layer by the non-strengthening surface of corresponding thermoplastic material, obtain higher the maximum tensile strength.The tensile strength for strengthening the Vibration Welding layer on thermoplastic surface, which is in, is formed by least the 85% of welding layer by the non-strengthening surface of corresponding thermoplastic material, and preferably from the range of about 85% to about 120%.There is no special theory, it is assumed that Vibration Welding parameter of the invention can make fiber penetrate another surface from a strengthening surface.For example, the use of pressure and time of vibration and amplitude should be it is conductive, push fiber to another from a melt surface.Welding layer thickness is excessively thin or fiber loading is excessive may cause that fiber rotation space is inadequate, so that limiting fiber traverses into opposite surface.
The effect of the following example without restrictive sense is to illustrate the present invention.Certain elements in the component of light sensitive layer ingredient change in proportion or replace be for those skilled in the art it will be apparent that and within the scope of the present invention, express appreciation to this.
Example one
The particle of the 5233 G HS nylon66 fiber of 8233 G HS nylon 6 of Capron and Capron obtained from the AlliedSignal company of New Jersey Morristown is made to the block of 3 " × 4 " × 1/4 " and 3 " × 4 " × 1/8 " with injection molding, it contains the glass fiber-reinforced substance that Nominal weight percentage is 0-50% ratio.The same block micro-vibration welding machine of Branson Ultrasonics Corporation or 2400 serial welding machine following parameters Vibration Weldings are together: maximum grip load: 4.5kN;Weld amplitude: 0.762 to 2.28mm (0.030 " to 0.090 ");Weld interval: 4-8 seconds;Specified welding frequency: 240Hz.Change welding parameter, is i.e. pressure (load), amplitude and time, optimizes the tensile strength of welds joint.It then only selects those tensile strength obtained to be higher than the sample for being not filled by base material, is studied with the institutional framework to welding section.It include interface and the details of fiber orientation of welding section in this analysis and research.The institutional framework for studying these samples has used optical microscopy, and quantify fibre length is image analyzer.
The analysis of welding section glass fibre loading
The Capron nylon 6 studied is injection moulded range of the nominal fiber loading in 0 to 50% weight percent of part.But if fiber or nylon matrix are pushed open from welding section in welding layer formation, the actual fiber loading in welding section may change.In order to determine welding layer excess enthalpy flow region fiber loading whether the difference with basic material, measure the weight percent of fiber by obtaining the weight difference of matrix pyrolysis front and back excessive portion.The result of 7 Capron 8233G HS Nylon 6 Samples processed under different welding conditions is summarized in table 1.The result shows that the fiber loading for the various nylon 6 materials examined 0.5% to 1% weight percent about lower than matrix composition.
For nylon66 fiber, the glass content in the burr of welding section is measured with 5233 G HS nylon66 fiber sample of Capron .As a result it is shown in Table 2, shows fiber loading of the nylon66 fiber at the burr of welding section 0.5% weight percent about lower than matrix composition.These fiber contents vary less, and close with the measurement accuracy of fiber content.
The analysis of welding section glass fibre length
It largely fractures in order to which whether the determining fiber in welding section has, has carried out fibre length analysis.The determining optical microscopy of fibre length of burr (from the recycling of pyrolysis ash) interior fiber and image analyzer measurement.Glass fiber sample is with 2,2,2- flurothyl (TFE) solvents from extracting and be dispersed on glass slide in ash.Each sample shines 10 light micrographs, and 1000-2000 root fiber is counted and measured with image analyzer in total.Table 3 provides its result.Analysis shows the average fiber length of all samples is in 120 to 180 micron ranges.This is suitable with the average value of sample fiber length measured from original molded stretch rod in welding section with outer portion.In addition, with scanning electron microscope to welding section break surface research shows that there is no largely fractureing for fiber in welding section.
The analysis of welding section glass fibre distribution of orientations
Glass fibre (GF) is carried out in the research optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope of the fiber distribution (FOD) of weld metal zone.Parallel and impenetrating thickness direction section is prepared for each sample, and metallurgical polishing is carried out in preparation for optical microscopy research.Compared with the fiber orientation that the light micrograph under low range (25x and 50x) represents FOD and welding section total around welding section.Light micrograph is absorbed from the polishing section of the Nylon 6 Samples of 6wt.%GF, 14wt.%GF, 25wt.%GF, 33wt.%GF and 50wt.%GF respectively.Microphoto represents fiber orientation that is close and deviateing welding section.In addition the apparent thickness of welding section can directly in the micrograph shown in position directly measured from the variation of FOD.It was noticed that some fibre has the sign being significantly orientated on the draw direction perpendicular to welding plane in the sample of 14wt.% and 25wt.%GF.It is also noted that being shown in the strengthening effect under best welding condition unrelated with orientation of the glass fibre on molded panel of the selection for welding.
The tensile strength of welds joint
For every kind of Vibration Welding condition (that is: the pressure of setting, amplitude and weld interval), 10 samples are tested under the ASTM D638M-93 plastics tensile test regulation of standard.The result of welds joint tensile strength under the conditions of best welding parameter is summarized in table 4.Influence of the glass fibre loading to tensile strength is also studied.The result shows that the tensile strength of all welds joint samples is above the nylon 6 that do not strengthen.For the nylon 6 material of reinforcing, the maximum tensile strength is 93.1MPa.This is appeared in the case that glass fibre loading is about 14wt.% and 25wt.%.By the way that compared with the material that do not strengthen that tensile strength is 79.3MPa, this makes the tensile strength of welds joint improve 17% in the tensile strength maximum value that reinforcing degree occurs.
Under same welding and intensified condition, the tensile strength for welding nylon 6 material shows slightly higher (about 4%) than welding nylon66 fiber.The data are also shown that, in interface, glass fibre/nylon66 fiber ingredient is approximate with basis material.Weld strength of the glass-filled nylon 6 seen under the conditions of optimised welding procedure is higher, may have benefited from some factors.For nylon 6, in the case where selecting same ingredient and welding parameter alternative condition, a certain proportion of glass fibre is showed in interface across welding plane.The width of welding section is suitable with the average length of fiber in 200-300 microns.This, which can make fiber in the welding process, has certain migration, and the side other than the main flow direction of resin moves upwards, i.e., fiber is not to be completely restricted the streamwise in narrow welding section to move.Welding section thickness observed by from microphoto can be portrayed as the function of fiber loading.It was noticed that welding section thickness really it is fiber-loaded be 14wt.% in the case where undergo maximum value.(14Wt.%H is identical with the maximum value of tensile strength curve to 25Wt.% glass fibre (GF)) for the position that this maximum value occurs.This further demonstrates that welding section thickness has positive influence to the tensile strength of welds joint.By preparing the welded specimen that there is different orientation relative to fiber mainstream orientation, the research of the relationship of the distribution of orientations of welding performance and glass fibre in 6 plate of GF nylon can be carried out.These data results show that in weld interface, fiber orientation obtained is unrelated with the fiber mainstream orientation in the base nylon 6 of neighbouring welding section in welding section.The polyamides ammonium butt seam welding joint of straight-line oscillation welding statistics indicate that compared with the data disclosed in previous, the raising of tensile strength is up to 35%.
Table 1
The ratio of glass fibre in Capron 8233G HS (nylon 6) burr
Sample number |
The weight percent (%) of fiber in burr |
1 |
32.04 |
2 |
32.52 |
3 |
32.26 |
4 |
32.56 |
5 |
32.54 |
6 |
32.20 |
7 |
31.93 |
It is average |
32.29±0.25 |
Capron 8233G HS matrix |
33.01±1.21 |
Table 2
The ratio of glass fibre in Capron 5233G HS (nylon66 fiber) burr
Sample mark |
The weight percent (%) of glass fibre in burr |
The weight percent (%) of glass fibre in matrix |
5233GHS |
33.48 |
33.94 |
Table 3
The analysis of Capron 8233G HS (nylon 6) fibre length
Sample number |
Fiber number |
The average length (micron) of fiber |
1 |
1775 |
124.7 |
2 |
1838 |
131.8 |
3 |
1106 |
151.9 |
4 |
1182 |
147.7 |
5 |
1018 |
167.8 |
6 |
1381 |
145.9 |
7 |
834 |
180.25 |
Capron 8233G HS matrix |
1374 |
133.7 |
Table 4
The weight percent (%) of glass fibre |
Trade name |
Tensile strength (MPa) under best welding condition |
0 |
Capron 8202G HS |
79.3 |
6 |
Capron 8230G HS |
83.1 |
14 |
Capron 8231G HS |
90.7 |
25 |
Capron 8232G HS |
90.2 |
33 |
Capron 8233G HS |
85.2 |
50 |
Capron 8235G HS |
80.5 |