Modeling of heat transfer and crystallization kinetics in thermoplastic composites manufacturing: Pultrusion

Whereas pultrusion with thermoset resins has been widely analyzed, there is a scarcity of knowledge about pultrusion with thermoplastic resins. The aims of this work were to strive towards deeper knowledge of temperature distribution and degree of crystallinity in the composite during processing, to develop a tool for process simulations with a variety of processing parameters, and to provide input data to models for pressure and matrix flow. The heat transfer model presented herein describes the temperature distribution within the composite throughout the thermoplastic pultrusion process. The transient heat transfer situation is modeled one-dimensionally through a transverse cross section far from the edges of a high aspect ratio composite. Temperature-dependent thermal properties, partly non-infinite contact conductance, and heat contribution from crystallization were taken into consideration. The degree of crystallinity within the composite was determined as well. The analysis also includes an experimental verification of the heat transfer model. Results show good agreement with experimental data.