LAUSR

Abstract The use of a reactive processing approach for the manufacture of thermoplastic composites is of increasing interest owing to the potential for lower melt viscosities, processing temperatures, and cycle times. These reactive systems, such as the anionic polymerisation of polyamide-6 (APA6), lack the depth of characterisation and modelling required for mould flow simulation for the purposes of part quality assurance and process optimisation as desirable for industrial application. This is particularly important in reactive systems, owing to the potential of part failure through inadequate polymer conversion, and the nature of thermoplastic polymer crystallisation which will occur simultaneously with polymerisation in these systems. A typical experimental technique for the kinetic analysis of polymerisation is through use of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) to measure the reaction exotherms. Unfortunately, as polymerisation and crystallisation occur simultaneously, the resulting exotherms obscure each other in thermal analysis techniques, inhibiting independent model fitting. An algorithmic approach to the interpretation of kinetic information obtained by isothermal DSC is implemented and discussed, with gaussian curve parameters for a variety of isothermal temperatures and initiator/activator concentrations presented.