We made pellets by adding 0-20 wt% vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF) to polypropylene and made an injection molding test piece with the pellets so as to test the rheological, as well as the mechanical, electrical, and injection molding properties. In the test piece made by injection molding, the quantity of VGCF in the surface layer is extremely small as compared to the quantity of addition. The value of resistance at the end of flow of the injection-molded product is smaller than that measured at other locations, which is considered to be the influence of the fountain flow at the end of flow. In addition, it is known that the above phenomenon is attributable to the fact that the orientation is in the direction of thickness in the same way as the orientation of glass fiber and carbon fiber. Even if the additive rate of VGCF is the same, the value of resistance changes substantially depending on the thickness of injection-molded products. One of the causes is considered to be the orientation of VGCF, and the orientation of VGCF in the test piece is considered to be strong in the direction of flow. There exists a proportionality relation between the shear rate and the value of resistance calculated on the basis of the rate of flow, which is one of the molding conditions.

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The influence of the punching condition on strength and the amount of shear droop was investigated to optimize the processing condition for punching in the mold during glass fiber reinforced polyphenylenesulfide (PPS/GF) injection molding. For in-mold punching part during cooling process, the tensile strength was constant because the pressure loss by the punch did not occur. The amount of the shear droop decreased in line with the increase in delay time because the rigidity of injection molded part in the mold increased when the resin was cooled. Moreover, when the resin temperature lowered more than the glass transition temperature, the amount of the shear droop was constant because the rigidity became constant. It is necessary to begin punching when the resin temperature lowers more than the glass transition temperature after holding pressure process is completed, to secure high strength and to assume 0.05 mm or less, at which level the shear droop cannot be visually recognized. The shortest delay time for PPS/GF is 8 sec. The delay time to minimize the amount of the shear droop can be guessed by analyzing the temperature change of the resin in the mold by injection molding CAE.

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