With the financial support of the Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center (OBIC), The Center for Advanced Polymer & Composite Engineering (CAPCE) at The Ohio State University (OSU) has recently enhanced its state-of-the-art mechanical testing laboratory, which is used for evaluating biobased material applications in automotive and industrial markets. CAPCE is part of the OSU College of Engineering and is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) that collaborates with the University of Wisconsin, Florida State University, and numerous industry partners.

CAPCE's seven laboratories have extensive capabilities in polymer and composite processing and related technologies, thanks to more than $4 million in modern equipment. The CAPCE laboratories (details below) include:
•Injection Molding Laboratory
•Composite Processing Laboratory
•Extrusion Laboratory
•Snap-Fit Laboratory
•Rheology Laboratory
•Analytical Laboratories
•Microfabrication Laboratory

The research performed in Injection Molding Laboratory focuses on the evaluation and optimization of not only traditional injection molding but also co-injection molding, high-precision injection molding, and micro-injection molding. Among the research projects ongoing in this laboratory, some of the areas of interest are:
•Evaluation of the effect of recycled material on both surface-critical and non-surface-critical parts
•Evaluation of the use natural fibers and fillers in injection and co-injection molding
•Microcellular foaming in both traditional and co-injection molding
•Freeform optical mold design, fabrication and measurement, and process simulation for injection molding of high-precision, optical lenses
•Multivariable optimization and mold thermal design in injection molding
•Evaluation of gas-assisted and thin-wall injection molding parameters, such as melt temperature, injection speed, screw RPM, and mold cooling
•Mold design for gas-assisted and thin-wall injection molding applications using commercial computational packages
•Evaluation of material performance in thin-wall applications, including processing feasibility, material degradation, and pressure dependence of viscosity
•Evaluation of part quality and residual stresses in thin-wall applications
•Design for injection molding and injection molded parts
•Evaluation of co-injection molding process in conjunction with multi-gates and hot runner systems.

The CAPCE state-of-the-art computing facility allows researchers to run numerical simulation analyses to solve research and industry problems. The software packages available are DEFORMTM, MARC, ANSYS, ABAQUS, Zemax, CodeV, Moldflow, Unigraphics, SolidEdge, and FeatureCAM.

The two most recent equipment acquisitions in the Injection Molding Laboratory are a Battenfeld HM 100 Co-injection Molding machine capable of both gas-assist injection molding and micro-cellular injection molding. A micro-injection molding machine (Sodick LD30EH2) obtained in the last few months, provides a maximum injection speed and pressure up to 250 mm/s and 38,000 PSI, respectively, which might enable the machine to mold those parts with thin-wall or high aspect ratio micro-structure. The Sodick can also give extremely accurate shot size control, even in small volume. This machine has ability to produce plastic parts with micro features or micro dimensional parts in huge volumes at low cost.

The Composite Processing Laboratory is used for studies in resin transfer molding (RTM), vacuum-assist resin transfer molding, and special versions of RTM such as SCRIMP, prepreg formation, sheet/bulk molding compounds (SMC/BMC) compression molding, injection-compression molding, and in-mold coating (IMC). Among the research projects ongoing in this laboratory, some of the areas of interest are:
•Evaluating the effects of nanoparticles in carbon nanofibers, nanotubes and nanoclays, as related to the processability, kinetics, and mechanical properties of such composites•Developing equipment/methods to optimally locate nanoparticles in a resin matrix
•Evaluating additives to improve the flowability of liquid molding resins
•Modeling, simulating, and optimizing in-mold coating flow and cure for both sheet molding compound (SMC) compression molding and thermoplastic molding.
•Modeling the flow of SMC materials.

The Composite Processing Laboratory is equipped to create a comprehensive study of composite materials from resin testing; filling and cycle time study (permeability and porosity); and nanoparticle material enhancements for tailored material properties (surface coatings, enhanced mechanical properties, and thermal or electrical coefficients).

The Extrusion Laboratory focuses on applications concerning thermoplastic polymer extrusion. Current research is conducted in a variety of areas. Polymer blending is performed in the twin screw extrusion process. By adding supercritical fluids, particularly carbon dioxide, the extrusion process can enhance blending and processing characteristics, especially for applications where blend morphology determines end-use properties. Researchers in the Extrusion Laboratory are combining supercritical fluids, extrusion of polymer melts, and flexibility of screw design to control polymer blend morphology to fit various needs. Die and screw design variations being developed in this Laboratory offer processors the flexibility of controlling operating conditions to fit specific needs, which also is important in reactive compounding. Extrusion equipment with multiple injection ports is being used to produce highly controllable reaction kinetics and tailor product specifications.

In the last few years, CAPCE researchers have been working on nanocomposite foams. This research focuses on the use of supercritical fluids (most commonly carbon dioxide) in the processing of polymers via extrusion and other techniques. Specific applications include the production of novel blends, composites, and microcellular foams. This research has the potential to significantly enhance the physical and mechanical properties of commercial foams. Low-density foams have been produced from the extrusion process using chemical blowing agents and physical blowing agents. Supercritical carbon dioxide is a physical blowing agent that shows great promise in several unique foaming processes to produce microcellular foams as well as larger cell size foams with closed and open cell structures. Properties of such polymer-supercritical fluid (SCF) systems as solubility, viscosity, interfacial tension, and gas permeability are measured to relate fundamental information to the effects of SCFs on processing.

The Snap-Fit Laboratory provides mechanical performance of plastic part assemblies. The facility is part of the Integral Attachment Program (IAP) at OSU, but is generally available for plastics research. The Snap-Fit Laboratory typically tests existing and proposed snap-fit designs. This facility can:
•Verify an existing snap-fit design for adequacy
•Recertify the performance of a snap-fit after a material change
•Determine the maximum insertion force and maximum strain during assembly
•Determine the retention strength and mode of failure
•Determine sensitivity to strain rate and manufacturing variability
•Provide insight into the performance of snap-fits under rapid loading as in drop-tests.

This Rheological Measurement laboratory helps researchers understand the behavior of materials by
accurately characterizing their rheology. The viscous, elastic and viscoelastic properties of polymers are measured in the testing facility, which consists of four computerized rheometrics instruments. Testing is possible on a variety of samples, from rigid solids to low-viscosity liquids and even to reacting systems. Instruments are equipped to run experiments at high or low temperatures. Numerous tests and geometries are available to optimize material characterization.

The Mechanical Testing Laboratory is equipped with an INSTRON Universal testing device, INSTRON Dynamic Fatigue tester with Environmental Chamber, an INSTRON Dyantub Impact Tester with Environmental Chamber, and equipment for melt-flow index determination, humidity, and density measurement. 

Featured in the CAPCE Analytical Laboratory is a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (Nicolet, Magnus 550) with Nic-Plan Microscope and ATR set-up; a Thermal Analysis Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC 2910); a Thermal Analysis Differential  Photocalorimeter (DSC 910S); a Cahn's Dynamic Contact Angle Analyzer (DCA); a Waters Gel Permeation Chromatograph; a Polarizing/Phase Contrast Microscope (Olympus, BHS 200); a Brookhaven Dynamic Light Scattering Goniometer; a 2D and 3D High Resolution Flow Visualization and Image Analysis System; a set of Permeability and Wettability Measurement Devices; an Adhesive Force Testing Device; and a Dilatometer.

The Microfabrication Laboratory contains processing and characterization facilities for microfabrication of non-silicon materials, especially polymers. The following equipment available or will soon be available:
•Electro-plating station
•Atomic force microscope (for plastics)
•Laser cutting and drilling
•Multi-target thin film deposition system
•Surface tensiometer
•Continuous lamination system
•Micro-molding station.

These new Microfabrication facilities allow researchers to make steel, nickel, and quartz mold inserts for fast prototyping or large volume molding of miniature plastic parts with 2D and 3D features. The equipment is shared with OSU CISM (Center for Industrial Sensors and Measurements), the University of Cincinnati, and Case Western Reserve University.

CAPCE researchers, in cooperation with OBIC and the Ohio Soybean Council, are evaluating the use of soy bean hulls as fillers and are taking advantage of the water present in the hulls as a foaming agent, for both flexible and rigid-foam applications. They also are working with the Natural Fiber Composites Corporation (NFCC) to develop applications in the automotive and industrial markets of NFCC breakthrough technology of incorporating natural fibers in thermoplastic resins.

Capital investments in CAPCE are directed towards biobased polymer composite research, analytical equipment, and rheological system upgrades.

CAPCE seeks to build a base of research that will significantly impact industrial practice and productivity through the application of advanced polymer and composite manufacturing technology. The research concentrates on manufacturing of polymeric materials via reactive liquid processing (e.g., resin transfer molding, pultrusion), melt processing (e.g., injection molding, gas-assisted injection molding, co-injection, injection-compression molding, fiber and film making, single screw and twin screw extrusion), powder molding (e.g., ultrasonic molding), and forming from sheet and bulk materials (SMC and BMC compression molding, thermoplastic stamping, fiber mat preforming).