Banded spherulites of HDPE molded by gas-assisted and conventional injection molding

Crystal morphologies of high density polyethylene (HDPE) with low molecular weight obtained by gas-assisted injection molding (GAIM), conventional injection molding (CIM), and spontaneous cooling, respectively, were studied by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). It is found that banded spherulites are generated in the inner zone of GAIM parts and the outer zone of CIM parts but are absent in quiescent parts. According to the results, the representative morphologies of crystal change with gradual increment of instantaneous flow field in crystallization from non-banded spherulite to banded spherulite and then to oriented lamellae. This morphological evolution indicates that banded spherulites could be induced by flow field with certain intensity, which is confined by both an upper critical value and a lower one.