2.2 Material Preparation
A Melt Flow Index Tester (MFI) is a machine used to determine the melt
flow viscosity of a material with a low shear rate. It is a critical
test for determining the flow of polymers and polymer composites. MFI
calculates the mass flow rate of material for 10 minutes and compares it
to a standard virgin material that has been cross-checked. The barrel’s
temperature was kept constant at 230°C, and a constant load of 3.8 kg
was applied. The tests were carried out in accordance with ASTM D1238,
which is applicable to thermoplastics. The composites are taken in the
order of carbon fiber (60 microns), aluminum dioxide (100 mesh), and
copper powder particles (40 microns), and MFI was investigated in
accordance with PLA. The virgin PLA melt flow was determined using an
MFI tester, then PLA 99% and carbon fiber 1 percent were thoroughly
mixed and placed in an oven for 30 minutes to remove moisture before
being fed into the MFI tester, but the flow was equal to the PLA but the
material performance was not significantly altered. Further, the weight
percentage of composite materials was increased to a maximum of 10%,
and MFI was calculated. Table.1 shows the average Melt Flow Index (MFI)
values, which indicate the composition percentages close to that of
virgin material.
<<< Table.1 Melt Flow Index (MFI) values
of Various Filaments>>