How to choose the most suitable material during rotational molding to ensure the durability, UV resistance and impact resistance of the product?

Different types of resin materials (such as polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.) perform differently during rotational molding. How to choose the most suitable material to ensure the durability, UV resistance and impact resistance of the product? How to deal with the compatibility between different materials?

In the rotational molding process, choosing the right resin material is crucial to ensure the durability, UV resistance and impact resistance of the product. Here are some methods and considerations:

Choosing the most suitable material
Understand the material properties:

Polyethylene (PE): has good toughness and impact resistance, suitable for outdoor furniture. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) are commonly used in rotational molding.
Polypropylene (PP): harder than polyethylene, with higher heat resistance and chemical resistance, but poor impact resistance at low temperatures.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): excellent chemical resistance and weather resistance, but requires the addition of plasticizers to improve flexibility.
Other materials: such as polycarbonate (PC) and nylon (PA), have special properties, such as higher strength and wear resistance, but the cost is higher.

Consider product use:
Outdoor furniture: High UV resistance and weather resistance are required, HDPE or PVC with added UV stabilizers is recommended.
Indoor furniture: Focus on aesthetics and structural strength, PP or PC can be selected.
Children's furniture: High safety and non-toxicity are required, PE and PP are good choices.

Material modification: Add UV stabilizers, antioxidants and impact modifiers to improve the performance of the material.
Use fillers (such as glass fiber) to enhance the strength and rigidity of the material.
Compatibility of different materials

Blending and copolymerization: Use compatibilizers to blend different types of resins to improve the compatibility between materials. For example, polyethylene and polypropylene can be blended by adding compatibilizers to obtain a more uniform material.
Copolymers, such as ethylene-propylene copolymers, can provide a better combination of properties.

Lamination technology: In the rotational molding process, a multi-layer mold design is used to use different materials in layers to give full play to their respective advantages. For example, the inner layer uses soft PE and the outer layer uses weather-resistant PP.

Selective use of composite materials:
In places where high strength or special properties are required, other materials such as metal or fiber-reinforced plastics are embedded or adhered.

Actual operation and testing

Small batch trial production:
Carry out small batch trial production to test the performance of different material combinations in the actual production process and evaluate their processing performance and finished product quality.

Laboratory testing:
Test the mechanical properties, weather resistance, chemical resistance, etc. of the materials in the laboratory to ensure that the selected materials meet the product requirements.

Continuous improvement:
Based on feedback and actual use, continuously optimize the material formula and production process to achieve the best results.

By comprehensively considering material properties, product use, material modification and compatibility treatment methods, the most suitable resin material can be selected to ensure the durability, UV resistance and impact resistance of rotational molded furniture products.