Reactive Processing Of Polymers

Developments in machinery, materials and applications are outlined in the cond104 of commercial considerations and advances in fundamental understanding. The principles and benefits of polymer modification and blending via reactive extrusion are explained. A b257 of novel techniques which have developed out of the major reactive processes are also described. An additional indexed section containing several hundred abstracts from the Rapra Polymer Library database provides useful references for further reading.

Discusses various technological methods of reactive processing of polymers with a special emphasis on production of large size articles. Also shows methods of scaling up from laboratory to production stage by a combination of process modeling and application of modern analytical techniques to evaluate similarity of production on different scales. This approach not only gives objective results required for precise evaluation of process kinetics, but it is applied in the book to real systems used as examples of model application. The book begins with a discussion of the chemistry of reactive processes that are then discussed from the point of view of their modeling. In the next section, analytical control methods are evaluated for their usefulness in process monitoring. The final chapter discusses details of various technological methods of reactive processing by means of 70 diagrams. It also describes how to control and introduce new processes without long trials, and design technology that is cost-efficient and environmentally friendly.

The development of new polymeric materials has caused a considerable expansion in the field of reactive processing. These new materials are very competitive compared to the traditional ones with respect to production costs and performance. The reports published in this volume present the recent developments and emerging trends in the field of reactive processing and the physical properties of the resulting polymeric materials. Special attention is given to the chemical, kinetic and rheological aspects of reactive processing.

Chemical modification of polymers by reactive modifiers is no longer an academic curiosity but a commercial reality that has delivered a diverse range of speciality materials for niche markets: reactively grafted styrenic alloys, maleated polyolefins, super-tough nylons, silane modified and moisture-cured polyolefins, and thermoplastic elastomers, are but few exam ples of commercial successes. Although the approach of reactive modification of polymers has been largely achieved either in solution or in the solid state (through in situ reactions in polymer melts), it is the latter route that has attracted most attention in the last two decades owing to its flexibility and cost-effective ness. This route, referred to as reactive processing, focuses on the use of suitable reactive modifier(s) and the adoption of conventional polymer processing machinery, an extruder or a mixer, as a chemical reactor, to perform in situ targeted reactions for chemical modification of preformed polymers. This relatively simple, though scientifically highly challenging, approach to reactive modification offers unique opportunities in exploiting various reactive modifiers for the purpose of altering and transforming in a controlled manner the properties of preformed commercial polymers into new/speciality materials with tailor-made properties and custom-designed performance for target applications. Such an economically attractive route constitutes a radical diversion away from the traditional practices of manufacturing new polymers from monomers which involves massive in vestments in sophisticated technologies and chemical plants.

This first comprehensive overview of reactive extrusion technology for over a decade combines the views of contributors from both academia and industry who share their experiences and highlight possible applications and markets. They also provide updated information on the underlying chemical and physical concepts, summarizing recent developments in terms of the material and machinery used. As a result, readers will find here a compilation of potential applications for reactive extrusion to access new and cost-effective polymeric materials, while using existing compounding machines.

This is the first published book that combines the applied and fundamental aspects of reactive extrusion, a technology that has seen a tremendous growth in the past few years. It is based on a highly successful advanced technical course given by the authors at the Stevens Institute of Technology Polymer Processing Institute. The use of an extruder as a continuous reactor for processes such as polymerization, polymer modification, and blend compatibilization is gaining increasing popularity and competes with diluent-free operations with respect to efficiency and economics. The first part of the book emphasizes the technological aspects of reactive extrusion. It includes case histories of industrial applications, an analysis of existing continuous processes from reaction fundamentals and an extensive review of polymer modification reactions involving acid and anhydride functionalities and their applications. The second part of the monograph contains an exhaustive survey of virtually all chemical reactions that have been conducted in extruders; the important characteristics of over 600 processes listed in recent technical and patent literature are summarized. The engineering fundamentals of reactive extrusion are included in the third part of the book which features a full description and comparison of available extrusion equipment, heat transfer considerations and the application of polymerization engineering principles to extruder reactions. The book is intended for engineers and technologists involved in this industrially important sector of polymer processing.

Understanding the dynamics of reactive polymer processes allows scientists to create new, high-value, high-performance polymers. This book is an indispensable resource for researchers and practitioners working in this area. It includes coverage of thermoplastics, thermoset and reactive polymers, together with practical industrial processes and modern chemorheological models and tools.

Thoroughly revised edition of the classic text on polymer processing The Second Edition brings the classic text on polymer processing thoroughly up to date with the latest fundamental developments in polymer processing, while retaining the critically acclaimed approach of the First Edition. Readers are provided with the complete panorama of polymer processing, starting with fundamental concepts through the latest current industry practices and future directions. All the chapters have been revised and updated, and four new chapters have been added to introduce the latest developments. Readers familiar with the First Edition will discover a host of new material, including: * Blend and alloy microstructuring * Twin screw-based melting and chaotic mixing mechanisms * Reactive processing * Devolatilization--theory, mechanisms, and industrial practice * Compounding--theory and industrial practice * The increasingly important role of computational fluid mechanics * A systematic approach to machine configuration design The Second Edition expands on the unique approach that distinguishes it from comparative texts. Rather than focus on specific processing methods, the authors assert that polymers have a similar experience in any processing machine and that these experiences can be described by a set of elementary processing steps that prepare the polymer for any of the shaping methods. On the other hand, the authors do emphasize the unique features of particular polymer processing methods and machines, including the particular elementary step and shaping mechanisms and geometrical solutions. Replete with problem sets and a solutions manual for instructors, this textbook is recommended for undergraduate and graduate students in chemical engineering and polymer and materials engineering and science. It will also prove invaluable for industry professionals as a fundamental polymer processing analysis and synthesis reference.