Monitoring of polymer extrusion and compounding processes

Abstract

This work focuses on monitoring of polymer extrusion and melt compounding using single or twin-screw extruders. Standard extruder instrumentation aims at detecting eventual instabilities in flow and heat transfer in the extruder. Strategies for in-process monitoring considering the actual characteristics of the material being processed are presented and discussed. On-line and in-line approaches are defined. The advantages of sampling along the extruder barrel are demonstrated. Examples of the development and application of in-process optical spectroscopy and rheometry techniques are presented and discussed.