双螺杆挤出过程数值模拟研究进展

在聚合物的双螺杆挤出过程的研究中,采用数值模拟的方法可以克服传统实验方法的局限,可为挤出机的设计加工提供参考。回顾了近年来国内外对双螺杆挤出过程数值模拟的研究成果,介绍了一维数学模型和三维数学模型对挤出过程进行数学描述的优缺点,从双螺杆挤出机内部的流场特性、瞬态混合性能、停留时间分布以及反应挤出等方面综述了相关研究进展,并对双螺杆挤出过程数值模拟的今后发展方向进行了展望。     

纳米碳酸钙改性聚丙烯

研究了不同牌号的聚丙烯（PP）与纳米CaCO3复合材料的力学性能,考察了双螺杆挤出和密炼混合工艺及相容剂含量对PP／纳米CaCO3复合材料力学性能的影响,采用透射电子显微镜观察了纳米CaCO3在PP中的分散情况。结果表明,纳米CaCO3对不同牌号的PP均有增韧作用,对基材韧性较好的共聚PP增韧效果较显著．冲击强度提高了81％;双螺杆挤出和密炼混合均能使纳米CaCO3粒子在PP中达到较好的分散。     

基于ANSYS软件的双螺杆挤出机的计算机模拟与分析

介绍了应用ANSYS软件对常用的啮合型同向旋转双螺杆挤出机挤压加工过程进行计算机模拟分析的方法、过程和主要结论;同时介绍了其他常用流体软件对双螺杆挤出机模拟分析的应用情况。分析表明:用ANSYS软件可以对双螺杆挤出机的螺纹流道、捏合块进行压力场、速度场、流量及回流、剪切速率、剪应力和混合效果等计算机模拟分析分,析结果与实验结果基本一致。     

Characteristic analysis on a reactive extrusion process for the imidization of poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) with aniline

The imidization of poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMA) with aniline by reactive extrusion is investigated in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. During this reactive extrusion, the process temperature is much higher than the boiling point of the aniline. Accordingly, most of the aniline should be vaporized immediately after being fed into the extruder, occupies the unfilled part of the extruder, and is transferred to the melt phase where it is consumed through the reaction. Based on the mechanism of this vapor-melt heterogeneous process and experimental data for residence time distribution (RTD) in the extruder, a continuous process model is developed. The effects of operating conditions including temperature, throughput, and screw rotation speed on the reaction kinetics are discussed by both experimental data and model simulation. The results indicate that the residence time and the mass transport of aniline from vapor to melt phase should play significant roles in this heterogeneous reactive extrusion process.     

Effect of vibration extrusion on the structure and properties of high‐density polyethylene pipes

BACKGROUND: The axial strength of a plastic pipe is much higher than its circumferential strength due to the macromolecular orientation during extrusion. In this work, a custom‐made electromagnetic dynamic plasticating extruder was adopted to extrude high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes. A vibration force field was introduced into the whole plasticating and extrusion process by axial vibration of the screw. The aim of superimposing a vibration force field was to change the crystalline structure of HDPE and improve the molecular orientation in the circumferential direction to obtain high‐circumferential‐strength pipes. RESULTS: Through vibration extrusion, the circumferential strength of HDPE pipes increased significantly, and biaxial self‐reinforcement pipes could be obtained. The maximum increase of bursting pressure and tensile yield strength was 34.2 and 5.3%, respectively. According to differential scanning calorimetry and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurements, the HDPE pipes prepared by vibration extrusion had higher crystallinity, higher melting temperature, larger crystal sizes and more perfect crystals. CONCLUSION: Vibration extrusion can effectively enhance the mechanical properties of HDPE pipes, especially the circumferential strength. The improvement of mechanical properties of HDPE pipes obtained by vibration extrusion can be attributed to the higher degree of crystallinity and the improvement of the molecular orientation and of the crystalline morphology. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of PVC resins on multi-screw pipe extrusion

The increased use of multi-screw (twin) extruders by pipe producers brought on this study of available PVC homopolymer “pipe grade” resins. Basic tests on resin were examined via a “Correlation Matrix” computer program. Highly significant test data were determined to be internal pore volume and centrifuge plasticizer adsorption. Additional compound evaluation proceeded via torque rheometer followed by twin-screw extrusion. Significant resin test values affecting extrusion properties are inherent viscosity, apparent bulk density, porosity uniformity and melt viscosity. The work shows that the compounder should know resin properties in order to benefit from processing equipment developments.     

Dynamical modelling of a reactive extrusion process: Focus on residence time distribution in a fully intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruder and application to an alginate extraction process

The context of this study is the modelling of reactive extrusion process based on an alginate extraction protocol. Residence Time Distribution (RTD) is one important part to predict the kinetics of reactive compounds. A simple model is proposed to predict RTD in fully intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruders without reaction. This model, which can be easily extended to reactive case in a future work, is based on the extension of an axial dispersion model, including control parameters (screw speed and flow rate) and geometrical parameters (screw profile and die design). Simulations were performed for various operating and geometrical conditions so as to illustrate possibilities offered by the proposed model. Validation was conducted for two different extrusion applications, seaweed extrusion and polymer extrusion. This highlighted the model ability to predict RTD for various kinds of materials after adjusting only one parameter thanks to a unique experimental RTD curve.     

Distortion correction and characteristics measurement of circumferential liquid film based on PLIF

For its advantages of noninvasion and high temporal–spatial resolution, planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) is increasingly applied to measure the liquid film near axial flow. However, the circumferential distribution characteristics of liquid film, which are significant for heat and mass transfer process, cannot be measured briefly by the axial imaging. Because of the refractive index difference of the gas and liquid as well as the circular pipe, circumferential observation suffers distortion inevitably. In this paper, PLIF is developed to measure the circumferential film with a virtual dual-view vision sensor, besides, the distortion model is established and a new distortion correction method is proposed. The effective view of circumferential liquid film is extended to 260°. Characteristics of vertical falling film are measured under different Reynolds numbers. Compared with the classical prediction models, the experimental results show the proposed method is capable for measuring circumferential film and the distribution characteristics conveniently and reliably.     

Online Monitoring of the Degree of Fill in a Rotating Full-Flight Screw of a Corotating Twin-Screw Extruder

It is essential to understand the extent of partial filling of the flight screw, the degree of fill, which is an operational variable of the twin-screw extruder (TSE). This article reports the first attempt to measure, in situ, the degree of fill in a rotating full-flight screw using a specialized light-section method for a TSE. The thickness of the resin sticking to the pushing side decreased with increasing rotational speed. The degree of fill is inversely proportional to the rotational speed and proportional to the feed rate. This result agreed well with the results suggested by the conventional analysis of flow in the TSEs. The fast Fourier transformation of the degree of fill time series indicated that the period of fluctuation correlated with the screw speed rather than the feed rate or throughput. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 65: 326–333, 2019     

Rubber phase dispersion in polypropylene

Impact properties of rubber-modified blends are significantly dependent on particle size and size distribution (dispersion). Past work has shown strong variations in these particle parameters with different processing conditions and these variations reflect, in part, different shear fields developed during melt extrusion and moulding. A major problem ensues involving property variability because of process variability. It is neither practical nor economical to place stringent controls on process variability in a plant. Instead, our current research has indicated that lightly crosslinking the rubber reduced drastically the sensitivity of dispersion to processing conditions, and, with the correct rheology between the rubber and the resin, the same dispersion could be maintained through both the extrusion and moulding stages resulting in finished parts with increased chance of dispersion and property consistency. Four rubbers of different degrees of crosslinking and three polypropylenes of different melt flow and structure were blended at six rubber levels. Mixing was carried out with two twin-screw configurations and the blends were cast or injection moulded using a ram or a screw moulder representing six different processing shear histories. Dispersion was quantitatively characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Spherical rubber particles revealed on the fracture surface were counted and measured to determine particle size and size distribution for the individual blends. Correlation of the results indicated how particle size and size distribution was influenced by crosslinking and the rubber/resin rheology. This provided some understanding of the mechanics of soft-phase dispersion in these blends.     

复合应力场下挤出HDPE增强管材性能的研究

用自行研制的能产生先剪切后拉伸的复合应力场挤出成型装置，挤出高密度聚乙烯（HDPE）管材，对管材周向、轴向力学性能进行了初步的研究。与一般牌号为DGDA6098的HDPE比，在HDPE中添加高相对分子质量高密度聚乙烯（HMWHDPE）后，发现HMWHDPE能够诱导HDPE沿应力场方向产生大分子取向和结晶。利用差示扫描量热仪（DSC）和扫描电镜（SEM）检测手段对试样的凝聚态结构进行分析，证实了复合应力场下制备的自增强管材双向力学性能都提高了。     

反应挤出制备高熔体强度PP

采用反应挤出方法制备高熔体强度聚丙烯,通过凝胶渗透色谱仪、差示扫描量热仪、偏光显微镜等研究了改性产品的结构与性能,并进行挤出发泡应用实验。结果表明：采用特殊的过氧化物引发剂和支化促进剂,与聚丙烯基础树脂共混后通过双螺杆挤出机熔融连续反应挤出,可以直接制备具有长链支化结构的聚丙烯,熔体强度提高300％;挤出发泡试样泡孔均匀,发泡倍率达到50倍,具有较好的可发性能。     

ABS树脂的增韧研究

通过双螺杆挤出机,采用熔融共混的方法制备了本体与乳液复配,不同基体SAN的丙烯腈(AN)含量及摩尔质量的丙烯腈-丁二烯-苯乙烯(ABS)树脂。研究了不同橡胶粒径及分布,基体SAN的AN含量及摩尔质量对ABS树脂韧性的影响。研究发现:本体与乳液掺混的ABS树脂具有显著的协同增韧作用,且在同等橡胶含量时,乳液法橡胶质量分数在60%左右时,可以最大幅度地提高ABS的冲击强度。另外,SAN树脂的AN含量及其摩尔质量对ABS的韧性也有显著的影响。在一定的AN含量及摩尔质量范围内,ABS树脂的冲击强度随着AN含量和摩尔质量的增加而呈现上升趋势。     

橡胶冷喂料挤出过程轴向温度分布

对橡胶冷喂料挤出过程轴向温度分布进行了实验及理论分析。计算并测定了螺杆轴向湿度分布,确定了胶料沿螺杆轴向的温度变化规律,提出了橡胶冷喂料挤出不同于塑料挤出熔融过程的粘流转变概念。     

Corotating Twin-Screw Extrusion Reactive Extrusion-Devolatilization Model and Software

The modular corotating twin-screw extruder is an increasingly widely used polymer processing machine. This paper describes analyses of reactive extrusion and devolatilization in a modular corotating twin-screw extruder. The results of the analyses are intergrated into a comprehensive model and computer software for the modular corotating twin-screw extrusion process.     

PP-R管材料熔融挤出过程MFR控制研究

分析了PP-R（无规共聚聚丙烯）管材料MFR（熔体流动速率）的变化对力学性能的影响，着重通过双螺杆挤出机研究了PP—R管材料熔融挤出过程中影响MFR变化的因素。结果表明，合适的加工工艺控制和优良的抗氧体系是保证PP-R管材料加工过程中MFR稳定的前提。     

PPR管材料影响MFR变化因素的研究

分析了PP-R(无规共聚聚丙烯)管材料MFR(熔体流动速率)的变化对力学性能的影响,通过双螺杆挤出机研究了PP-R管材料熔融挤出过程中影响MFR变化的因素。结果表明,合适的加工工艺控制和优良的抗氧体系是保证PP-R管材料加工过程中MFR稳定的前提。     

双螺杆挤出机湿热法处理聚全氟乙丙烯不稳定端基

介绍了聚全氟乙丙烯（FEP）树脂不稳定端基的产生机理,一般处理方法及其优缺点。采用双螺杆挤出机湿热处理FEP粉料,分析了FEP树脂挤出造料前后端基数量。结果表明,—COOH数量减少最显著,平均减少55%;—CF=CF₂基团平均减少9%,—COF基团基本不变。将脱羧与挤出造粒工艺作为一个操作单元,操作工艺简单、安全环保,设备投资少。     

Mixing in reactive extrusion of low-density polyethylene melts: Linear vs. branched

The melt flows of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and branched low-density polyethylene (LDPE) have been compared in a fully intermeshing co-rotating twin-screw extruder. The polyethylene melts were selected in order to investigate the effects of the melt rheology on the mixing. Their shear vicosity curves are quite similar, but the LDPE has a markedly higher apparent extensional viscosity over a wide range of stretch rates. The stagger of the paddles in the mixing zone of the extruder creates axial pressure-driven axial flow can have significant extensional strain components. Residence time distributions obtained in the melt zones of the extruder with tracer dye reveal that the LDPE has a narrower residence time distribution than the LLDPE over a wide range of operating conditions. The axial dispersion for the LDPE is significantly lower than the axial dispersion for the LLDPE. This is attributed to the greater extensional viscosity of the LDPE. During the reactive extrusion process, solid maleic anhydride and polyethylene were added at the feed port but the peroxide provides better control of the crosslinking reaction. Residence time distributions measured for the chemically more reactive LLDPE melt indicate reduced levels of axial mixing with reaction. The reduction in mixing is due to a crosslinking reaction that occurs in parallel to the grafting reaction. This change in mixing is smaller than the difference in mixing between LDPE and LLDPE.     

Non-linear rheological response as a tool for assessing dispersion in polypropylene/polycaprolactone/clay nanocomposites and blends made with sub-critical gas-assisted processing

Polypropylene (PP) was blended with polycaprolactone (PCL) and nanoclay (NC) in a twin-screw extruder (TSE) using a traditional extrusion process and a sub-critical gas-assisted process (SGAP). SGAP is a new and facile processing method that injects compressed gas (CO₂ or N₂) at low pressures (~10 bars) into the barrel of the extruder to induce rapid and repetitive foaming and resolubilization as the melt travels through regions of high pressure and low pressure. Bubble expansion during foaming introduces an equibiaxial elongational flow not otherwise generated in TSE, adding to the total stress the polymer matrix can exert to break up nanoparticle agglomerates and reduce the droplet size of secondary polymers in blends. Impact, morphology, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) properties confirmed a smaller PCL phase droplet size and an increase in dispersion of the NC when SGAP was used. Standard small amplitude oscillatory (SAOS) rheological tests for the storage modulus G′ were not sensitive enough to discern the difference between the traditionally extruded samples and the SGAP samples. However, the zero-strain non-linearity parameter, Q₀, determined by the Fourier-Transform rheology, was able to distinguish the enhanced dispersive and mixing capabilities of SGAP. Practical implications of SGAP and Fourier-Transform (FT) rheology are also discussed in this paper. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60:55–60, 2020. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers