Compounding

Multiscrew

'Chaotic Advection' Creates New Polymer Blend Morphologies

A continuous blending device called the SmartBlender is creating polymer blends with novel properties by folding the two melts together, rather than distributing one evenly throughout the other.

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Multiscrew

Composites Show Introduces Reinforcements, Fillers and Additives

Pultrusion, filament winding, SMC, BMC, polymer concrete, and advanced composites are targets for new reinforcing fibers, fabrics, fillers, and other additives introduced at the recent Composites 2003 Show in Anaheim, Calif.

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TP Composites: New Option in Lightweight PP/Glass Composites

From its Detroit-area offices, Swiss-based Quadrant Plastics Composites (QPC) has introduced a family of lightweight reinforced thermoplastic (LWRT) composites to North America.

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Recycling

Garbage In, Good Plastics Out

Experts consider it the most high-tech recycling plant in the world: Schwarzataler Kunststoff in Germany takes dirty bottles and film from post-consumer recycling and turns them into automotive and other compounds in a fully automated process.

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Packaging

New Metallocene TP Elastomers Tackle Films, Fibers, TPOs

 The Vistamaxx family of propylene-ethylene specialty elastomers recently unveiled by ExxonMobil Chemical (see Your Business In Brief, August 2003) holds promise in a broad range of applications from very soft fabrics and films to very hard TPOs.

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Biopolymers

NPE News Wrap-Up: Compounding

For nano-, long-glass, and wood composites, exhibitors presented new systems with four screws, tandem twin-screws, and twin-plus-single-screw combinations

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Compounding

New-Generation SEBS Has Processing Advantages

Kraton Polymers has launched a new styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene (SEBS) elastomer family that delivers better flow, lower warpage, and greater adhesion to other thermoplastics.

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Compounding

Barrel Heating Gets Faster, More Efficient

A new way to heat and cool the barrels of plastics processing machines was launched at NPE 2003 by Insul-Vest Inc.

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Compounding

Colorants and Additives Make a Splash at NPE 2003

Molders, extruders, and compounders found a host of new additives, including colorants, compatibilizers, impact modifiers, foaming agents, and processing aids.

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Compounding

NPE Highlights Compounding's Growth Niches

Show exhibitors say long-fiber wood composites, direct extrusion/compounding, and reactive compounding are where the action is.

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Blending & Dosing
Process Cooling
Plastics Size Reduction