Use of Rheological Properties to Predict Extrusion Parameters

Sammanfattning: Paxymer AB is a company that manufactures and sells flame retardants for plastics, based on their patented technology. The flame retardants are often sold as a master-batch that the customers mix into their own plastic products. Paxymer has two master-batches with the exact same formulation, but are produced with different temperature profiles. The high temperature extrusion process produces pellets with good properties whereas the low temperature process do not. The aim of this study was to define what rheological properties are important in the extrusion process, and how they can be correlated to the pellet quality. The aim was also to predict the processing parameters for the low temperature extrusion process to improve the pellet quality. The rheological behavior of the two master-batches was investigated through analysis of the batches, as well as their additional components, in the rheometer. According to the results the viscosity of the melt is very temperature dependent, and were found to be significantly lower for the high temperature process. My studies show that the poor pellet quality in the low temperature process is most likely due to the high melt viscosity, which leads to poor mixing of the components. To get equal melt viscosity in the low temperature process as in the high temperature process, I found that the screw speed and feed rate in the extruder needs to be increased. According to my analysis the desired screw speed should be approximately 500 rpm if the temperature was increased with 10°C. To get the right viscosity at the die exit, the feed rate would need to be 20 kg/h.