Nylon 66/clay nanocomposites were prepared in a Berstorff ZE25A UTX Ultra-glide corotating twin screw extruder at 2708C. Two types of extruder configurations with different mixing sections were used. One comprised two kneading block sections in the screws (KB only) and the other had a combination of a multiprocess-element (MPE) section and a kneading block section. Samples at eight different locations along the extruder screw were obtained and analyzed using scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope to examine the morphology development of clay inside nylon down the length of the extruder. It is found that the clay aggregates are quickly broken into smaller tactoids (micron size) and then even much smaller clay bundles (nanometer size) and single clay platelets in the first mixing section. The structure changes in the second mixing section are much less significant. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the nanocomposite products showed small, or disappearance of, characteristic XRD (001) peaks, which indicates partial exfoliation, or complete exfoliation,
Demanding mixing tasks are usually solved through the use of tightly intermeshing, co-rotating twin screw extruders. Since both the barrel and the screw are of a modular design, the extruder can be optimised for a given task. In the framework of this investigation, the screw-element geometry for tightly intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruders is optimised in order to achieve specific aims. The threaded elements have been optimised for different materials and operating conditions.The investigation set out to achieve a screw-element geometry that would generate the maximum pressure gradient while, at the same time, ensuring that the temperature increase and the power consumption were kept to a minimum. The pressure profile, the temperature progression and the power consumption have been calculated on the basis of one-dimensional models of the type used in the SIGMA process simulation software. The geometrical data of the individual elements was varied with the aid of non-linear algorithms, and the quality of an individual geometry was assessed on the basis of quality functions. Subsequent to the theoretical optimisation, experimental analyses were performed for purposes of verifying the optimisation method used.
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