Industrial-Scale Fabrication of Polymer Nanocomposites with Effective Exfoliation and Dispersion Using the Solid-State/Melt Extrusion (SSME) Technique

Large-Scale Fabrication of Polymer Nanocomposites with Effective Exfoliation and Dispersion Using the Solid-State/Melt Extrusion (SSME) Technique

 

Alyssa M. Whittington ^a, Stephen M. Brouse ^a, Michael A. Malusis ^b, and Katsuyuki Wakabayashi  ^a,*

^a Department of Chemical Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA

^b Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA

Abstract

          As polymer nanocomposites become prevalent in many real-world applications, development of effective and versatile industrial-scale nanocomposite processing methods is of interest.  We introduce a technique called solid-state/melt extrusion (SSME), which combines the previously established solid-state shear pulverization (SSSP) and conventional twin screw extrusion (TSE) methods in one extrusion system.  The morphology and property enhancements in a model linear-low density polyethylene/ organically modified clay nanocomposite sample fabricated via SSME were compared to those via SSSP and TSE.  SSME is capable of exfoliating and dispersing the nanofillers similarly to SSSP, while achieving desirable output rate and shape offered typically in TSE.