Polymer Processing

Engineering of polymers is not an easy exercise: with evolving technology, it often involves complex concepts and processes. This book is intended to provide the theoretical essentials: understanding of processes, a basis for the use of design software, and much more.





The necessary physical concepts such as continuum mechanics, rheological behavior and measurement methods, and thermal science with its application to heating-cooling problems and implications for flow behavior are analyzed in detail. This knowledge is then applied to key processing methods, including single-screw extrusion and extrusion die flow, twin-screw extrusion and its applications, injection molding, calendering, and processes involving stretching.





With many exercises with solutions offered throughout the book to reinforce the concepts presented, and extensive illustrations, this is an essential guide for mastering the art of plastics processing. Practical and didactic, Polymer Processing: Principles and Modeling is intended for engineers and technicians of the profession, as well as for advanced students in Polymer Science and Plastics Engineering.



Pierre Carreau is Professor Emeritus at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the École Polytechnique in Montreal. He is well known for developing the Carreau Fluid Model, and the Carreau Viscosity Model is now integrated into most flow simulation software packages for plastics processing.



Introduction





Chapter 1: Continuum mechanics - Review of principles


Strain and rate of strain


Stress and force balance


General equations of mechanics





Chapter 2: Rheological behaviour of molten polymers


The Newtonian behaviour, Navier-Stokes equation


Shear Thinning behaviour


Behaviour of filled polymers


Viscoelasticity of polymeric liquids


Measurements of rheological behaviour





Chapter 3: Energy and heat transfer in polymer processing


Basic notions of energy


Heating and cooling cases


Temperature changes in polymer flows





Chapter 4: Approximation and computation methods


General equations for polymer processing


How to choose a relevant constitutive equation


Boundary conditions


Approximation methods


Pressure build-up mechanisms


Computation methods





Chapter 5: Single screw extrusion and die flows


Single screw extrusion


Extrusion dies


Coextrusion





Chapter 6: Twin-screw extrusion: description and application


General description of the twin-screw extrusion process


Solid conveying and melting


Molten polymer flow


Global model of the twin-screw process


Polymer blend processing


Compounding


Reactive processing


Optimization and scale-up


Conclusion


Exercise: simplified calculation of the flow in a mixing element





Chapter 7: Injection moulding


Presentation


Filling stage


Packing stage


Residual stresses and strains


Non-standard injection moulding processes


Injection moulding of short fibres reinforced thermoplastics


Conclusions


Exercises





Chapter 8: Calendering


Introduction


Thermo-mechanical analysis


Post-extrusion calendering





Chapter 9: Polymer fibres and films


Introduction


Fibre spinning


Biaxial stretching


Cast-film process


Blown film


Blow moulding





Chapter 10: Flow instabilities in polymer processes


Extrusion instabilities


Coextrusion instabilities


Calendering instabilities


Drawing instabilities



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