Rheology Innovation in the Study of Mixing Conditions of Polymer Blends during Chemical Reaction

Abstract Polymer melts can be mixed with many monomers, plasticizers, antistatics or foaming additives. Properties of such mixtures can change during blending because of chemical reactions like polymerization or crosslinking. The process may be carried out either in stirred tanks, extruders or in motionless mixers. In this paper we focused on the mixing time and the diffusion time of reagent, plasticizer and polymer thanks to rheological tools, and on the way how rheological properties can be studied during chemical reaction in polymer blending. The concept of rheoreactor and Couette analogy were introduced since we have a reactor on our disposal that can mix solution and measure rheological properties without taking sample. This apparatus appears to be an appreciable tool in complement of internal mixers that are specific to polymer blending. For example, we show the importance of the competition between mixing time and reaction time for reactive systems.

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