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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