Certech recently invested in a new modular system equipped with an internal mixer and a twin-screw extruder for the processing in the molten state of filled or unfilled thermoplastic polymer materials:
• The internal mixer is equipped with two blades and a useful volume of 55 cm3. The equipment can reach a maximum torque of 200Nm and temperatures up to 500°C. The most typical applications are testing the flow and cure behaviour, mastication, compounding with carbon black, silica, … and other additives. It is also frequently used for measuring the black incorporation time (BIT) as a function of temperature and shear. Absorption tests can be run on materials like iron oxide powder, carbon black, pigments, and similar materials with particle sizes in the μm range.
• The mini twin-screw extruder coupled with a drive unit is equipped with a 36D long barrel, 12 mm diameter twin screw, two gravimetric feeders, a side feeder, a vacuum degassing zone and possibly a liquid injection zone. The maximum flow rate is 5kg/h for a torque of 15Nm per screw. This extruder can reach a speed of 740 rpm, temperature up to 400°C and a maximum pressure of 150 bar. It is used for the treatment of liquids, powders, and pellets up to 3 mm diameter. This extruder is designed for small quantities of samples for the development of products in the field of plastic materials (dispersion of additives, production of masterbatches, …), rubber, energy storage and pharmaceuticals (incorporation of an active substance in a polymer matrix, …).
Certech’s technology platform allows the complete characterization of materials (chemical, physical, mechanical and sensory properties).
