Monitoring the production of polymer nanocomposites by melt compounding with on-line rheometry

Polymer nanocomposites are often prepared by melt compounding due to the suitability of the latter to industrial scale production. Even though monitoring the production process for quality control and/or optimization purposes is generally done off-line, the possibility of using on-line oscillatory rheometry, has many inherent advantages. This work illustrates the use of a prototype rheometer to monitor the production of polymer nanocomposites by making measurements at specific locations along the extruder axis. The device is presented and its operation is explained. Examples of its use to characterize polypropylene and polyamide matrix nanocomposites with organoclays and carbon nanotubes are discussed, thus demonstrating the usefulness of the device.The authors acknowledge the financial suppat given by the MultiHybrids IP 026685-21P project under the 6 Framework EC Program, Fundacio para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) through the PhD grant SFRH/BD/48512/2008 and FEDER via FCT, under the PEst-C/CTM/LA0025/2011 (Strategic Project - LA 25 - 2011-2012)