Polystyrene prepared by reactive extrusion: kinetics and effect of processing parameters

The conversion and residence time were investigated during the bulk polymerization of styrene in a twin screw extruder. It was found that polymerization mainly occurred in the zone between 400 and 1000 mm along the screw axis in the extruder, corresponding to the residence time of the reactants ranging from 1 to 4 min in the extruder. Furthermore, the processing conditions (feed rate, screw rotation rate) and average molecular weight of the polymer have a great effect on the residence time. Based on dimensionless analysis, a model of the residence time has been built‐up, which has been confirmed by the results of realistic measurements. A kinetic model of the polymerization has also been established under the assumption that the screw extruder can be regarded as an ideal plug flow reactor. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large‐scale extrusion processing and characterization of hybrid nylon‐6/SiO2 nanocomposites

Solution impregnations, pulltrusion and film stacking are widely used methods to prepare thermoplastic composite materials. Extruders are used to melt the polymer and to incorporate fibers into the polymer in order to modify physical properties. In this article, the compounding of colloidal silica nanoparticles filled polyamide‐6 (PA‐6) is achieved using a twin‐screw extruder, which has a significant market share due to its low cost and easy maintenance. The experiments were performed at 250 rpm and the bulk throughput was 6 kg h^?1 with a pump pressure of 30 bars. The composites were characterized with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As determined by WAXD, the PA‐6 showed higher amounts of γ‐phase when compared to other synthesis methods such as in situ polymerization. TEM pictures showed that the silica particles aggregated nevertheless, upon addition of 14% (w/w) silica the E‐modulus increased from 2.7 to 3.9 GPa indicating that an effective mechanical coupling with the polymer was achieved. The behavior, illustrated with dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) curves, indicated that in general when a filled system is compared to unfilled material, the values of the moduli (E′ and E″) increased and tan δ decreased. Determination of molecular mass distribution of the samples by means of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to a refractive index (RI), viscosity (DV) and light scattering (LS) detector revealed that the addition of silica did not decrease the average molecular weight of the polymer matrix, which is of importance for composite applications. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Reclaim Screw in Mammoth Silos Operating on a Free Surface: Comparison Between Horizontal and Inclined Operation on Free Flowing Bulk Solids

Although the screw conveyor, operating on a free surface, has been used for years as reclaim and storage equipment in mammoth silos, there is no documented knowledge about its spill characteristics. Research at Delft University of Technology together with ESI Eurosilo B.V. on the inclined use of the reclaim screw to achieve homogenization in mammoth silos made this lack of knowledge apparent. This paper presents the results of experiments to gain insight into the spill during reclaiming. Experiments were conducted reclaiming a horizontal surface and up‐ and downwards along an inclined surface, using a free‐flowing bulk material. A relationship was found between the theoretical and effective fill ratio. This relationship shows a certain maximum effective fill ratio and a dependence on the reclaim‐depth. As expected, the effective fill ratio drops quickly when reclaiming upwards, mostly due to flow‐ and throwback: the fill is spilled behind the screw blades and over the axis. Unexpectedly, the effective fill ratio also decreases when reclaiming downwards due to a shift of material towards the non‐reclaiming side where it is left behind forming ridges on the surface. It is expected that all three mechanisms will cause less spill when reclaiming a cohesive material. The experiments provide the desired insight into spill mechanisms during reclaiming. Indeed, the inclined use of the reclaim screw to achieve homogenization is thought feasible when reclaiming downwards.     

Rheological and mechanical properties of nylon 6 nanocomposites submitted to reprocessing with single and twin screw extruders

The effect of multiple extrusions on nanostructure and properties of nylon 6 nanocomposites was investigated. Nanocomposites at different silicate loadings were produced by melt compounding and submitted to further reprocessing by using single and twin screw extruders. Rheological, morphological and mechanical analyses were carried out on as-produced and reprocessed samples in order to explore the influence of the number and the type of extrusion cycles on silicate nanodispersion.Rheological measurements, correlated to TEM analyses, were used to probe the nanoscale arrangement developed with the reprocessing as well as the thermo-mechanical degradation involving both the neat matrix and the organoclay. The results have shown that the reprocessing by single screw extruder can modify the initial morphology since the re-agglomeration of the silicate layers can occur. On the other hand, a better nanodispersion was observed in the hybrids reprocessed by twin screw extruder. This was attributed to the additional mechanical stresses able to realizing a dispersive mixing that contributes to avoid re-agglomeration phenomena. The high shear stresses produced with twin screw geometry determined also a significant degradation of neat matrix, principally based on chain scission mechanism.A strong correlation between the rheological behaviour and mechanical properties was observed and all as-produced and reprocessed hybrids showed a substantial enhancement in tensile modulus with the adding of silicate. However, the entity of performance enhancements displayed by the reprocessed hybrids was found to be highly dependent on the degradation of both organoclay and polymer matrix as well as the silicate amount, the number and the type reprocessing.     

含界面层圆形夹杂中螺旋位错的弹性分析

研究了复合材料含界面层圆形夹杂内部的一个螺旋位错在夹杂，界面层与基体材料中产生的弹性干涉，将复变函数的分区亚纯函数理论与柯西型积分，罗朗级数相结合，求出了各分区复势的解析关系，化为一个关于界面层复势的函数方程，用显示式表达了问题的结果，揭示了界面层参数对位错干涉能与位错力的影响规律。该解析方法较经典级数方法未知量大量减少，表达式更加简洁，结果的特殊情形包含了若干已有成果。     

宾汉姆体的缓凝砂浆在单螺杆挤出机中的流动

在实验的基础上，研究了宾汉姆体的缓凝砂浆在单螺杆挤出机中的流动；运用流变学理论， 建立了缓凝砂浆螺旋输送物理模型；对缓凝砂浆螺旋输送与包裹机构的工作机理进行了分析 与研究，得出了缓凝砂浆连续输送的条件，螺杆转速必须大于临界转速. 实验发现：宾汉姆 体的缓凝砂浆在螺旋输送与包裹机构中当螺杆转速在78$\sim$240\,r/min范 围内可实现连续输送和包裹.     

井下多股淹没射流水力清岩能力分析

研究石油钻井井下射流的水力清岩能力对钻井业有重要意义。本文借助于预处理方法和多块网格对接技术由计算机数值模拟了形状复杂的钻井PDC钻头井底下的多股淹没射流流场。为体现井底有岩屑时射流场对其的清洗作用。文中借助河流泥沙运动理论，分析了岩屑在井下的受力与运动以考虑固相的作用。因岩屑主要为推移运动。在井底除环空外的大部分地方可简化视为二维运动。提出了钻头井底水力清岩能力的体现参数-水力挟岩力。并通过数值模拟显示了井下流场，描述了转速，射流流量，喷嘴面积，射流雷诺数及井下过流空间等流场控制参数对井底水力清岩能力的不同影响，指出相关水力参数在射流时的优化方向。为复杂的井底流场控制和钻头的合理设计做探索基础。     

油水井水泥环在冲击载荷作用下的损伤分析

 冲击整形扩径工艺是修复油水井套管损坏的常用技术，根据冲击整形的施工工艺和波 动理论，建立了套损局部位置处水泥环的损伤力学模型，以有限变形理论为基础，采用悬臂 梁力学模型，分段研究了冲击整形时钻杆屈曲的平衡位形及对套管、水泥环产生 的冲击力. 结合水泥环的应力状态, 根据脆性 材料的Mazars损伤模型，建立了水泥环的损伤力学模型. 并分析了水泥环的损伤 状态. 通过与现场测试结果对比，理论计算与实测结果误差在2.7%左右.     

Interaction of a screw dislocation with an interfacial edge crack in a two-phase piezoelectric material

The interaction of a screw dislocation with an interfacial edge crack in a two-phase piezoelectric medium is investigated. Closed-form solutions of the elastic and electrical fields induced by the screw dislocation are derived using the conformal mapping method in conjunction with the image principle. Based on the electroelastic fields derived, the stress and electric displacement intensity factors, the image force acting on the dislocation are given explicitly. We find that the stress and electric displacement intensity factors depend on the effective electroelastic material constants. In the case where one of two phases is purely elastic, the stress intensity factor and image force are plotted to illustrate the influences of electromechanical coupling effect, the position of the dislocation and the material properties on the interaction mechanism. The project supported by the Doctoral Foundation of Hebei Province (B2003113)