Extruder processing for nanoblends and nanocomposites

Structuring multiphase polymer materials to a micrometer scale (micro-structuration) is a facile engineering practice. However, structuring them to a nanometer scale (nano-structuration) is a formidable engineering challenge. In this paper, it is shown first why traditional extruder compounding processes only lead to micro-structuration and then how one may use the extruder type of mixer to structure multiphase polymer materials at a nano-meter scale to obtain nanostructured polymer blends (nanoblends) and nanostructured polymer composites (nanocomposites).