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Description

Processing and compounding of biobased polymers enables to create innovative biobased materials and products with desired material properties. For this, the Berstorff ZE 42 Blue Power Twin screw, 42 mm 56D/40D extruder with modular screw and barrel set-up is available. This extruder can be provided with (side-)feeders, dosing pumps for fluids, degassing equipment including a stuffer, a melt pump and various pelletising systems.

The expertise and technologies are available for processing biobased polymers into various materials, such as bioplastics, coatings and adhesives, resins and composites. More about the development of new materials, processes and products that lower the ecological footprint of plastic products, e.g., biobased plastics, and the testing thereof, and optimizing end-of-life options via mechanical recycling or organic recycling can be found on the Sustainable plastics technology page.

Technical Details

See also appendix 1 (documents): Compounding - berstorff ZE 42-2019.pdf

Extruder Specifications:

• Type: Co-rotating twin screw extruder
• Diameter: 42 mm
• Do/Di: 1.65
• Length: 40 D up to 56 D
• Max. Screw speed: 900 rpm
• Max. Driving power: 105 kW
• Max. Torque per screw: 555 Nm
• Max. Processing temp.: 350 °C
• Output: 25-200 kg/h

Configuration:

• 8 (+3) barrel elements (see figure)
• various screw elements are available (example see figure below)

Feeding system:

• Solids: different K-tron and Brabender feeding systems (either volumetric or gravimetric) can be used
• Liquids: different pumps are available
• 2 Side feeding systems are available
  

(High) vacuum system:

Available

Pelletising system:
Under water pelletiser, die face cutter and strand pelletiser are available

Applications

Development of various materials and products based on biobased polymers available on the market and processing and producing novel polymers on a kg scale. The most important polymers are:

• PLA including nucleated and sc-PLA
• Starch blends
• PHA’s
• PEF
• Thermoplastic celluloses
• Various polyesters like PBS(A), PBAT, PCl and PGA

Complementary Techniques

2 compounding extruders that can be provided with (side-)feeders, dosing pumps for fluids, degassing equipment including a stuffer, a melt pump and various pelletising systems:
• Leistritz ZSE 18 HP Twin screw, 18 mm 40D.
• Berstorff ZE 25 Twin screw, 25 mm 40D.

Injection moulding machine:
• Sumitomo Demag Intelect2 75/420-250; 75 ton; to be equipped with 2 possible injection cylinders for 23 & 99 g PS

Equipment for (co-)extrusion and film blowing:
• Dr. Collin Teachline E 20 T extruder, 20 mm, sheets max. 15 cm wide
• Pilot scale co-extrusion machine for up to 5-layers film blowing and sheet extrusion

Additionally, a 300 g batch scale Haake kneading mixer, a two-roll mill, 2 compression moulding machines, cutting and milling equipment and various types of dryers are available.