Polymer Processing - Tailoring material properties forinnovative applications

Processing of polymeric materials

KEY OF SUCCESS

Our brand “Polymer Engineering“ stands for sci-entific and practical research and teaching in the field of polymer materials. The department of Polymer Engineering at the University of Bay-reuth, the business area of plastics at the New Materials Bayreuth GmbH and the department of Polymer Engineering at the TuTech Innova-tion GmbH in Hamburg embody this brand un-der the guidance of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Altstädt. The main research at all three locations lies on ma-terial, construction and production, with the aim to develop high performance plastic products. The focus of the research is the systematic ana-lysis and use of causal relationships between processing, structure and properties of polymer materials. This allows a strategic approach to the development of innovative products with the help of modern polymer materials.

With our equipment we are able to process po-lymeric materials from the lab scale ( ~10 g) to the technical scale (1 - 25 kg) and characterize the products.

Our mission is to support your research and de-velopment activities from the basic experiments to the prototype production with modern equip-ment and long-standing competence.

Standard processes

• Compounding• Extrusion• Injection molding

Special Technology

• IMC (Injection molding compounding)

Foam processing

• Particle foams / Batch-foaming• Foam extrusion• Foam injection molding

Materia

l

Processing

EigenschaftenProperties

HT thermoplastic resinsRecyclable polymersNanocompositesBlend systemsetc.

Injection moldingIMC Technology

CompoundingExtrusionFoaming

etc.

Rheological propertiesMechanical properties

Thermal propertiesBarrier properties

etc.

CompoundingExtrusionInjection moulding

THE CLASSICAL PROCESSING

Our equipment for standard processes is spe-cially designed to process all polymeric mate-rials and additives in the range of several gram to several kilogramm and temperatures up to 400 °C.

Flexible screw design and side-feeder allow to produce innovative polymer compounds. Co-extrusion equipment and 2-K injection molding combined with injection compression molding enables to produce tailormade products with classical processing techniques.

Equipment

Lab-scaleCompounding• Brabender DSE 20/40

Extrusion• Dr. Collin Teach Line 20 X 25• Brabender 19/20 D• Brabender 19/25 D

Injection molding• Krauss Maffei Multinject CX 80• Arburg Alrounder 320 S• Arburg Alrounder 420 C• Engel e-max 200/50

Technical-scaleCompounding• ZSK 26• TSK 30• Buss Ko-kneader

Extrusion• Reifenhäuser Co-extrusion line• Dr. Collin tandem extrusion line

Injection molding• Battenfeld BA 1500/630• Engel Duo Combi M

Injection compression molding

top: compatibilized blend system with nano-structured interphase

bottom: Nanocomposite of polymeric matrix and exfoliated nanoclay.

Long-fibre reinforcedthermoplastic materials

SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY

Advantages of IMC-technology

• Single step process• Continuous processing• Minimal deterioration of fillers and fibres• Reduce product finishing• Minimize material handling• Combining compounding and injection molding

To investigate and establish innovative proces-sing technologies is one of our main tasks at the Department of Polymer Engineering.

In cooperation with New Materials Bayreuth GmbH an IMC-injection molding compounder is available to incorporate various fibres in po-lymeric matrices. Lightweight designed parts of these materials with excellent mechanical pro-perties allow to substitute conventional metal-lic materials especially for automotive applica-tions like frontends and underbody structures.

Gravimetric feedingTwin-screw extruder

Melt buffer

Rovings

Control

Start-up valve

Injection barrel

MoldClamping unit

Foaming of polymers

OUTSTANDING LIGHT WEIGHTPRODUCTS

Polymer foams are lightweight, low density pro-ducts. The field of application for polymer foams ranges between sound and thermal insulation in building panels, impact absorption in vehicles, sports accessories and packaging.

The foaming equipment is designed to process all polymeric materials up to high temperature thermoplastic resins with a wide variaion of blowing agents from inert gases to organic li-quids as well as their combinations.

Our group is able to investigate the foaming be-havior of polymers starting with the polymeric material properties relevant for foaming going on with the polymer-blowing agent interaction to the foaming process and the final foam proper-ties as foam structure and mechanical proper-ties.

Discontinuous Batch-Foaming Discontinuous Particle Foams

semicontinuous Foam injection molDing continuous Foam extrusion

Autoclave to foam polymeric materials using the temperature step or pressure step method

Welding of foamed particles after processing in a particle foam molding machine

Foam extrusion process with physics of foaming for continuous production of polymeric foams

gas outlet gas feed

sample heater

autoclav 600 µm

Nucleation

Blowing agent

Cell growth / stabilizationPlastification Homogenization

Polymer

Structural foam with defined surface quality and thickness and density reduction unsing gas coun-ter pressure, variotherm and breathing mold tech-nology

Characterization ofproducts

FROM NANO- TO MACROSCOPICPRODUCT PROPERTIES

To optimice polymer processing the influence of the material properties and the processing steps on the product properties have to be analyzed.Therfore characterization methods from non-de-structive, destructive, dynamic or static testing are developed at the Department of Polymer Engineering.

Equipment

• Light microscope• Scanning electron microscope• Transmission electron microscope• µ-Computer tomograph• Fiber length anylsis system

• Diffrential scanning calorimeter• Dynamical-mechanical analysis• Thermo gravimetric analysis

• Universal testing machines• Falling impact tester• Servohydraulic pulsers

Polymer EngineeringHH • TuTech Innovation GmbH www.polymer-engineering.de • info@polymer-engineering.deNeuhöfer Straße 23, Haus 12 • 21079 Hamburg • Phone +49 (0)40 30 99 37 99 0 • Fax +49 (0)40 30 99 37 99 9 Lehrstuhl für Polymere Werkstoffe • Universität Bayreuth www.polymer-engineering.de • info@polymer-engineering.deFAN A • Universitätsstraße 30 • 95447 Bayreuth • Phone +49 (0)921 55 74 71 • Fax +49 (0)921 55 74 73

Kunststoffabteilung der Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbHwww.new-materials.de • info@nmbgmbh.deGottlieb-Keim-Straße 60 • 95448 Bayreuth • Phone +49 (0)921 50 73 60 • Fax +49 (0)921 50 73 61 99

Neue MaterialienBayreuth

Dynamic testing oF comPact anD FoameD materials

µ-ct characterization anD reconstruction