Melting phenomena and mechanisms in polymer processing equipment

This article examines the heating and melting phenomena taking place when individual polymer particulates or compacted polymer participate systems are subjected to stressing that forces them to deform and flow. The heating/melting behavior in compression experiments of single polymer cylinders and melting in batch internal mixers, as well as in corotating twin-screw extruders, was examined. Different polymers and different polymer particulate solid systems were used, over a range of processing conditions. The results of this work shed light on the important roles that solid dissipative deformation and interparticle frictional phenomena play in generating the heat necessary to melt polymer particulate systems.Also, an attempt is made to deal with the modification of the thermal energy balance equation, so that it includes the heat- generating dissipative source terms.