Reactive Extrusion: Principles and Practice

This is the first published book that combines the applied and fundamental aspects of reactive extrusion, a technology that has seen a tremendous growth in the past few years. It is based on a highly successful advanced technical course given by the authors at the Stevens Institute of Technology Polymer Processing Institute. The use of an extruder as a continuous reactor for processes such as polymerization, polymer modification, and blend compatibilization is gaining increasing popularity and competes with diluent-free operations with respect to efficiency and economics. The first part of the book emphasizes the technological aspects of reactive extrusion. It includes case histories of industrial applications, an analysis of existing continuous processes from reaction fundamentals and an extensive review of polymer modification reactions involving acid and anhydride functionalities and their applications. The second part of the monograph contains an exhaustive survey of virtually all chemical reactions that have been conducted in extruders; the important characteristics of over 600 processes listed in recent technical and patent literature are summarized. The engineering fundamentals of reactive extrusion are included in the third part of the book which features a full description and comparison of available extrusion equipment, heat transfer considerations and the application of polymerization engineering principles to extruder reactions. The book is intended for engineers and technologists involved in this industrially important sector of polymer processing.