TWIN-SCREW EXTRUDERS AS POLYMERIZATION REACTORS FOR A FREE-RADICAL HOMOPOLYMERIZATION

The bulk polymerization of n-butylmethacrylate was investigated in a c ounter-rotating twin screw extruder. It appeared that the gel effect, occurring with bulk polymerizations, affected the polymerization progr ess very strongly. Due to this effect the conversion of the reaction i s independent of the rotation speed of the screws. The reactive extrus ion diagram, presented in this paper, indicates how the different phen omena interact with each other and helps to understand the influences of extruder parameters and reaction parameters on the process.