Rheology, compounding and processing of filled thermoplastics

The influence of fillers on the rheology of polymer melts is reviewed, toge ther with an account of mechanisms involved during their combination in mel t-mixing procedures. The application of these principles to the design and operation of industrial compounding technologies is then discussed. Means f or inducing further microstructural changes during secondary melt processin g are described, leading to the achievement of enhanced composite performan ce.