Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet

Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science

Lab Report
On
Polymer compounding and specimen preparation
Course title: Polymer characterization sessional
Course code: CEP 374
Lab Group: 03
Submitted to:
Dr. Mohammed Mastabur Rahman
Professor
Dept. of CEP, SUST
Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman
Associate Professor
Dept. of CEP, SUST
Submitted by:
Sourav sutradhar
Reg. no: 2016332005
Session: 2016-17
Date of submission: 01-09-2019
Experiment Title: Polymer Compounding and Specimen Preparation.
Abstract: The experiment was done in order to know the technique of polymer
compounding and how to make specimen from the compound. Compounding was
done in a Two Roll Mixer Machine and Specimen preparation was done by a
Injection Molding machine. From the Two Roll Mixer Machine we got a hard plastic
sheet, then we cut the sheet into several small pieces and put the pieces into the
Injection Molding machine and finally we got our dumbbell shaped specimen.
Introduction: Compounding can be defined as Upgrading or adding value of
polymers or polymer systems through melt blending & mixing of additives into a
polymer matrix or melt mixing two or more polymers together to make an alloy. The
introduction of additives into a polymer matrix is technically described
as compounding. The selection of the ingredients and the optimization of
compounding procedures has always been a challenging job for polymer
scientists and engineers. Because of the diversity of polymers in their physical
and chemical aspects, including their molecular architecture, a careful
approach is always required in the compounding process to get a better
performance/cost ratio. Compounding was done in a Two Roll Mixer Machine, a
machine used to heat/cool, shape and mix polymers and their compounds. A mill
consists of two horizontally placed hollow metal cylinders (rolls) rotating towards
each other. Specimen preparation was done by a Injection Molding machine.
An Injection molding machine, sometimes called as an injection press, is a
machine for manufacturing plastic products through the injection molding process.
Injection molding allows manufacturers to produce quality plastic components
repeatedly in a cost-efficient manner.
Materials:
1. Polypropylene(PP)
2. Caco3
3. Cutting knife
4. Tissue paper
5. Two Roll Mixer Machine
6. Injection Molding machine
Methodology:
1) At first the two-roll mixing machine was heated to certain temperature.
2) 90gm of PP was taken and put on the heated roller slowly so that it could melt.
3) When all the sample melted completely and formed a paste, then calcium
carbonate (CaCO3) powder was added to the paste and then mixed it properly.
4) After the finishing of compounding, the sheet was left over there for cooling and
getting dry.
5) The sheet was then collected, cut into very small pieces so that it could be fit for
injection molding machine.
6) Then the injection molding machine was heated to a certain temperature.
7) When the machine was heated enough the small pieces of sheet were injected
into the machine where the pieces were melted and dumbbell shape was given.

Result and Discussion: In this experiment, we got dumbbell shaped

specimen from the polymer compound.
During this experiment, we faced some problems. While mixing in the
machine, current was cut off once, some time wasted there and the sheet
we got was not uniform. As there were no fan around the machine, so it
took too much time to cool down the mix of pp and caco3. After that,
when we got our sheet from the mixing machine, we cut the sheet into
pieces. Then, in the injection molding machine, it was hard to get the
dumbbell shaped specimen, because we could not give the pressure in
one attempt. Although, there were some problems we got some good
dumbbell shaped specimen.
Conclusion:
The dumbbell shaped specimen is needed to determine the flexural, tensile
strength. There should be some better cooling system around the machine, to get
uniform sheet and to save time. We need to be more careful while taking out the
sheet from the machine, because it has high temperature.
Reference:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781845693961500047