Effect of Conversion on Chain Addition Copolymerizations Performed in a Backmixed Drag Flow Extruder Reactor

Abstract The use of a drag flow device such as a twin screw extruder for polymerization and/or copolymerization processes has been studied extensively over the years. Due to the high viscosities (100 to 100 000 poise) that are produced, poor backmixing is experienced in these drag flow devices. As a result, these studies have shown the extruder reactor to exhibit a “plug flow” behavior. A drag flow device has been developed that achieves good backmixing with high viscosity materials. This device incorporates two counterrotating, nonintermeshing, screws; one screw conveying material forward, while the other conveying material backward. Theory suggests that in a plug flow reactor the copolymer composition varies (drifts) as a function of time (position) in the reactor in most cases. Conversely in a micromixed continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) the copolymer produced does not drift as a function with position in the reactor. It has also been shown that this drift in copolymer composition becomes more pro...