The present invention provides a method for depth removal of a volatile organic compound (VOC) in polymer resins and products thereof by means of a steam distillation method and apparatus thereof and significantly reducing the odor of the polymer resins and products thereof. The method provided in the present invention can further remove residual inorganic ash in the polymer resins. In the method, saturated steam at a certain temperature continuously keeps in contact with materials for a certain period of time, the VOC and an inorganic small molecule (ash) adsorbed on the surface of a polymer and wrapped inside the polymer are promoted to be enriched in a gas phase or a liquid phase and discharged, so as to reduce the VOC and ash in polymer materials, and the odor of the polymer resins or materials is decreased to a better level.

Process for producing a pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising expanded microballoons, wherein the constituents for forming the adhesive are mixed in a first mixing assembly, the mixed adhesive is transferred into a second mixing assembly into which, at the same time, unexpanded microballoons are fed, the microballoons are expanded in the second mixing assembly or on exit from the second mixing assembly, the adhesive mixture with the expanded microballoons is shaped to a layer in a shaping assembly in which expanded microballoons which have broken through the surface are pressed into the layer surface and the layer of adhesive mixture together with the expanded microballoons are optionally applied to a weblike backing material.

Methods of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprise: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) adding one or more color concentrates to the flakes; (E) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder (400) while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion (420) of the MRS extruder (400) below about 25 millibars; (F) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter (450) having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (G) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

A system and method for forming a polyurethane foam includes supplying an isocyanate component from a source of isocyanate to a proportioner. A resin component from a source of resin is supplied to a metering unit and an additive having an unstable state from a source of additive is supplied to the metering unit. The resin component and the additive form a reactive mixture when combined. The system and method includes delivering the reactive mixture by the metering unit to an accumulator and storing the reactive mixture in the accumulator. The system and method further includes demanding a supply of the reactive mixture with the proportioner and supplying the reactive mixture by the accumulator to the proportioner and mixing the reactive mixture with the isocyanate component by the proportioner to form the polyurethane foam.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) adding one or more color concentrates to the flakes; (E) passing the group of flakes through an extrusion system while maintaining the pressure within the extrusion system below about 25 millibars; (F) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (G) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament which, in various embodiments, comprises: (A) grinding recycled PET bottles into a group of flakes; (B) washing the flakes; (C) identifying and removing impurities, including impure flakes, from the group of flakes; (D) adding one or more color concentrates to the flakes; (E) passing the group of flakes through an MRS extruder while maintaining the pressure within the MRS portion of the MRS extruder below about 25 millibars; (F) passing the resulting polymer melt through at least one filter having a micron rating of less than about 50 microns; and (G) forming the recycled polymer into bulked continuous carpet filament that consists essentially of recycled PET.

A process for continuously preparing a polyolefin composition made from or containing a polyolefin and carbon black in an extruder device. The process includes the steps of supplying polyolefin in form of a polyolefin powder and carbon black to a mixing device; alternatively, (a) measuring the flow rate of the polyolefin powder supplied to the mixing device or (b) measuring the flow rate of the polyolefin pellets prepared in the extruder device; adjusting the flow rate of the carbon black to the mixing device in response to the measured flow rate of the polyolefin powder or adjusting the flow rate of the polyolefin powder to the mixing device in response to the measured flow rate of the polyolefin pellets; melting and homogenizing the mixture within the extruder device; and pelletizing the polyolefin composition into the polyolefin pellets.

A process for manufacturing a polycarbonate composition includes melt polymerizing a dihydroxy compound and a carbonate compound in the presence of a catalyst to form a polycarbonate; and adding 1 to 400 ppm of glycerol tristearate to form the polycarbonate composition, wherein the polycarbonate composition is unquenched.

A process for continuously preparing a polyolefin composition made from or containing a bimodal or multimodal polyolefin and one or more additives in an extruder device equipped with at least one hopper. The process includes the steps of supplying a bimodal or multimodal polyolefin in form of a polyolefin powder to the hopper; (a) measuring the flow rate of the polyolefin powder or (b) measuring the flow rate of the prepared polyolefin pellets; supplying one or more additives to the hopper; adjusting the flow rates of the additives supplied to the hopper in response to the measured flow rate of the polyolefin powder or adjusting the flow rate of the polyolefin powder in response to the measured flow rate of the polyolefin pellets; melting and homogenizing the polyolefin powder and additives within the extruder device; and pelletizing the molten polyolefin composition into the polyolefin pellets.

The invention relates to polycarbonates with extremely low residual levels of volatile constituents and thermal degradation products, and also improved optical properties, especially Yellowness Index (YI) and good thermal stability, from solvent-containing polymer melts. The invention further relates to an apparatus and a process for preparing these polycarbonates with the aid of a devolatilizing extruder with at least three devolatilizing zones, and zones for introducing entraining agent into dispersion are present upstream of at least three devolatilizing zones.