A compact camera module that contains a generally planar base on which is mounted a lens barrel is provided. The base, barrel, or both are molded from a polymer composition that includes a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and a plurality of mineral fibers (also known as “whisker”). The mineral fibers have a median width of from about 1 to about 35 micrometers and constitute from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the polymer composition.

According to the present invention, devolatilization of a synthetic resin formed from a polymer or synthetic rubber can be improved and the synthetic resin can be foamed at a low temperature by injecting a devolatilization agent through a devolatilization agent injection nozzle provided in a downstream end segment cylinder of a cylinder assembly. In a vented twin-screw kneading extrusion apparatus and extrusion method according to the present invention, a devolatilization agent, which is injected through a downstream end devolatilization agent injection nozzle provided on a downstream end segment cylinder constituted by a segment cylinder positioned on a downstream end of a cylinder assembly, is dispersed in molten resin in the downstream end segment cylinder and kneaded by a downstream end kneading portion such that the molten resin is foamed by the devolatilization agent and then extruded.

The present invention is directed to a process for producing a modified olefin polymer having increased melt strength in an extruder. The process comprising the steps of: (A) contacting a stream comprising particles of an olefin polymer with a vapour stream of a functionally unsaturated compound in vapour phase thereby producing a first mixed stream; (B) passing the first mixed stream to an extruder; (C) melting the polymer particles of the first mixed stream in the extruder; (D) introducing a stream of a free radical generator either into the first mixed stream or into the extruder; and (E) extruding the first mixed stream and the free radical generator at a temperature which is greater than the decomposition temperature of the free radical generator and the melting temperature of the olefin polymer but less than the decomposition temperature of the olefin polymer thereby producing the modified olefin polymer in the extruder.

The invention relates to compositions comprising composite materials comprised of discontinuous fibers and one or more polymers and/or oligomers. The invention relates to methods of making the same. The composite materials can be in the form of compositions, composite sheets, laminates, pellets, and/or shaped composite products.

A multiple screw extruder (50) combines application of vacuum to a vacuum vent (62) positioned between material feed locations (70, 72) of the extruder and use of specially configured extruder screws (58) to extract gases, primarily air, out of the extruder to densify the materials introduced into it and to extract unwanted fluid from material introduced for mixture with molten polymeric material flowing through the extruder. The multiple screw extruder is operationally versatile in that it is capable of carrying out the material densification and fluid extraction processes either separately or simultaneously. Implementation of the disclosed vacuum feed technology provides an increase in rate of extrudate throughput as compared with that achievable by implementation of atmospheric venting (16) in a conventionally configured extruder (10a, 10b).

The invention relates to a process for removal of volatile components from an olefin polymer, the process carried out in an extruder comprising at least one vacuum degassing zone, said process comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a stream of an olefin polymer into the extruder; (b) extruding the olefin polymer in the extruder at a temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of the olefin polymer but lower than the decomposition temperature of the olefin polymer, thereby producing an olefin polymer melt having reduced amount of volatile components, wherein the process in the extruder has a residence time distribution broadness (σ2) in the range of 800 to 4000 as define by equation (1) wherein: σ2 is the residence time distribution broadness, T is the mean residence time, t is the interval of residence time a fluid element of the olefin polymer spends in the extruder, E(t) is the residence time distribution function, and wherein the process optionally comprises a step (c) where the melt of the olefin polymer is passed through a die zone to a pelletizer for pelletizing the obtained olefin polymer.

σ.sup.2=∫.sub.0.sup.∞(t−τ).sup.2E(t)dt   equation (1)

An extruder screw includes a screw main body, conveyance portions, barrier portions, and paths. The raw materials, the conveyance of which is limited by the barrier portions, flow in from the entrance. The raw materials flowing in from the entrance flow through the paths in an opposite direction to a conveyance direction of the conveyance portions. The exit is opened in the outer circumferential surface of the screw main body at a position on an upstream side in the conveyance direction in the conveyance portions in which the entrance is opened.

Method for producing a thermoplastic molding compound (F) in an extruder, which has at least one screw having an outside diameter (D), wherein a thermoplastic component (TP) containing at least one thermoplastic polymer, a component (C) containing a graft polymer based in particular on butadiene and/or acrylate, and optionally a component (Z) containing additives are heated to a temperature of 200° C. to 280° C., melted and mixed by supplying thermal energy in a melting section (S) and/or in at least one mixing section (M) such that the thermoplastic molding compound (F) is formed, and the thermoplastic molding compound is subsequently degassed in a degassing zone (E) of the extruder, wherein an absolute pressure (P1) of less than 2 bar is set in this zone, and after the degassing the molding compound (F) is conveyed to a melt pump (SP) by screw elements, wherein the total length of the screw elements of a conveying path (FS) from the degassing opening (O) to the melt pump (SP) is less than five times the outside diameter (D) of the at least one screw.

A compact camera module that contains a generally planar base on which is mounted a lens barrel is provided. The base, barrel, or both are molded from a polymer composition that includes a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and a plurality of mineral fibers (also known as whisker). The mineral fibers have a median width of from about 1 to about 35 micrometers and constitute from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the polymer composition.

The invention relates to compositions comprising composite materials comprised of discontinuous fibers and one or more polymers and/or oligomers. The invention relates to methods of making the same. The composite materials can be in the form of compositions, composite sheets, laminates, pellets, and/or shaped composite products.