A process for producing a biopolymer nanoparticles product is disclosed. In this process, biopolymer feedstock and a plasticizer are fed to a feed zone of an extruder having a screw configuration in which the feedstock is process using shear forces in the extruder, and a crosslinking agent is added to the extruder downstream of the feed zone. The biopolymer feedstock and plasticizer are preferably added separately to the feed zone. The screw configuration may include two or more steam seal sections. Shear forces in a first section of the extruder may be greater than shear forces in an adjacent second section of the extruder downstream of the first section. In a post reaction section located after a point in which the crosslinking reaction has been completed, water may be added to improve die performance.

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.

A method for producing a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising using a twin screw kneader to melt-knead a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer; the twin screw kneader having at least two raw material inlets including a first raw material inlet and a second raw material inlet provided at a position separated by 15D to 38D on a downstream side from the first raw material inlet, where D is a cylinder inside diameter of the twin screw kneader; the elastomer being fed in a divided manner from the first and second raw material inlets; a proportion of the elastomer fed from the second raw material inlet being from 10 to 60 vol % of a total amount of the elastomer; and the elastomer being melt-kneaded in a kneading zone having a length of from 0.5D to 20D in a cylinder axis direction of the twin screw kneader.

The present invention relates to a process for devolatilising polymer-containing media such as, in particular, polymer melts, polymer solutions and dispersions and also devolatilisation apparatuses for carrying out the abovementioned process.

A kneader has a rotational conveyance member configured to knead the kneading material and convey the kneading material from an inlet toward an outlet by a rotational motion around an axis. The rotational conveyance member has a kneading zone configured to knead the kneading material, a first conveyance zone placed on an upstream side relative to the kneading zone and configured to convey the kneading material, and a second conveyance zone placed on a downstream side relative to the kneading zone and configured to convey the kneading material, and a conveyance force of the second conveyance zone is smaller than a conveyance force of the first conveyance zone in a case where the same conveyance object is conveyed.

A kneading apparatus includes a processor, and a extruder. The extruder includes a screw. The screw includes a screw main body. A conveyance portion, a barrier portion, and a path are provided at places of the screw main body. In at least one of the places, the path is provided inside the screw main body, and includes an entrance and an exit. The raw materials, pressure on which is increased by the barrier portion, flow in from the entrance. The raw materials flowing in from the entrance flow through the path toward the exit. The exit is positioned to be remote from the entrance in an axial direction.

A conveyance portion, a barrier portion, and a path are provided at places of a portion of a screw main body in which a kneading portion is provided. In at least one of the places, an entrance is opened to cause raw materials, conveyance of which is limited by a barrier portion to increase pressure on the raw materials, to flow in. The raw materials flowing in from the entrance flow through the path in the opposite direction to a conveyance direction of the conveyance portion. An exit is opened in an outer circumferential surface of the screw main body at a position outside the conveyance portion in which the entrance is opened.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a composite product comprising organic natural fiber material and matrix material, wherein the method comprises mixing the organic natural fiber material with the matrix material in a primary mixing stage to form a mixture. The primary mixing stage comprises a contacting step in which the organic natural fiber material comes in contact with the matrix material that is at least partly in a form of melt, and bulk density of the organic natural fiber material is less than 500 kg/m.sup.3. The method further comprises forming a composite product comprising the mixture. Further, the invention relates to a composite product, a use of the composite product, and a system for manufacturing a composite product.

A kneading apparatus having a kneading unit made up of a plurality of segment parts detachably mounted on a shaft disposed in the barrel includes a first segment part having a first length L1 related to an outer diameter D, a second segment part having a second length L2 shorter than the first length L1, and a third segment part having a third length L3 longer than the first length L1; the first length L1 is [the outer diameter Da coefficient a]; the second length L2 is [the first length L1/a coefficient b]; the third length L3 is [the first length L1the coefficient b]; the third length L3 is [L1+L2]; and the kneading unit has a segment pattern made up of a plurality of segment parts and mounted on the shaft interchangeably with another segment pattern.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a process for producing pigment-containing, in particular carbon-black-containing, polymer mixtures comprising polycarbonates and optionally elastomers, and/or other components, where the mouldings produced therefrom have, after the shaping process via injection moulding or via extrusion, improved surface properties and improved mechanical properties.