This application is directed to polymer blends of polyethylene naphthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate, for use in fibers, such as carpet fibers, and other applications. This application is also directed to methods of producing such polymer blends and fibers.

An extruder for the viscosity-increasing preparation of meltable polymers, wherein an extruder screw with at least one helical extruder screw flight is positioned in a housing having an inner housing recess. A diameter central region has a larger outer diameter than at least one of the other diameter regions, and a conical transition is formed in each case between regions of different diameters. Two degassing zones are provided in the diameter central region, each of which has at least one associated suction opening in the housing, one degassing zone being designed in the region of the satellite screws and an additional degassing zone being designed upstream thereof in the flow direction. The thread depth of the screw threads, formed between the extruder screw flights is greater in both degassing zones than in at least one sealing and compression section formed therebetween.

A method of manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from recycled polymer. In various embodiments, the method includes: (1) reducing recycled polymer material into polymer flakes; (2) cleansing the polymer flakes; (3) melting the flakes into a polymer melt; (4) removing water and contaminants from the polymer melt by dividing the polymer melt into a plurality of polymer streams and exposing those streams to pressures below 25 millibars or another predetermined pressure; (5) recombining the streams; and (6) using the resulting purified polymer to produce bulked continuous carpet filament.

A method and a facility produce polylactide (PLA) by polymerization, in which a lactide mixture is mixed with at least one catalyst, is introduced into a modular planetary roller extruder and the finished PLA is then removed. The lactide mixture continuously passes through segments of the extruder. The course of the reaction is measured and controlled in the segments in a targeted manner such that the temperature can be set by heating and/or cooling. The pressure can be variably set depending on pressure values to be checked by a controllable gas extraction and/or a controllable extruder speed and/or static variability of the planetary rollers and/or a variable metering speed of the lactide mixture and/or a variable mixing ratio of the lactide mixture. Flammable gas is removed in an explosion-protected zone in a partial region of the extruder. Additives are introduced into the extruder during the rolling process.

Continuous compounding systems include a feeding section and a compounding section. Method for compounding or mixing solid matter and liquid matter include providing a continuous compounding system, adding matter to the continuous compounding system, and mixing or compounding the matter.

A method for producing a stabilizer composition for a polymer and a stabilizer composition produced by the method. At least one carboxylic acid is reacted with at least one metal compound, such as at least one metal hydroxide and/or at least one metal oxide and/or at least one metal carbonate, thereby forming a metal carboxylate of the carboxylic acid. The reaction of the carboxylic acid with the metal compound is carried out in a continuous manner in an extruder while reaction water being formed is discharged out of the extruder.

A method for producing thermally crosslinkable polymers in a planetary roller extruder is presented. The planetary roller extruder has a filling part and a compounding part made of a roller cylinder region that comprises at least two, preferably at least three coupled roller cylinders, planetary spindles of which are driven by a common central spindle. The polymers are supplied in a plasticized state. The filling part is supplied with a vacuum. The flow temperatures of the central spindle and the at least two roller cylinders under a vacuum are set such that the polymers to be degassed remain in the plasticized state. One or more liquids, such as thermal crosslinkers, crosslinking accelerators, dye solutions, or dye dispersions, are metered to the plasticized polymers downstream of the vacuum degassing, preferably in a continuous manner. Finally, the resulting mixture is directly supplied to a coating assembly.

Method for manufacturing a composite material, comprising the following steps: a) plasticizing a binder in an extruder, wherein the binder comprises a polymer; b) providing a mixture of a cellulosic material and a hydrophobic agent dissolved and/or dispersed in a liquid carrier; c) mechanically shearing and drying the mixture in an extruder whereby liquid is at least partly extracted from the mixture or is not present in liquid form anymore; and d) blending the dried mixture with the plasticized binder.

Systems for manufacturing bulked continuous carpet filament from polymer, where the systems are configured for: (1) passing polymer flakes through a crystalliers; (2) melting the polymer to create a first single stream of polymer melt; (3) separating the first single stream of polymer melt into multiple streams of polymer melt; (4) exposing the multiple streams of polymer melt to a pressure of between about 0 millibars and about 25 millibars in a chamber; (5) recombining the multiple streams of polymer melt into a second single stream of polymer melt; and (6) providing the second single stream of polymer melt to one or more spinning machines that are configured to form the second single stream of polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.

A method of continuously manufacturing a cured membrane includes continuously compounding and mixing a vulcanizable rubber composition in a mixing extruder while continuously removing gasses from the vulcanizable rubber composition during mixing with a vacuum. The vulcanizable rubber composition may be continuously extruded to form an extrudate, which may be continuously calendered to form a green membrane. The green membrane may be continuously cured, such as by a hot air conveyor curing system, to form a cured membrane.