Calculating morphology development of polymer blends in extruders on the basis of results of boundary and finite element simulations using the sigma simulation software

Models have been developed for binary, incompatible polymer blends that can be used to estimate the morphology development that takes place in drops of the second component that are dispersely embedded in the matrix. The calculations are based on the results of flow simulations using the boundary element (BEM) and finite element (FEM) methods and, more particularly, on an analysis of the stresses that act on fluid particles over their trajectories as a function of the residence time. The models formulated are converted into algorithms, which can then be implemented in the SIGMA simulation software for designing and simulating the process behavior in tightly intermeshing co‐rotating twin‐screw extruders. In this way, it is possible to estimate the morphology development that takes place in incompatible polymer systems by describing the mean drop size and the drop size distribution as a function of the material properties, the geometry of the barrel and the screw, and the process parameters.