Abstract:
A process for production of expanded thermoplastic elastomer beads in the presence of a gaseous medium that surrounds thermoplastic elastomer beads. The process comprises a) an impregnating step, in which the gaseous medium has an impregnating temperature Ta, and the absolute pressure of the gaseous medium is greater than ambient pressure, the thermoplastic elastomer beads impregnated with a blowing agent, b) an expanding step, in which the thermoplastic elastomer beads expand as they are exposed to a pressure reduction at a first expanding temperature Tb, and c) optionally a fusing step, in which the expanded thermoplastic elastomer beads are fused together at a fusing temperature Tc to form at least one shaped part.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for production of expanded thermoplastic elastomer, said process comprising the steps of: (e) adding monomers and/or oligomers used for producing the thermoplastic elastomer with or without further starting materials into a first stage of a polymer-processing machine, (f) mixing the monomers and/or oligomers and also the optionally added further starting materials and reacting the monomers and/or oligomers to give a polymer melt in the first stage of the polymer-processing machine, (g) passing the polymer melt into a second stage of a polymer-processing machine and adding a physical blowing agent with or without further starting materials to obtain a polymer melt comprising a blowing agent, (h) molding the polymer melt comprising a blowing agent into an expanded thermoplastic elastomer.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for production of expanded pellets from a thermoplastic elastomer having an elongation at break of more than 100% measured to DIN EN 150 527-2, said process comprising the steps of: (a) pressing a polymer melt comprising a blowing agent through a perforated disk (18) controlled to a temperature between 150° C. and 280° C. and into a pelletizing chamber (26), (b) using a cutting device (20) to comminute the polymer melt pressed through the perforated disk (18) into individual expanding pellets, (c) discharging the pellets from the pelletizing chamber (26) using a liquid stream (36), wherein the blowing agent comprises CO2 or N2 or a combination of CO2 and N2 and the amount of blowing agent in the polymer melt comprising a blowing agent lies in the range from 0.5 to 2.5 wt % and wherein the pelletizing chamber (26) is traversed by a stream of liquid which is controlled to a temperature between 5° C. and 90° C. and the pressure of which is from 0.1 bar to 20 bar above ambient pressure, the pressure and temperature for the liquid in the pelletizing chamber (26) and also the temperature for the perforated disk (18) being chosen such that the pellets are expanded in the pressurized liquid by the blowing agent they contain so as to produce expanded pellets having an uninterrupted skin.