Processing of Polymers and Composites

Lecture 14 – 10/02/2020

Dr S. Gowthaman
Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing Kancheepuram
Chennai - 600127
Mixing Processes
• The process of polymer blending or
mixing is accomplished by distributing
or dispersing a minor or secondary
component within a major component
serving as a matrix.
• The major component can be thought of
as the continuous phase and the minor
components as distributed or dispersed
phases in the form of droplets,
filaments, or agglomerates.
• Normally compatibilizers are added to
ensure the compatibility in the boundary
layers of two phases
Mixing Processes
• In the mixing of polymers, a minor component is generally present as the
secondary phase (usually as drops) in a continuous phase of the major
component
• An elementary step in the mixing process is the deformation of drops in the
flow field, which increases the interfacial area between the two components
accompanied by a decrease in local dimensions perpendicular to the flow
direction.
• Deformation of drops is promoted by the shear stress  exerted on the drops by
the flow field and counteracted by the interfacial stress /R (R the local radius)
minimizing the surface to volume ratio, thus tending to a spherical shape.
• The ratio between these two stresses is called the Capillary number Ca:
Mixing Processes
• If the Capillary number exceeds a critical value, Cacrit, the shear stress overrules the
interfacial stress, no stable equilibrium drop shape exists, the drop is extended and
finally will breakup into smaller droplets.
• If Ca < Cacrit, the interfacial stress competes with the shear stress and overrules it so that
the drop will only slightly deform in the flow field, yielding a stable drop shape.

• Distributive mixing when Ca >> Cacrit (large distributed domains, passive

interfaces); drops are extended with the matrix but do not breakup, since
the interfacial stress is overruled by the shear stress.

• Dispersive mixing when Ca  Cacrit (locally small radii of curvature, active

interfaces that minimizes surface area to volume ratio); /R competes with
 and overrules it; and causes disturbances at the interface to grow, leading
to breakup into smaller droplets and thus to a finer dispersion.
Mixing Processes
• Distributive mixing when Ca >> Cacrit (large
dispersed domains, passive interfaces); drops are
extended with the matrix but do not breakup,
since the interfacial stress is overruled by the
shear stress.

• Dispersive mixing when Ca  Cacrit (locally small

radii of curvature, active interfaces that minimizes
surface area to volume ratio); /R competes with
 and causes disturbances (Rayleigh disturbunces)
at the interface to grow, leading to breakup into
smaller droplets and thus to a finer dispersion.

• Coalescence when liquid film in between the

drops completely drains out
Mixing Processes • Distributive mixing is the
process of spreading the
minor component
throughout the matrix in
order to obtain good spatial
distribution

• Dispersive mixing involves

reduction in size of a
cohesive minor component
such as cluster of solid
particles or liquid droplets

• In any mixing device, these

two steps may occur
simultaneously or stepwise
Distributive Mixing • Distributive mixing of compatible liquids is usually characterized by
the distribution of the droplet or secondary phase within the matrix.

• This distribution is achieved by imposing large strains on the system

such that the interfacial areas between the two or more phases
increase and the local dimensions, or striation thicknesses, of the
secondary phases decrease.

• Final system shows homogeneously distributed melt within the

region contained by the streamlines cut across by the initial
secondary component.

• Imposing large strains on the system is not always sufficient to

achieve a homogeneous mixture.

• The type of mixing device and initial orientation play a significant

role in the quality of the mixture.

Here, the secondary phase cuts across all streamlines, which

leads to a homogeneous mixture throughout the device,
under appropriate conditions.
Distributive Mixing Effect of orientation After some time, the growth of interface stops.
The secondary component could be re-oriented to
increase the interface growth

• An ideal case would be to have a secondary component with a surface oriented

in the direction of flow or vertically between the parallel plates.
• Hence, the maximum interface growth inside a simple shear mixer can be
achieved, if the direction of the interface is maintained in an optimal
orientation
• In a simple shear flow this would require a special stirring mechanism that
would maintain the interface between the primary and secondary fluid
components in a vertical position.
Distributive Mixing Effect of orientation
• Experimental study that involved placing black and white poly
ethylene blocks in a Couette device
• After applying a small amount of shear, the surfaces that were
originally oriented in the radial direction have stretched a
certain amount and have changed their orientation.
• It is clear from the photograph that the same surface tends to
align with the planes of shear, reducing the mixing efficiency
of the process.
• In order to increase the effectiveness of the mixer, Couette
content was taken and cut into new blocks
• They were placed inside the Couette device rotated by 90°.
• This changed the orientation of the surfaces back to a position
where they can more effectively feel the effects of
deformation.
• By repeating this procedure several times, it was able to
demonstrate that the area growth is also a function of the
number of re-orientations that occur during the mixing
process.
Distributive Mixing Effect of orientation

If N is the total number of shearing stages, separated by a re-

orientation, the area growth can be computed using

Stretching & folding mechanism

It is called the baker’s transformation,

named after the way dough is mixed by
repeatedly rolling (which is a stretching
operation) and folding.
Distributive Mixing Effect of orientation