Twin-screw extrusion technology leads the new trend of TPE foam particle production
With the advancement of materials science, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) foam particles are becoming the new darling of the plastics industry because of their excellent properties and wide range of applications. TPE foamed particles are not only used in the automotive, construction, medical and consumer products sectors, but also become an important part of the sustainable development strategy due to their environmentally friendly and recyclable properties.
TPE foam particles are widely used in many industries because of their light weight, high elasticity and good cushioning properties. In the automotive industry, TPE foamed particles can be used to manufacture lightweight components such as seals and shock pads, resulting in increased fuel efficiency and ride comfort. In the construction sector, TPE foamed particles can be used to produce thermal insulation materials and sound insulation panels to improve the energy efficiency and residential comfort of buildings. In addition, TPE foam particles are also widely used in medical devices and consumer products, such as the handles of medical devices and children's toys, providing good touch and safety.
In the process of producing TPE foam particles, the heating temperature is a key factor. Depending on the characteristics of the TPE material and the desired foaming effect, the heating temperature is usually controlled between 130-170 ° C. Too high a temperature may cause excessive foaming on the surface of the material, affecting the quality of the product, while too low a temperature may lead to insufficient foaming.
Twin-screw extruder is the core equipment for producing TPE foam particles. It is composed of a transmission device, a feeding device, a barrel and a screw. The working principle of the twin-screw extruder is to mix, melt and transport TPE material in the barrel through the rotation of two parallel screws. Compared with single-screw extruders, twin-screw extruders have higher mixing efficiency and better heat transfer performance, enabling more uniform control of the temperature and pressure of the material, resulting in high-quality TPE foam particle production.
In twin-screw extruder, the material flow velocity field and the material transfer mode are the key factors that affect the product quality. The screw geometry of the tightly meshed cross-rotating extruder can obtain a high degree of forward displacement transport characteristics, while the flow velocity distribution of the material in the twin-screw extruder is quite complex, requiring precise control to ensure the uniformity of the foaming effect.
With the continuous progress of technology, the application of twin-screw extruders in the production of TPE foam particles will be more extensive, and new vitality will be injected into the development of the plastics industry.
