PROCESS SYSTEMS FOR POLYMERS

The Nauta^® vacuum dryer is the ideal solution for drying after synthesis, applying vacuum and heat to evaporate all liquid components and also to cure the product. If the boiling point of the fluid is higher than the melting point of the polymer, the valuable ‒ normally toxic and flammable ‒ fluid (monomer) can be recuperated in a controlled manner in the condensing step.

The Nauta dryer can perform a number of consecutive production steps in one piece of equipment without intermediate transfer, which is a big advantage when contamination is a concern. Another advantage of this dryer is that the temperature to which the polymer is exposed can be kept low and no quality loss occurs.

Extrusion

Many polymers are extruded either to obtain final products or to be cut into pellets. Important for extrusion is that moisture is extremely low, also the virgin polymer is to be fed homogeneously to the extruder. The Nauta vacuum dryer meets both requirements in one piece of equipment.

Superabsorbent Polymers (SAP) are polymers that can absorb and retain extremely large volumes of liquid. Amazingly, water absorbing polymers (hydrogels) can absorb and retain up to 500 times their own weight in water. Their absorbency is determined by the type and ratio of cross-linking agents used to make the gel. Low density cross-linked SAPs have a larger absorbent capacity, while the higher cross-linked SAPs have lower absorbent capacity but form firmer gels.

Polymer manufacturers are constantly developing special products with tailor-made properties. These high value products require increasingly complex production methods. Hosokawa Micron's knowledge, equipment and especially our Test and Process Cevelopment Centre make us the ideal partner to assist in the development of new polymer production processes.

Whether you need to test a single machine or a complete powder processing system, the same skilled and experienced staff are here to ensure that your requirements are met and that you are fully satisfied with the results. Our policy is to provide high performance yet affordable solutions that meet our customers' requirements and long-term challenges.