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Polymer Processing Facility

Facility Overview
This facility is used for melt processing of polymers, primarily thermoplastics. It is mainly used by graduate students to compound or formulate materials that are subsequently molded into ASTM specimens for mechanical testing. In addition to graduate research, this facility is used for demonstrations for classes and other groups. Proper training must be obtained prior to use of any equipment in this laboratory.
Contact Information
Prof. Donald R. Paul
CPE 3.454/ETC 8.106
Dept. of Chemical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712
Phone (512) 471-5392
FAX (512) 471-0542
email: drp@che.utexas.edu

Equipment
Extruders and Accessories:
Killion single screw extruder, L/D = 30, D = 2.54 cm, with an intensive mixing head, a standard die and a pultrusion die.
Haake modular intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder, L/D = 10, D = 3.0 cm, with a K-tron feeder.
Baker-Perkins modular intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder.
TSE 35/17 D-A-H/C Brabender counter-rotating twin-screw extruder.
Killion tensionmeter.
Killion take-up roll.
Killion chill roll.
Dayton pelletizer
Three Killion pelletizers.
Three cooling water baths.

Molding:
305-210-700 Arburg Allrounder injection molding machine with a type 1 ASTM D256 and D638 mold and a Dynatup bar mold.
50-1512-2TM Wabash compression molding machine.
8001PH2 Campbell compression molding machine.
Reactive injection molding apparatus.

Testing:
D0053 Kayeness computerized melt indexer to measure melt flow.
Vicat heat distortion machine.
1137 Instron for tensile testing equipped with a 1-in. strain gauge and a 1000-lb load cell.
Two Sabina type Brabender Plasti-corder torque rheometers.

Pre-Processing / Post-Processing:
CF Mikro-Bantam Micron Power Systems cryogenic grinder.
M100 Ball & Jewell grinder.
10-23 Tensil Kut for milling samples.
Mead belt sander.
Wiley mill grinder.
2AY-84 Brabender prep (two-roll) mill.
LDM2 Sterling Electric Speed-Trol mixer.

Measuring / Drying:
Three Stabil-Therm Blue M Electric Company constant temperature cabinets for drying polymers.
Two Lab-Line Squaroid Duo-Vac Ovens and two VL-300 Grieve vacuum ovens equipped with E2M2 Edwards high vacuum pumps and one VWR 1450 vacuum oven for drying hydrophilic polymers.

American Scientific Products Scale, 20kg max.
1500D Ohaus scale, 150g / 1500g.