A process for compounding a thermoplastic composition comprising performance additives for use in additive manufacturing

A process for compounding a thermoplastic composition comprising performance additives for use in additive manufacturing, the process comprising a screw compounder having transport portions, kneader portions, locking portions, material inlets and degassing sections, the process comprising the steps of

• a) adding a thermoplastic composition comprising 50-95 parts per weight of PLA with a weight average molecular weight in the range 50.000 Mw-150.000 Mw and 5-50 parts per weight of PCL with a weight average molecular weight in the range 10.000 Mw-120.000 Mw to a first material inlet of the screw compounder, the first inlet being arranged in a first section of the screw compounder having a temperature below 60° C., the thermoplastic composition being transported through transport portions to a first kneader portion having a temperature in the range 150-200° C., said first kneader portion being provided with a first degassing section,
• b) transporting the thermoplastic composition through means of a transport section to a second material inlet where a performance additive composition selected from the group consisting of CaCO3, mica, talcum, cellulose, dolomite, starch, aluminium trihydrate, graphite, graphene, graphene oxide, graphyne, graphdiyne and combinations thereof is added, transporting said composition and performance additive composition to a second kneader section having a temperature in the range 150-200° C., transporting said performance additive loaded thermoplastic composition through a transport section opening up into an open transport section having a degassing section followed by a tight transport section where the temperature is in the range 120-150° C. followed by a further transport section where the temperature is in the range 120-150° C. whereupon the performance additive loaded thermoplastic composition is cooled and pelletized.