Micronized polymer pellets with antistatic properties and a process and system for preparing same

A method of preparing a micronized polymer pellets comprising the steps of:

• mixing a polymer resin and an antistat agent to form a homogeneous polymer mixture;
• introducing the polymer mixture into an extruder;
• melting and kneading the polymer mixture in the extruder to form a molten or semi-molten polymer stream;
• introducing the polymer stream into a melt pump;
• measuring the pressure of the polymer stream exiting the melt pump;
• adjusting the pressure of the polymer stream as it exits the melt pump to a predetermined pressure threshold for the polymer stream;
• introducing the polymer stream into a pellet die, said pellet die comprising a plurality of fluid channels and corresponding extrusion orifices, the extrusion orifices having diameters ranging from about 0.020 to 0.050 mm;
• dividing the polymer stream to flow through the plurality of fluid channels to form a plurality of polymer strands;
• extruding the plurality of polymer strands through said extrusion orifices, cutting the plurality of polymer strands to form a plurality of micronized polymer pellets;
• and
• drying and collecting the micronized polymer pellets.

A system for preparing micronized polymer pellets having antistat properties, the system comprising

• a source of a polymer resin and a source of an antistat agent;
• an extruder in communication with the source of the polymer resin and the source of the antistat agent, the extruder being configured and arranged to melt knead the polymer resin and antistat agent to form a molten or semi-molten polymer stream;
• a melt pump disposed downstream of the extruder and in fluid communication with the extruder, the melt pump having a proximal and distal end, the melt pump being configured to receive the polymer stream from the extruder and adjust a pressure of the polymer stream to a predetermined pressure threshold;
• a die disposed downstream of the melt pump, the die comprising a plurality of fluid channels and a plurality of extrusion orifices each associated with a corresponding fluid channel, wherein the die is configured and arranged to distribute the polymer stream into a plurality of polymer strands;
• and
• a pelletizer disposed downstream of the die, the pelletizer configured and arranged to cut the polymer strands to form a plurality of micronized polymer pellets.