Processes of mixing, compatibilizing, and/or recylcing blends of polymer materials through solid state shear pulverization, and products by such processes

Abstract

A method of making polymeric particulates wherein polymeric scrap material, virgin polymeric material and mixtures thereof are supplied to intermeshing extruder screws which are rotated to transport the polymeric material along their length and subject the polymeric material to solid state shear pulverization and in-situ polymer compatibilization, if two or more incompatible polymers are present. Uniform pulverized particulates are produced without addition of a compatibilizing agent. The pulverized particulates are directly melt processable (as powder feedstock) and surprisingly yield a substantially homogeneous light color product. The pulverized particulates also can be more intimately mixed than mixtures which are provided by only melt mixing, and can be melt processed without a significant delay in achieving phase inversion. The pulverized particulates also provide a stable microstructure.

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