Blends of poly butylene terephthalate (PBT) and polycarbonate (PC) form a very important class of commercial blends in numerous applications requiring materials with good chemical resistance, impact resistance even at low temperatures, and aesthetic and flow characteristics. PC and PBT are usually blended in a twin screw extruder (TSE). Product melt volume flow rate (MVR) is a property used to monitor product quality while blending the PC/PBT in a twin screw extruder. It is usually measured off line in a quality control laboratory using extrusion plastometer on samples collected discretely during the compounding operation. Typically a target value representing the desired value of the quality characteristics for an in-control process, along with upper and lower control limits are specified. As long as the MVR measurement is within the control limits, the sample is approved and the whole compounded blend is assumed to meet the specification. Otherwise, the blend is rejected. Because of infrequent discrete sampling, corrective actions are usually applied with delay, thus resulting in wasted material. It is important that the produced PC/PBT blend pellets have consistent properties. Variability and fault usually arise from three sources: human errors, feed material variability, and machine operation (i.e. steady state variation). Among these, the latter two are the major ones affecting product quality. The resulting variation in resin properties contributes to increased waste products, larger production cost and dissatisfied customers. Motivated by this, the objective of this project was to study the compounding operation of PC/PBT blend in a twin screw extruder and to develop a feasible methodology that can be applied on-line for monitoring properties of blends on industrial compounding operations employing available extruder input and output variables such as screw speed, material flow rate, die pressure and torque. To achieve this objective, a physics-based model for a twin screw extruder along with a MVR model were developed, examined and adapted for this study, and verified through designed experiments. This dynamic model for a TSE captures the important dynamics, and relates measurable process variables (screw speed, torque, feed rates, pressure etc.) to ones that are not being measured (material holdups and compositions at the partially and filled section along a TSE barrel). This model also provides product quality sensors or inferential estimation techniques for prediction of viscosity and accordingly MVR. The usefulness of the model for inferential MVR sensing and fault diagnosis was demonstrated on experiments performed on a 58 mm co-rotating twin-screw extruder for an industrial compounding operation at a SABIC Innovative Plastics plant involving polycarbonate – poly butylene terephthalate blends. The results showed that the model has the capability of identifying faults (i.e., process deviation from the nominal conditions) in polymer compounding operations with the twin screw extruder. For instance, the die pressure exhibited a change as a function of changes in raw materials and feed composition of PC and PBT. In the presence of deviations from nominal conditions, the die pressure parameters are updated. These die pressure model parameters were identified and updated using the recursive parameter estimation method. The recursive identification of the die pressure parameters was able to capture very well the effects of changes in raw material and/or composition on the die pressure. In addition, the developed MVR model showed a good ability in monitoring product MVR on-line and inferentially from output process variables such as die pressure which enables quick quality control to maintain products within specification limits and to minimize waste production.

Blends of poly butylene terephthalate (PBT) and polycarbonate (PC) form a very important class of commercial blends in numerous applications requiring materials with good chemical resistance, impact resistance even at low temperatures, and aesthetic and flow characteristics. PC and PBT are usually blended in a twin screw extruder (TSE). Product melt volume flow rate (MVR) is a property used to monitor product quality while blending the PC/PBT in a twin screw extruder. It is usually measured off line in a quality control laboratory using extrusion plastometer on samples collected discretely during the compounding operation. Typically a target value representing the desired value of the quality characteristics for an in-control process, along with upper and lower control limits are specified. As long as the MVR measurement is within the control limits, the sample is approved and the whole compounded blend is assumed to meet the specification. Otherwise, the blend is rejected. Because of infrequent discrete sampling, corrective actions are usually applied with delay, thus resulting in wasted material. It is important that the produced PC/PBT blend pellets have consistent properties. Variability and fault usually arise from three sources: human errors, feed material variability, and machine operation (i.e. steady state variation). Among these, the latter two are the major ones affecting product quality. The resulting variation in resin properties contributes to increased waste products, larger production cost and dissatisfied customers. Motivated by this, the objective of this project was to study the compounding operation of PC/PBT blend in a twin screw extruder and to develop a feasible methodology that can be applied on-line for monitoring properties of blends on industrial compounding operations employing available extruder input and output variables such as screw speed, material flow rate, die pressure and torque. To achieve this objective, a physics-based model for a twin screw extruder along with a MVR model were developed, examined and adapted for this study, and verified through designed experiments. This dynamic model for a TSE captures the important dynamics, and relates measurable process variables (screw speed, torque, feed rates, pressure etc.) to ones that are not being measured (material holdups and compositions at the partially and filled section along a TSE barrel). This model also provides product quality sensors or inferential estimation techniques for prediction of viscosity and accordingly MVR. The usefulness of the model for inferential MVR sensing and fault diagnosis was demonstrated on experiments performed on a 58 mm co-rotating twin-screw extruder for an industrial compounding operation at a SABIC Innovative Plastics plant involving polycarbonate – poly butylene terephthalate blends. The results showed that the model has the capability of identifying faults (i.e., process deviation from the nominal conditions) in polymer compounding operations with the twin screw extruder. For instance, the die pressure exhibited a change as a function of changes in raw materials and feed composition of PC and PBT. In the presence of deviations from nominal conditions, the die pressure parameters are updated. These die pressure model parameters were identified and updated using the recursive parameter estimation method. The recursive identification of the die pressure parameters was able to capture very well the effects of changes in raw material and/or composition on the die pressure. In addition, the developed MVR model showed a good ability in monitoring product MVR on-line and inferentially from output process variables such as die pressure which enables quick quality control to maintain products within specification limits and to minimize waste production.

The catalytic depolymerization/pyrolysis of nylon 6 and 66 were investigated with the prospect of helping to curb the amount of carpet landfilled. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine which catalysts (and their nylon/catalyst ratio) were most suited for the depolymerization. By adding bases, the onset of degradation for some bases was 100 aC lower than that of the pure nylons. Potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide were found to be the most effective catalysts at a catalyst ratio of 100:1 of nylon 6 and nylon 66 to catalyst, respectively. After determining the most efficient catalyst, kinetic models/parameters from the TGA data were determined. These parameters were used in a reactive extrusion model for depolymerizing nylon 6 in carpet. Data from the model was then used to do cost analysis for the process. It was found that to get a Present Value Ratio greater than 1, the flow rate has to be greater than or equal to 500 lb/hr. At even higher flow rates up to the model¡¦s limit (1500 lb/hr), the Net Present Value shows that this process is economically viable. Extrusion of a 100:1 ratio of pure N6 and KOH was done in a 30 mm counter-rotating non-intermeshing twin screw extruder. The material collected from the vents of the extruder was tested with a gas chromatograph- mass spectrum (GC-MS) in tandem. There was only one significant peak from the GC and the primary molecular weight on the MS was 113, the molecular weight of caprolactam. This shows that the process could be profitable and require little purification if done industrially.

Le mélange de polymères est une méthode répandue pour élaborer des matériaux polymères. Cependant, la plupart des polymères sont thermodynamiquement immiscibles entre eux, engendrant une séparation de phase des mélanges et une détérioration de leurs propriétés. Afin de palier ces problèmes, la méthode dite compatibilisation réactive est souvent employée. Elle est basée sur la formation in-situ de copolymères à bloc ou greffés par l’intermédiaire de réactions interfaciales entre polymères réactifs. Cette thèse a pour objet de développer un concept dit agent compatibilisant-traceur réactif qui permettra d’utiliser de faibles quantités d’agents compatibilisants réactifs pour évaluer leurs efficacités de compatibilisation directement sur des extrudeuses bi-vis industrielles, d’une part ; et de caractériser la performance du mélange d’une extrudeuse bi-vis en fonction des conditions opératoires et/ou du profil de vis employé. Ses principales contributions se résument ci-après. L’anthracène de 9-méthylaminométhyle (MAMA), une molécule fluorescente, est incorporée dans un copolymère statistique de styrène (St) et d’isocyanate de 3-isopropenyle-?, ?’-diméthylebenzène (TMI), noté PS-TMI, pour former un agent compatibilisant-traceur réactif, noté PS-TMI-MAMA. Ce dernier sert à la fois comme agent compatibilisant réactif grâce aux groupements isocyanate et traceur grâce aux groupements fluorescents. Il est utilisé pour les mélanges à base de polystyrène (PS) et de polyamide 6 (PA6) afin d’évaluer son efficacité de compatibilisation. Les mélanges PS/PA6 sont élaborés dans un mélangeur discontinu et une extrudeuse bi-vis, respectivement. Dans le cas du mélangeur discontinu, la quantité du copolymère greffé formé in-situ, noté PS-g-PA6-MAMA, augmente alors que le diamètre des domaines de la phase dispersée (DDD) diminue considérablement au début du mélange. Lorsque le mélange se poursuit, le nombre de greffons en PA6 du PS-g-PA6-MAMA augmente, engendrant une composition très asymétrique du PS-g-PA6-MAMA qui est thermodynamiquement instable aux interfaces. De ce fait, il peut être arraché des interfaces vers la phase PA6 et peut y former des micelles. Lorsqu’il est arraché des interfaces, il perdra son efficacité de compatibilisation et le DDD augmentera. L’action du mélange a un double effet sur le procédé de compatibilisation réactive. Il promeut la réaction interfaciale entre le PS-TMI-MAMA et le PA6, d’une part ; et aggrave l’arrachage du PS-g-PA6-MAMA de l’interface, d’autre part. L’utilisation de faibles quantités de l’agent compatibilisant-traceur réactif permet de mesurer les évolutions de la teneur en agent compatibilisant-traceur réactif, du DDD et de la teneur en agent compatibilisant-traceur réactif ayant réagi en fonction du temps de séjour dans une extrudeuse bi-vis. Pour une masse molaire donnée, l’efficacité de compatibilisation d’un agent compatibilisant-traceur réactif augmente avec l’augmentation de la teneur en TMI dans une certaine limite. Pour une teneur en TMI donnée, la réaction interfaciale est plus rapide avec la diminution de la masse molaire dans une certaine limite et le DDD devient plus petit en un temps plus court. L’influence du taux de remplissage de la vis est plus significative que celle du temps de séjour. Lorsque le taux de remplissage de la vis augmente, le taux de la réaction interfaciale augmente et le DDD diminue. Lorsque l’angle d’un élément de mélange augmente, les efficacités du mélange distributif et du mélange dispersif augmentent, ce qui se traduit par une augmentation de la quantité du PS-g-PA6-MAMA formée et une diminution du DDD par rapport à la même quantité de PS-g-PA6-MAMA produite. Lorsque la largeur d’un élément de mélange augmente, l’efficacité du mélange distributive augmente alors que celle du mélange dispersif demeure inchangée. La substitution d’éléments de mélange par des éléments inverses améliore l’efficacité du mélange distributif et celle du mélange dispersif / Polymer blending is a common method to prepare high-performance polymer materials. However, most polymer pairs are thermodynamically immiscible, leading to phase separation and deterioration in material properties. To overcome such problems, the most common method is reactive compatibilization which is based on the in-situ formation of a graft or block copolymer by interfacial reaction between reactive polymers. This thesis aims at developing a concept of reactive compatibilizer-tracer which will allow using small amounts of reactive compatibilizers to evaluate their compatibilizing efficiency in industrial scale twin screw extruders, on the one hand; and to characterize the mixing performance of a twin screw extruder as a function of process conditions and/or screw profile. Its main contributions are summarized below. 9-(methylaminomethyl) anthracene (MAMA), a fluorescent molecule, is incorporated into a random copolymer of styrene (St) and 3-isopropenyl-?, ?’-dimethylbenzene isocyanate (TMI), denoted as PS-TMI, to form a reactive compatibilizer-tracer, denoted as PS- TMI-MAMA. The latter serves both as a reactive compatibilizer due to its isocyanate moieties and a tracer due to its fluorescent moieites. It is used for polystyrene (PS)/polyamide 6 (PA6) blends to evaluate its compatibilizing efficiency. Compatibilized PS/PA6 blends are processed in a batch mixer and in a twin screw extruder, respectively. In the case of the batch mixer, the amount of the in-situ formed graft copolymer denoted as PS-g-PA6-MAMA increases and the dispersed phase domain diameter (DDD) decreases drastically in the initial period of mixing. As the mixing further proceeds, the number of PA6 grafts of the PS-g-PA6-MAMA increases, resulting in a highly asymmetrical composition of the PS-g-PA6-MAMA which causes thermodynamic instablility at the interface. As a result, it could be pulled out of the interface to the PA6 phase and form micelles. Once it is pulled out of the interface, it will lose its compatibilizing efficiency and the dispersed phase domain diameter increases sharply. Mixing has a dual effect on the reactive compatibilization process. On the one hand, it promotes the interfacial reaction between the PS-TMI-MAMA and PA6. On the other hand, it aggravates the pull out of the resulting PS-g-PA6-MAMA from the interface. The use of small amounts of the reactive compatibilizer-tracer together with transient experiments for RTD allows assessing the evolutions of the reactive compatibilizer-tracer content (CC), the dispersed phase domain diameter (DDD), and the reacted reactive compatibilizer-tracer content (RCC) as a function of residence time in a twin-screw extruder. Based on the above results, the emulsification curve (DDD vs. CC), the RCC vs. CC curve and effective emulsification curve (DDD vs. RCC) are obtained. When the molar mass of the reactive compatibilizer-tracer is fixed, its compatibilizing efficiency increases with increasing TMI content within an appropriate range. When its TMI content is fixed, the interfacial reaction goes faster as the molar mass of the reactive compatibilizer-tracer decreases within a certain range, and the DDD becomes smaller in a shorter time. The effect of degree of fill fixed by the throughput Q/screw speed N ratio is more dominant than that of residence time. As the degree of fill increases, the interfacial reaction increases and the DDD decreases. As the angle of adjacent the kneading block increases, its distributive and dispersive mixing efficiencies increase, resulting in an increase in interfacial area generation and a decrease in DDD on the basis of the same amount of PS-g-PA6-MAMA. On the other hand, as the width of the kneading block increases, the distributive mixing efficiency increases and the dispersive mixing efficiency remains unchanged. Substitution of kneading blocks by reverse ones increase both the distributive and dispersive mixing efficiencies

L'extraction aqueuse des lipides de la graine de tournesol est étudiée en contacteur agité. La diffusion à l'intérieur des particules est le facteur limitant de l'échange de matière. Les protéines sont impliquées dans l'entraînement et la stabilisation des lipides par l'eau. Le fractionnement de la plante entière est également étudié avec l'eau en extrusion bi-vis. Un extrait et un raffinat sont obtenus séparément et en une seule étape continue. Des rendements d'extraction en huile de 55 % peuvent être obtenus sous forme d'émulsions huile/eau. Leur stabilité est assurée par la présence à l'interface de tensioactifs : les phospholipides et les protéines voire les pectines. Les extraits se composent aussi d'une phase hydrophile. Prépondérante, elle contient des composés hydrosolubles (protéines, pectines…). Riches en fibres, les raffinats présentent une teneur significative en protéines au comportement thermoplastique. Ils peuvent être transformés en agromatériaux par thermomoulage.

Les apiaceae peuvent être définies en tant qu' Aroma-Tincto-Oleo-Crop (ATOC), plantes qui contiennent à la fois une huile végétale et une huile essentielle. Appliquer le concept d'agroraffinage aux ATOC revient à proposer un procédé séquentiel alliant une co-extraction huile végétale et huile essentielle à une valorisation des résidus en tant que source de molécules biosourcées et de susbtrat pour la formulation d'agromatériaux . Les objectifs de cette thèse seront donc d'étudier la faisabilité biologique et technologique d'application du concept d'ATOC-raffinage à la coriandre (Coriandrum sativum L.). Le chapitre I présente l'état de l'art bibliographique sur l'extraction et l'analyse des huiles végétales et huiles essentielles de coriandre tandis que dans le chapitre II sont décrits les matériels et méthodes mis en oeuvre au cours de la thèse tant au niveau échantillonnage, extraction, analyse que traitement des données. Le chapitre III est centré sur l'étude des différents paramètres biologiques pouvant influencer la bioaccumulation des huiles végétales et huiles essentielles dans la coriandre (différentes variétés, différents organes de la plante, différents stades de développement biologique) et leur impact sur l'activité anti-oxydante des extraits obtenus à partir des résidus d'extraction. Dans le chapitre IV, la technologie d'extrusion (mono-vis et bi-vis) a été appliquée aux graines de coriandre dans le but d’évaluer la faisabilité du pressage mécanique du fruit de la coriandre pour l’extraction d'une huile végétale aromatisée. L’influence des conditions expérimentales sur le rendement d'extraction en huile végétale (diamètre de buse et distance buse-vis (extrudeur mono-vis) ou configuration de vis, coefficient de remplissage et température de pressage (extrudeur bi-vis)) a été étudiée tandis que la faisabilité de la valorisation du résidu solide d'extraction en agromatériaux (thermo-pressage) a été montrée. / Apiaceae could be defined as Aroma Tincto Oleo Crops (ATOC), e.g. plants containing both vegetable oil and essential oil. Applying agroreffinery concept to ATOC led to propose a sequential fractionation process coupling co-extraction of vegetal oil and essential oil to a valorization of by-product residues as biosourced active molecules and substrates for designing agromaterials. The aim of this thesis is to determine the biological and technological feasability of application of the ATOC-refinery concept to coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) Chapter I reports a bibliographic state of the art study on extraction and characterisation of coriander vegetal oil and essential oil while chapter II describes materials and methods setting up during the thesis for sampling, extraction, analysis and data processing. Chapter III focus on the study of major various biological parameters influencing bioaccumulation of vegetal oil and essential oil in coriander (different plant varieties, different plant organs, different biological stages) and their impact on anti-oxidant activity of extracts obtained from extraction residues. In chapter IV, coriander fruits are processed by extrusion technology (mono screw and twin-screw extruder) in order to evaluate the feasability of mechanical pressing for extracting a flavored vegetal oil. Influence of operating parameters on vegetal oil extraction yields (nozzle diameter and nozzle/screw distance (single-screw extruder) or screw configuration, device’s filling coefficient and pressing temperature (twin-screw extruder)) is studied while the feasability of valorization of extraction cake as agromaterial (thermopressing) was stated.

Les fruits de coriandre ont été identifiés comme une source riche en huile végétale de haute qualité, à forte teneur en acide pétrosélinique et en huile essentielle. Un système d'extraction innovant a été conçu et développé en utilisant la technologie d'extrusion bi-vis. Il a permis l’obtention d'un produit nouveau, à savoir une huile végétale de coriandre aromatisée et à haute valeur ajoutée, d’un condensat présentant une concentration élevée en huile essentielle et d’un tourteau révélant une forte teneur en protéines. Le tourteau a montré son intérêt en tant que liant naturel pour la production de panneaux de fibres renouvelables issus de la paille de coriandre, un résidu de la culture de la plante, conduisant à des agromatériaux auto-liés et ayant un rapport performance/coût élevé. Les fibres de la paille de coriandre ont également présenté une bonne capacité de renforcement lorsqu’elles étaient utilisées comme charge naturelle dans des biocomposites thermoplastiques à base de polypropylène ou de biopolyéthylène, permettant le moulage par injection de matériaux peu couteux et aux propriétés mécaniques prometteuses. Ce travail présente ainsi une forte contribution à la mise en place d'une véritable bioraffinerie intégrée de la coriandre et à la démonstration de sa mise en oeuvre à une échelle industrielle. / Coriander fruits of French origin were identified as a rich source of a high-quality vegetable oil, with a high petroselinic acid content, and essential oil. An innovative extraction system was designed and developed using twin-screw extrusion technology and resulted in the recovery of a novel flavored coriander oil with high added value, as well as a hydrosol product with a high essential oil concentration and a press cake with an important protein fraction. The press cake was shown valuable as a natural binding agent for the production of renewable materials from coriander straw, a crop residue, and led to binderless boards with a high performance-cost ratio. Simultaneously, the coriander straw fibers displayed good reinforcing capacity as a natural filler in thermoplastic biocomposites from polypropylene or biopolyethylene, resulting in cost-effective materials with attractive properties. This work thus presents a strong contribution to the setup of a true integrated biorefinery for coriander fruits and its industrial implementation on a relevant production scale.

Cette thèse porte sur la relation entre le procédé de préparation et la structure des nanocomposites polypropylène/argile. Les échantillons ont été préparés au mélangeur interne dans un premier temps. Des observations au microscope électronique à balayage, complétées par des analyses en diffraction des rayons X ainsi que des mesures rhéologiques ont permis de caractériser l’état de dispersion de l’argile à différentes échelles au sein du matériau. Nous avons comparé trois argiles organophiles et montré que la compatibilité chimique entre l’argile et la matrice est un facteur primordial afin d’obtenir une bonne dispersion : la Cloisite 20 et la Dellite 67G montrent de bons états de dispersion à toutes les échelles au contraire de la Cloisite 30B. Nous avons ensuite mis en évidence l’influence de la vitesse de rotation ainsi que du temps de mélange sur l’état de dispersion de l’argile. Le seuil de percolation de l’argile dans le polypropylène a été déterminé. Le lien entre état de dispersion et cristallinité du polypropylène a également été étudié.Les échantillons ont ensuite été préparés par extrusion bivis. L’influence de la vitesse de rotation sur l’état de dispersion de l’argile a été mise en évidence, tout autant que la dégradation de la matrice aux plus fortes vitesses. L’évolution de l’état de dispersion le long de la vis a montré que si l’intercalation était rapidement atteinte sur la vis, l’exfoliation progressait linéairement avant de saturer sur les dernières zones. L’utilisation d’une température de régulation plus faible ou d’une matrice plus visqueuse n’ont pas permis d’améliorer l’état de dispersion de l’argile ni d’éviter la dégradation de la matrice. Enfin, l’utilisation du logiciel Ludovic© a permis de mieux appréhender les phénomènes thermomécaniques mis en jeu lors de l’extrusion, mais également d’optimiser le procédé. / This PhD focuses on the relationship between the preparation process and the structure of polypropylene/clay nanocomposites. First, the samples were prepared via an internal mixer. Scanning electron microscopy observations, completed by X-ray diffraction analysis and rheology measurements enabled us to characterize the clay dispersion state in the nanocomposite at different scales. Three organoclays were compared. It was shown that the chemical compatibility between the clay and the matrix was essential to ensure a good dispersion: Cloisite 20 and Dellite 67G showed good dispersion states at all scales, whereas Cloisite 30B did not. The influence of rotor speed and mixing time on the clay dispersion state was shown. The percolation threshold of the clay was determined. The link between dispersion state and crystallinity was also studied.The samples were then prepared via a twin-screw extruder. The influence of screw speed on the clay dispersion state was demonstrated, as well as the matrix degradation at high screw speed. The evolution of the dispersion state along the screw profile showed that intercalation was reached early in the screw profile, whereas exfoliation evolved linearly until the last mixing elements. A lower barrel temperature, as well as a more viscous matrix did not improve the clay dispersion state, and did not prevent the matrix degradation. Finally, the Ludovic© software allowed us to apprehend the thermomechanical phenomena involved during extrusion, but also to optimize the process.

En raison de leurs excellentes propriétés, les polyoléfines telles que le polypropylène et le polyéthylène sont largement utilisées dans des applications d'emballage alimentaire. Cependant, tout au long de leur cycle de vie ou de la première utilisation, les polyoléfines peuvent être exposées à des milieux contaminés qui limitent leur recyclabilité en contact alimentaire. Par conséquence, le recyclage de polyoléfines au contact alimentaire nécessite des niveaux de décontamination rigoureux et donc une technologie de décontamination avancée. L’objectif de ce travail consiste dans un premier temps à étudier la faisabilité et la potentialité de l’extraction par CO2 supercritique en mode batch pour la purification de polyoléfines (extraction d’additifs et de contaminants modèles). On s’est plus particulièrement attaché à étudier l’effet des paramètres du procédé sur la cinétique de l’extraction ainsi que l’influence de l’extraction supercritique sur les comportements rhéologique et thermique des matériaux purifiés. Dans un deuxième temps, on s’est intéressé au développement d’un nouveau procédé continu d’extraction par couplage de l’extraction supercritique et l’extrusion bi-vis. Les résultats les plus importants ont montré la potentialité de l’extraction par CO2 supercritique en mode batch pour la purification de polyoléfines sans influencer significativement les propriétés de la matrice / Due to their excellent properties, polyolefins such as polypropylene and polyethylene are widely used in food packaging applications to preserve and protect foodstuffs. However, throughout their lifecycle or first use, polyolefins can be exposed to contaminated media which limit their recyclability in food contact applications. Therefore, the recycling of polyolefins into direct food contact applications requires rigorous decontamination levels and thus effective and advanced recycling technology. The objective of this work is, at first hand, to study the feasibility and the potential of supercritical CO2 extraction in batch process for the purification of polyolefins (extraction of additives and model contaminants). In the whole, we investigated the effects of process parameters and contaminant structure on the extraction kinetic, and the influence of the supercritical CO2 extraction on the rheological and thermal behaviors of the purified materials. On the other hand, we aimed at the development of a novel continuous extraction process by coupling supercritical extraction technique and twin-screw extrusion. The most significant results showed the potential of supercritical CO2 extraction in batch mode for the purification of polyolefins without influence significantly the matrix properties

Solvent-free extrusion emulsification (SFEE) is a recently developed process for producing submicron particles with high viscosity polymers inside a twin-screw extruder without the use of hazardous solvents. Its dependency on a catastrophic phase inversion makes the process knowingly sensitive to a variety of formulation and operational variables, causing a narrow window of production. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate and improve process stability as well as widening operational window. Transient effects of the start-up procedure was investigated by considering the process stability and particle size distribution. The transient sensitivity corresponded to the residency of material in the dispersion zone. When a sub-optimal water/surfactant fraction was allowed to produce an undesired polymer-water (thick lamella) morphology, this morphology continued to persist until the critical first half of the dispersion zone was purged of existing mass. Lot to lot variability of polyester resin was used to investigate the sensitivities of the SFEE process more deeply to better understand the mechanism involved. In this case, acid number was shown to have a significant effect on the initial amount of water needed in the dispersion zone for phase inversion, resulting in an emulsification boundary dependent on the resin acid number. In fact, a significant correlation was found between the acidic end groups of the resin and the maximum amount of water content that could be used in the dispersion zone. The effect of feed rate, screw speed, dispersion length, and surfactant concentration were studied for their individual influence on widening the emulsification boundary. The most significant improvement was observed by applying a longer dispersion length or lower feed rate because both significantly increase the residence time. The effect of residence time on the emulsification boundary was attributed to the total strain imposed on the polymer/water mixture which was related to interfacial growth in the dispersion zone. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)