'Step-change advance'

What the firm is calling a “step-change advance” in technology for dispersion of additives and fillers in thermoplastics was introduced by this screw and barrel manufacturer at the Chinaplas trade show in late April. The innovation, marketed under the nXmix name, is said to provide both thorough distributive and intense dispersive mixing action, inline on conventional single- and twin-screw extruders, but with low shear, low process temperatures, and low energy consumption. The result is a low-viscosity melt, thus one more easily processed, but with little or no effect on the plastic’s mechanical properties. Xaloy manufactures screws, barrels, and related melt processing equipment.The Chinaplas debut follows a recently concluded licensing agreement between the manufacturer, Xaloy, and Stratek Plastic Ltd. (Wallingford, CT), with patents in place or patents pending worldwide, giving Xaloy exclusive responsibility for manufacture and worldwide marketing of equipment for this extrusion mixing technology.The nXmix is a two-stage device. The first stage uses an incised rotor to generate high-shear mixing of short duration. This breaks up agglomerates and disentangles polymer chains to reduce viscosity in preparation for the next mixing stage. The second stage involves a specially shaped rotor and stator each having a multitude of pockets in a helical configuration. This stage produces elongational flow with thorough mixing at low shear rates and temperatures.Xaloy’s chief technical officer, Tim Womer, added, “The nXmix opens the way to inline compounding of highly filled materials in the making of blown film, sheet, pipe, and profiles with single-screw extrusion; and of course it also works exceptionally well in traditional compounding processes such as pelletizing and masterbatch production.”Xaloy, New Castle, PA, U.S.A.; +1 724-656-5600; www.xaloy.com