In-Line Real-Time Polymer Molecular Weight Monitoring

The "In-Line Real-Time Polymer Molecular Weight Monitoring" initiative focuses on developing novel, continuous in-line measurement technologies for polymer molecular weight determination. Projects should aim to increase efficiency and improve quality control during manufacturing processes.

What we're looking for: 

Seeking innovative inline technologies to measure polymer molecular weight during injection processes. Potential solutions may include, but are not limited to:

• Inline rheometers
• Viscometers
• Sensors using pressure differentials
• Sonic methods
• Other novel approaches

Proposed solutions should be capable of operating within the following three stages of the ~1.5-second injection window:

• Injection acceleration
• Injection speed plateau
• Injection deceleration into hold

The primary objective is to correlate inline measurements of polymer properties with either molecular weight or solution intrinsic viscosity (SIV) to enhance quality control in polymer manufacturing processes.

Must-have requirements are:

• Provides real-time measurements within the ~1.5-second injection window
• Adjusts for temperature fluctuations in the polymer melt
• Operates at high temperatures (280-320°C) and supports a design pressure of 2000 bar
• Integrates within the nozzle, which cannot exceed 17 cm in length (the nozzle tip accounts for 2 cm of that length)

Nice-to-have requirements are:

• Correlation of molecular weight to solution intrinsic viscosity (SIV) for easier interpretation by polymer engineers

Out of scope:

• Offline equipment unless it is fed from the extruder and can operate autonomously
• Solutions requiring manual operation to transfer material
• Systems that cause additional polymer degradation