Emulsion Crystallization of Submicron Sized High Density Polyethylene Particles Using Micromixer

Abstract

A spherical high density polyethylene (HDPE) with a diameter of more than 0.2 µm was obtained from emulsion crystallization of an HDPE/1-dodecanol/triethylene glycol system. A multilamination type or split-and-recombine type micromixer was used for continuous production of HDPE particles. The micromixers provided a high heat and mass transfer rate between the HDPE/1-dodecanol solution and the cold immiscible nonsolvent triethylene glycol. This process could easily realize a supercooled uniform emulsion for HDPE crystallization. The particle size of HDPE could be controlled from the operating conditions of the continuous-flow micromixer system.