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Master Reactive Extrusion in Twin Screw for Enhanced Quality & Safety

Master Reactive Extrusion in Twin Screw for Enhanced Quality & Safety
Language: English
Length: 90 min
Dec 11, 2025 03:00 PM
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Course Description

Get started with reactive extrusion for your thermoplastics by gaining a 360⁰ view of the process, the reaction chemistry, and how to configure the extruder.



In this live course, Dr Trevor J. Hutley will help you spend less time on trial and error and develop materials with reactive extrusion principles and practices faster by sharing hands-on tips on injecting liquids, defining the right residence time distribution (RTD), and more.

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Trevor Hutley
Trevor Hutley
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Dr. Trevor J. Hutley is a leading polymer and petrochemical industry specialist. He is a research & innovation advisor with global experience in many pioneering and complex situations. Dr. Hutley possesses a rare combination of broad and deep technology and science knowledge, combined with expertise in finance, marketing, manufacturing, and business. He has consistently demonstrated success in new product development, new market expansion, and technology innovation, with a proven track record of commercializing cutting-edge technologies and scientific advancements.

Dr. Hutley has worked for and consulted/advised for companies including:

  • Ford
  • Lotus Engineering
  • SABIC
  • PIRA
  • AMI
  • OneChem
  • Arizona Chemicals
  • Royal Commission in Saudi Arabia
  • GPCA (The Gulf Petrochemical and Chemical Association) in Dubai
  • The Dhahran TechnoValley Company
  • Pan Gulf Holding
  • Polykem Sàrl
  • The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)
  • SCG in Thailand

His past roles include Dunlop (5 years), DuPont Engineering Polymers (almost 15 years), and Sipchem (5.25 years), with work based in the UK, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and for 10 years in the Middle East.

Dr. Hutley's qualifications include:

  • PhD in Polymer Engineering from Cranfield Institute of Technology
  • Executive MBA summa cum laude in finance and marketing from BSL (Business School Lausanne)
  • First-class BTech in Polymer Technology from Brunel University
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Why should you view this course?

The environmental advantages of reactive extrusion compared to traditional reactors present huge potential. Moreover, reactive extrusion can be used for a variety of reactions.

But do you have a structured methodology to determine the parameters for your thermoplastics' reactive extrusion (right number of residues, the right temperature, the right screw speed, etc.)? Are you clear on the effect of reaction chemistry on the extruder? Without that clarity, you might end up relying on trial and error, which can lead to quality issues. This course will help you:

  1. Save time by knowing the basics of reactive extrusion and how to achieve desired polymer properties using your extruder as a reactor.

  2. Understand the very important reaction chemistry (Free-Radical, Saponification, and more...) governing the whole process.

  3. Achieve good mixing by understanding how to best configure the reactive extrusion process (Screw design, Liquid injection, Mixing configurations...).

Who should join this course?
    • R&D Chemists, Research Engineers working with twin-screw extrusion
    • Product Development Managers, Compounders, Masterbatchers & Application Development Managers

  • Complete the course and (unlock your personalized certificate)– your badge of accomplishment awaits!

  • This course is suitable for beginner level proficiency
    Beginner
Course Outline

1. Introduction

  • Overview of reactive extrusion (REX) and its industrial relevance
  • Why use a twin-screw extruder as a chemical reactor
  • Benefits of REX: improved product quality, efficiency, and sustainability

2. Configuring the Reactive Extrusion Process

  • Key process parameters for effective REX
  • Setting up the extruder for optimal mixing and reaction control
  • Temperature, residence time, and shear considerations

3. Screw Design & Liquid Injection

Screw Design Considerations

  • Influence of screw geometry on residence time and conversion
  • Selecting screw elements for desired shear and mixing behavior

Liquid Injection Techniques

  • Best practices for injecting liquid reactants
  • Why controlled liquid handling is critical for safety and process stability

4. Mixing and Residence Time Distribution (RTD)

  • Configuring screw elements for efficient mixing
  • Elements that promote vs. hinder homogeneity
  • Measuring and interpreting RTD to predict process performance
  • Correlation between RTD and product consistency



5. Reaction Chemistry & Extruder Configuration

Free-Radical Chemistry

  • Key mechanisms: initiation, propagation, termination
  • Applications in:
  1. PE crosslinking
  2. PP chain scission
  3. Grafting reactions

Saponification

  • Patent-based examples and practical insights
  • Ionomer formation using ethylene–acrylate copolymers

Trans-Esterification

  • Case examples with ethylene–acrylate polymers and alcohols
  • Enhancing conversion using partial condensers

6. Safety in Reactive Extrusion

Raw Material Hazards

  • Safe handling of maleic anhydride, organic peroxides, and alcohols

Process & Thermal Hazards

  • Managing volatile by-products
  • Pressure and melt temperature control strategies

Heat Transfer Management

  • Practical approaches for consistent reaction control and safety assurance

7. Practical Insights & Troubleshooting

  • Identifying and resolving common REX processing issues
  • Tips for balancing reaction efficiency, mixing, and throughput
  • Case studies from industrial applications



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30 min Q & As for this course
Interact directly with your tutor and clarify your doubts
  1. 30 mins per session for Questions and Answers
  2. Clarify your doubts.
  3. If your questions are not answered, dont worry you will recieve tutor’s reply via email after sessions.
Master Reactive Extrusion in Twin Screw for Enhanced Quality & Safety
€275
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