Box-Behnken Design for Polycarbonate-Pigment Blending: Applications and Characterization Techniques

Incorporating pigments into polymers can be done for various purposes, including the introduction of color, interfacial effects, or aesthetics. If these pigments are to disperse properly, then the process of extrusion must be optimized. During polymer compounding extrusion, three effective processing factors were investigated: feed rate (FR), speed (Sp.) and temperature (temp.) for a colored compounded polycarbonate (PC) grade (30/70%). The processing design techniques were obtained by applying design experiments in a response surface methodology (RSM) to blend two polycarbonates with pigments and optimize the processing temperatures at center points. The first study decided to utilize the response surface approach of Box-Behnken design (BBD) to design an experiment to optimize the process parameters. Statistical significance was demonstrated by the model passing all diagnostic tests. Furthermore, the three processing factors strongly impacted the characteristics of the tri-stimulus color, according to the results from a variance analysis. The second study identified process variables for the same PC grade at the center level, 25 kg/h FR, 750 rpm speed, and (255 °C) temp. The characterization and scanning morphology were examined using MicroCtscanner image analysis, SEM, DOM, rheology, FT-IR, and color-pigmented values were measured using a color spectrometer. The output response was significantly impacted when excellent color dispersion was observed with few agglomerates and less differences in colors at the center point. By characterizing these results and having good insight into color difference output and processing condition relationships, which have an adverse effect on color variation characteristics and minimize recycling compounds of different grades, results in cleaner environments benefits.