PROCESS FOR PRODUCING BIOPOLYMER NANOPARTICLES

摘要

A process for producing a biopolymer nanoparticles product is disclosed. In the process, biopolymer feedstock and a plasticizer are fed to a feed zone of an extruder having a screw configuration such that the biopolymer feedstock is processed using shear forces in the extruder, and a crosslinking agent is added to the extruder downstream of the feed zone. The process has a production rate of greater than or equal to 1.0 metric tons per hour of product. The biopolymer feedstock and the plasticizer are preferably added separately to the feed zone. The extruder may have single flight elements in the feed zone. The temperatures in the intermediate section of the extruder are preferably kept above 1000C. The screw configuration may include two or more steam seal sections. Shear forces in a first section of the extruder may be greater than shear forces in an adjacent second section of the extruder downstream of the first section. In a post reaction section located after a point in which the crosslinking reaction has been completed, water may be added to improve die performance.