Reactive Extrusion Consultants – Industrial Chemistry
Organometallic Synthesis Services – Industrial Chemistry
April 1, 2025

Reactive Extrusion Consultant – Industrial Chemistry

Helping You Achieve More with Polymer Chemistry

At Industrial Chemistry, we offer expert services as a Reactive Extrusion Consultant to help companies develop, improve, and scale polymer materials. Whether you’re working with bioplastics, thermoplastic elastomers, or functional polymer blends, we can help you get the best results from your reactive extrusion processes.

Our role as a Reactive Extrusion Consultant is to work directly with your team to develop tailored solutions. We provide hands-on, practical help to solve complex polymer challenges, especially when chemical reactions need to happen inside an extruder.

What is Reactive Extrusion?

Reactive extrusion (REX) is a process where chemical reactions such as polymer grafting, chain extension, cross-linking, or in-situ polymerisation happen during extrusion. It replaces slow batch chemistry with a faster, continuous method.

This is widely used for:

  • Modifying bioplastics like PLA or PHA
  • Producing grafted polymers like PE-g-MA
  • Improving melt strength via chain extension
  • Creating compatibilisers for blends
  • Cross-linking materials for better performance

Who Needs a Reactive Extrusion Consultant?

Our consulting service supports a wide range of industries:

Process and R&D Engineers

These professionals are often developing new polymer systems or testing chemical reactions at lab scale. The challenge comes when trying to scale up those experiments into a stable, repeatable process on a production line. As a Reactive Extrusion Consultant, we help bridge that gap with pilot trials, screw configuration guidance, residence time strategies, and support with material handling and formulation.

Operations Managers

Operations leaders are focused on efficiency, throughput, and process stability. We help them by identifying where material losses occur, reducing torque and pressure issues, and optimising line setup to ensure consistent quality. We also help train extrusion teams so they understand how the chemistry and mechanical elements interact.

Bioplastics Developers

Sustainable packaging and bio-based products often require tailored mechanical properties. We work with bioplastics developers to improve flexibility, clarity, and barrier performance through reactive compounding. Our Reactive Extrusion Consultant service is used to functionalise PLA, improve compostability, or add chain extenders to boost molecular weight.

Medical and Food Packaging Innovators

These sectors need extremely safe and consistent polymer outputs. Our services include designing reactive extrusion processes that meet regulatory standards while offering custom barrier properties, precise molecular weight control, and minimal residuals. We ensure that process outputs are clean, stable, and fit for sensitive applications.

Academic Teams

Universities and research institutions often develop promising new materials, but need help scaling those concepts into production. We provide technical input and hands-on extrusion support to help turn academic work into viable industrial products. Our consultants also support grant-based research programmes where reactive extrusion expertise is required.

If your team needs help designing a new polymer, solving issues in extrusion, or reducing waste during processing, a Reactive Extrusion Consultant from Industrial Chemistry can deliver the insights and changes you need.

Learn about our team of polymer experts at Plastic Materials Consultant Industrial Chemistry.

Our Reactive Extrusion Services

At Industrial Chemistry, we offer complete, end-to-end reactive extrusion consulting services:

Formulation Development

We help you design functional polymer blends and compatibilizers suited to your specific application. This includes choosing base polymers, selecting reactive additives (such as grafting agents or chain extenders), and defining ratios for optimal performance. Our Reactive Extrusion Consultant ensures the formulation works chemically and mechanically within the extrusion process.

Process Troubleshooting

Many extrusion challenges arise from complex reactions happening under heat and shear. We resolve problems like excessive torque, melt pressure fluctuations, poor dispersion, or degraded product quality. Our consultants diagnose the root cause and implement changes to stabilise the line and improve material output. 

Pilot-Scale Testing

Taking a formulation from bench to industrial production requires careful pilot testing. We help plan and execute trials, selecting appropriate feed strategies, screw designs, and process conditions. Whether at your facility or with a trusted partner, we guide the transition step by step.

Equipment Selection

Choosing the right extruder and configuration is crucial for reactive processes. We provide guidance on selecting twin-screw extruders, barrel designs, screw elements, and feeder systems. Our consultants also advise on venting, temperature zoning, and residence time control for optimal reactivity. 

Devolatilization Strategy

Volatile by-products can destabilise the process or contaminate final product properties. We design devolatilization strategies that include vacuum venting, vent stuffer setups, and optimal positioning in the extruder. Clean processing means better product purity, odour control, and compliance with safety standards.

Quality Control Protocols

Good output requires good control. We help you establish QC protocols for raw materials, in-process monitoring, and finished product testing. This includes tracking melt flow index, molecular weight, conversion levels, and mechanical properties. These protocols ensure repeatable results and smoother operations.

Our practical, grounded approach ensures every step works in your environment. We work with your team onsite or remotely and provide clear documentation and training where needed.

Discover our broader chemical consulting capabilities here.

Reactive Extrusion Applications We Support

Some key areas where our Reactive Extrusion Consultant service adds value:

  • Bioplastics: Improve properties of PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT using chain extenders or grafting
  • Compatibilized Blends: PE/PA, PLA/PBAT, or other tough-to-blend polymers
  • Barrier Films: Add moisture and oxygen resistance for food-grade films
  • Medical Plastics: Ensure safe materials with tight molecular weight control
  • Compostable Packaging: Build materials that meet EN13432 or ASTM D6400 standards

We also work with nanofillers, cellulose fibres, and starch-based plastics to develop fully functional green materials. These efforts reduce environmental impact while improving product performance.

Reactive Extrusion Consultants

Why Work with Industrial Chemistry as Your Reactive Extrusion Consultant?

We’re more than advisors. Our consultants are experienced hands-on polymer scientists and engineers who’ve run extrusion lines, optimised polymer formulations, and worked in real-world manufacturing environments.

Benefits of working with us:

  • Better product consistency
  • Fewer line stoppages
  • Waste reduction
  • Faster time-to-market
  • Improved material performance

All of this is done with a sharp focus on cost-efficiency and regulatory compliance.

For broader material expertise, see how a polymer chemist consultant can support your goals.

Materials and Chemistries We Work With

We support work with a wide range of materials and modifiers:

  • PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT
  • Polyolefins (PE, PP)
  • PET, PBT
  • Polyamides (PA6, PA66)
  • TPU, TPE, and elastomeric blends
  • Maleic anhydride grafted polymers
  • Chain extenders (e.g. multifunctional epoxy, peroxides)
  • Reactive compatibilizers (glycidyl methacrylate, MAH)

Need support choosing the right additives, catalysts, or coupling agents? We can help you build a well-balanced system that works under real conditions.

Reactive Extrusion for Bioplastics and Sustainable Solutions

Sustainability is now essential, not optional. Our Reactive Extrusion Consultant services are especially valuable to clients in the bio-based and compostable plastics space.

Reactive extrusion allows in-line modifications that support:

  • Improving flexibility of PLA or PHB
  • Achieving required barrier or strength properties
  • Creating biodegradable or home-compostable packaging

We help you meet environmental goals without compromising performance.

Read more about how chemical consulting firms in South Africa support green innovation.

Common Process Challenges We Solve

We’re often brought in to solve problems like:

  • Inconsistent grafting or reaction rates
  • Uncontrolled molecular weight distribution
  • High torque and melt pressure
  • Poor dispersion of additives or fillers
  • Unstable devolatilization
  • Poor compatibility in blend systems

These issues can result in product rejection, high scrap rates, or poor line efficiency. Our team works side-by-side with your operators and engineers to fix the root causes.

How We Work With Clients

We offer both short-term projects and long-term partnerships.

Typical project steps include:

  • Site visit or virtual consultation
  • Understanding your product goals
  • Reviewing line setup and materials
  • Process trial planning and execution
  • Analysis and optimisation
  • Staff training and knowledge transfer

We also support pre-commercial testing and pilot line validations. Whether you’re a multinational group or an agile startup, we shape our services to your scale.

If you’re looking for ongoing collaboration, our chemical consulting firm services can be structured on a retainer basis.

Industries We Serve

We work across multiple industries: 

  • Bioplastics and sustainable packaging
  • Automotive and under-the-hood plastics
  • Food contact films and rigid containers
  • Medical devices and diagnostics
  • Masterbatch and compounding firms
  • Research institutions and tech incubators

Our Reactive Extrusion Consultant has experience that bridges the lab, pilot plant, and full-scale production.

Get Help from a Trusted Reactive Extrusion Consultant

If you’re working with polymers and need expert help to develop, modify, or improve your extrusion process, Industrial Chemistry can support you. Our Reactive Extrusion Consultant service is designed to fit your business, materials, and goals.

Contact us to speak directly with a consultant and get started.

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