PPL Specialized Research Resources
NCAUR Pilot Plant
History
Past collaborations have led to groundbreaking products and advances. The Utilization Research centers were authorized and built in 1939. NCAUR has been designated an International Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK).
Partnerships
We are eager to explore new partnerships that would make use of the NCAUR Pilot Plant to develop new products from agricultural products, co-products, and waste; new packaging materials to improve food quality and safety; and new energy efficient methods for processing plastics and bioplastics. Partnerships may take the form of Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) and Material Transfer Research Agreements (MTRAs).
Process Capabilities for Industrial Pilot Scale Applications
Ambient and Heated Mixing
Coating
Blow Molding
Calendaring
Compression Molding
Cutting / Stamping
Emulsification
Extrusion Compounding (single & twin screw)
Fibers / Filaments (variable diameter)
Injection Molding
Lamination
Puffing/Foaming
Particle Sizing (screen / mesh)
Reactive extrusion (chemistry within the melt)
Ribbons / Sheets (variable width/thickness)
Roll milling
Size Reduction
Spray and Freeze Drying
Extrusion & Molding
Extrusion
Werner-Pfleiderer ZSK 30mm co-rotating twin-screw with multi-port injection
feeding or venting capabilities
3 dry feeders & 4 liquid pumps
rod & sheet dies
foam/puff cutter
Brabender Intelli-Torque single screw
rod, ribbon, sheet & blown film dies
Leistritz Micro18 co-rotating twin-screw
2 dry feeders & 2 liquid pump
slit and filament dies
Injection Molding
Engel Victory 125 Injection Molder
ASTM sample & specialty molds
Compression Molding
Carver hydraulic presses - water cooled
Polymer Processing & Characterization
Mixing
Brabender Rheometer
Heated roll mill
3-D printing (resins)
Flashforge Creator - Dual Nozzle
Post-processing
Film, Sheet, & Ribbon Calendaring
Fiber/Filament Drawing
Brabender Granu-grinder (1.0 mm)
Thomas Wiley Mill (1.0-3.0 mm)
Vibratory Sieves (18-200 Mesh size)
SPEX Freeze Mill (0.1-100 g)
ASTM D638 Tensile Bars
Characterization
Instron Materials Testing System
ASTM 638 Tensile Properties
Peel, Puncture, 3-Point Bend, & Impact
Controlled Environment
Melt flow properties: rheometry & viscosity
Thermal analysis: DSC, TGA, & DMA
Spectral analysis: UV-VIS & FT-IR
Microscopic Analysis: SEM, AFM, & Digital
Elemental analysis: NMR & CHN Analyzer
HPLC-SEC Molecular weight (20K-10M)
Film Adhesion and Abrasion
Thin Film Thicknesses (0-500um, 0-2mm)
Permeability
