Work

Pellet dispensomixer and pellet distributor: open hardware for nanocomposite space exploration via automated material compounding

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The development of novel polymer-based nanocomposites necessitates the experimental preparation and characterization of numerous compositions to identify optimal formulations. For thermoplastic-based materials, the compounding process typically involves the labor-intensive tasks of dispensing, weighing, mixing, and extruding solid components such as polymers and additives. Herein, we present an open hardware solution that aims to automate this process. Our setup system is designed to streamline material surveying tasks associated with experimental design or closed-loop, self-driving laboratories. Our hardware setup consists of two main components: a multi-material pellet dispenser, which simplifies the preparation of targeted compositions from a range of master batches, and a pellet collector-distributor, which efficiently gathers and distributes processed materials into various containers throughout the experiment.

Source: Digital Discovery

DOI: 10.1039/d4dd00198b

Authors: Miguel Hernández-del-Valle, Jorge Ilarraza-Zuazo, Enrique Dios-Lázaro, Javier Rubio, Joris Audoux, Maciej Haranczyk

Institutions: IMDEA Materials, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Université de Limoges

Language: English

Topic: Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies

Subfield: Automotive Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Comunidad de Madrid, European Commission