Abstract:

This paper will demonstrate how an idea becomes a reality. To expand any innovation in a practice a research team should include researchers from different fields of science and technology. The team members worked on the project named 'Foamed PP nanocomposites: processing, structural characterization, thermomechanical behavior and application' financially supported by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria (Project No. DO 02-202/2008) thus answered to its conditions. Therein, the efforts of chemical engineers, physicists, mechanical engineers and ecologists were genuinely integrated to propose a new engineering tool. During the period of project running a novel mixing device for polymers and fillers was foreseen to be created, constructed and established. The paper describes the specific practical steps to achieve this final aim, namely:


First step:
studying the process of mixing polymers with fillers;
Second step:
crystallizing of the idea into a novel mixing device. At this step, a specific behavior of mixing polymer-filler systems assisted us;
Third step:
transformation of the idea into working device. Designing and producing of the pilot model followed by adapting it to an industrial machine for plastics processing;
Fourth step:
testing of the pilot model. Different tests undoubtedly showed the better efficiency of the mixer developed by the team.

The results obtained encouraged us to offer a patent application prepared for the Patent Office of Bulgaria.

Keywords:

Academic research, patent, mixing device.