Abstract: A method for forming and shaping powder mixtures involves compounding, homogenizing, and plasticizing components to form a mixture. The components are powder materials, binder, solvent for the binder, surfactant, and non-solvent with respect to at least the binder, the solvent, and the powder materials. The non-solvent is lower in viscosity than the binder combined with the solvent. The components are chosen to result in improved wet green strength in the subsequently formed green body. The compounding is done by the steps of dry-mixing the powder material, surfactant and binder to form a uniform blend, adding the solvent to the resulting dry blend, and thereafter adding the non-solvent to the blend. The mixture is shaped by passing it through a low to moderate shear extruder, and then through a die to form a green body. The compounding and shaping steps are carried out at a temperature of no greater than ambient temperature. The method is especially suitable for RAM extrusion.

Abstract: The instant invention discloses a method for forming glass/polymer alloy or composite pellets of a uniform shape, and exhibiting an increased density and pellet integrity/strength. The pellets are formed by melt-blending and extruding a semi-molten strand of the glass/polymer alloy or composite and subsequently compressing and cutting the strand into pellets at a predetermined pelletizing temperature. The predetermined pelletizing temperature is that temperature at which the glass/polymer alloy or composite extruded strand is still semi-molten and deformable and at which the so-formed pellets will maintain the shape imparted to them.