Literatures on Polymeric Foam

1. Jin-Biao Bao at. al., Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 111, (2016); "Tensile and
impact properties of microcellular isotactic polypropylene foams obtained by
supercritical carbon dioxide."
In this research work, microcellular isotactic polypropylene (PP) foams with
various cell sizes (150 m) and relative densities (0.860.04) were prepared
using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO 2) solid-state foaming to investigate the
relationship between the cell morphologies and mechanical properties
(tensile and impact). The tensile modulus of the PP foams decreased
proportionally with the square of their relative densities and was always
smaller than that of the un-foamed PP. Contrary to the tensile modulus, other
properties, namely, tensile strength at break, elongation at break and impact
strength of the PP foams, out performed the un-foamed PP with margins that
depended on the relative densities and cell sizes of the foams. PP foams with
cell sizes less than 3 micrometre showed higher tensile strength at break
than the un-foamed PP. During tensile deformation, cells stretched from
circular shapes to elliptical ones. They collapsed or broke at very high
deformation. Small cells (less than 3 m) were found to significantly reduce
the stress concentration under loading. Additionally, PP foams with cell sizes
less than 10 m showed higher elongation at break and impact strength
compared with that of the un-foamed PP. During the impact, the cell size and
cell

density

both

decreased

gradually

along

the

impact

direction.

Furthermore, a plastic deformation zoneo ccurred when the cell size was less
than 10 m, indicating that size reduction and collapse of cells could absorb
a significant amount of impact energy.
2. Chao-Chung Kuo et. al., Composites Part B, 79, (2015); "Preparation of PP
foams with high impact strengths by supercritical carbon dioxide and their
feasible evaluation for electronic packages."
By appropriate prescription of polypropylenes (PP) and processing
manipulation of extrusion supercritical CO2 foaming process, PP-based
foaming sheets with excellent notched Izod impact strength (3.1 ft-lb/in.),
low densities (0.02 g/cm3), moderate surface electric resistance (9.8 1011
/sq.) and tiny cell sizes (average diameter: 45 m) have successfully been
manufactured. In order to execute feasible evaluation for electronic
packages, moreover, we have also prepared the prototype of electronic
packages and qualified the falling examination at 1 m, demonstrating that
they are potential cushion composites with microstructures and high physical
performances.
3. Xiaojie Sun et. al., Composites Part B, 87, (2016); "Cellular structure
control and sound absorption of polyolefin microlayer sheets."
In this work, a novel microlayer foam/film sheet with alternating soft/soft
layers was successfully made via the microlayer co-extrusion technology. A
blend of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) with poly (ethylene-octene)
elastomer (POE) and foamed POE were used as the film and foam layers,

respectively. Cross-linked POE showed enhanced melt strength, enabling

well-defined cellular structure in the foam layers of the microlayer structure.
Meanwhile, this technique provides a new mean to obtain polyolefin foaming
material

with

excellent

sound

absorption

characteristics.

In

select

wavelengths, the sound absorption coefficient of the microlayer foam/film

structure improved 23 times compared with conventional single-layer
materials. In addition, the mechanical properties of the foam/film sheets
were also improved markedly through the multilayer assembly of foam/film
layers at the micron scale.
4.

Roberto

Spina,

Materials

and

Design,

84,

(2015);

"Technological

characterization of PE/EVA blends for foam injection moulding."

Foam injection molding is one of the most important processes for
producing lightweight plastic parts. The main feature of this process is the
use of a foam blowing agent (physical or chemical) that decomposes during
heating, generating gasses that are dispersed into the melt. Predicting the
microstructure of the final part requires the investigation of the foam process
which is a complex problem because it is necessary to combine transport
phenomena of the multi-phase flow in non-isothermal conditions with foam
kinetics and gas formation. The aim of this work is to evaluate the materialprocessing

relationship

in

foam

injection

molding.

The

experimental

measurements of PE/EVA blends, properly formulated, coupled to two types

of ADC foaming agents were carried out using differential scanning

calorimetry and rotational rheometry. The injection molding and direct

measurements of foamed parts were then performed, based on previous
measurements, to evaluate the process performance.
5. Vera Realinho et. al., Composites Part B, 58, (2014); "Thermal stability and
fire behaviour of flame retardant high density rigid foams based on
hydromagnesite-filled PP composites".
The present work deals with the development of new rigid polypropylene
composite foams filled with high amounts of flame-retardant systems based
on synthetic hydromagnesite, a basic magnesium carbonate obtained from
an industrial by-product. A partially-interconnected cellular structure with a
cell size around 100 m was obtained for the hydromagnesite-filled PP
foams. A 40% reduction of this cell size was observed when a small amount
of a combination of montmorillonite and graphene layered nanoparticles was
added to the hydromagnesite. The combination of hydromagnesite with an
intumescent additive (ammonium polyphosphate) and layered nanoparticles
led to improved thermal stability. In particular, the intumescent additive
delayed the beginning of the thermal decomposition temperature and the
layered nanoparticles split the second step of thermal decomposition in a
third peak observed at higher temperatures. Improved flame retardancy,
measured by means of cone calorimetry, was observed in the samples
containing the intumescent additive. A novel normalized parameter, called
foam efficiency ratio (FER), which takes into account the expansion ratio of

the foam and the relation of its fire properties with that of the base solid, was
also analyzed.