scholarly journals Morphological, thermal and mechanical properties of polypropylene foams via rotational molding

2021 ◽  
pp. 026248932110188
Author(s):  
Yao Dou ◽  
Denis Rodrigue

In this work, polypropylene (PP) was foamed via rotational molding using a chemical blowing agent (CBA) based on azodicarbonamide over a range of concentration (0 to 0.5% wt.). The samples were then analyzed in terms of morphological, thermal and mechanical properties. The morphological analysis showed a continuous increase in the average cell size and cell density with increasing CBA content. Increasing the CBA content also led to lower foam density and thermal conductivity. Similarly, all the mechanical properties (tension, flexion and impact) were found to decrease with increasing CBA content. Finally, the efficiency of the rotomolding process was assessed by producing neat PP samples via compression molding. The results showed negligible differences between the rotomolded and compression molded properties at low deformation and rate of deformation indicating that optimal rotomolding conditions were selected.

2021 ◽  
pp. 0021955X2110137
Author(s):  
Yao Dou ◽  
Denis Rodrigue

In this study, foamed recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE) parts were produced by rotational molding using different concentration (0 to 1% wt.) of a chemical blowing agent (CBA) based on azodicarbonamide. From the samples produced, a complete morphological, thermal and mechanical characterization was performed. The morphological analysis showed a gradual increase in the average cell size, while the cell density firstly increased and then decreased with increasing CBA content. As expected, increasing the CBA content decreased the foam density as well as the thermal conductivity. Although increasing the CBA content decreased both tensile and flexural properties, the impact strength showed a similar trend as the cell density with an optimum CBA content around 0.1% wt. Finally, neat rHDPE samples were also produced by compression molding. The results showed negligible differences between the rotomolded and compression molded properties indicating that optimal rotomolding conditions were selected. These results confirm the possibility of using 100% recycled polymers to produce rotomolded foam parts.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0021955X2098715
Author(s):  
Cosimo Brondi ◽  
Ernesto Di Maio ◽  
Luigi Bertucelli ◽  
Vanni Parenti ◽  
Thomas Mosciatti

This study investigates the effect of liquid-type organofluorine additives (OFAs) on the morphology, thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane (PU) and polyisocyanurate (PIR) foams. Foams were characterized in terms of their morphology (density, average cell size, anisotropy ratio, open cell content), thermal conductivity and compressive as well as flexural properties. Based on the results, we observed that OFAs efficiently reduced the average cell size of both PU and PIR foams, leading to improved thermal insulating and mechanical properties.


2011 ◽  
Vol 471-472 ◽  
pp. 751-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Zandi ◽  
M. Rezaei ◽  
A. Kasiri

Novel noncross-linked low density polyethylene (LDPE) foams were produced by extrusion process. In this study the effects of Organophilic Montmorillonite (OMMT) nanoclay (DK1) on thermal conductivity, flame retardancy, morphological and mechanical properties of LDPE foams have been investigated. Nanoclay dispersion in LDPE foam structure was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), microstructure was observed by an optical microscope and analyzed by Bel View image analyzer, thermal conductivity was studied by a simple transient method, mechanical properties was investigated using a tensile-compression Zwick-Roell machine as well as the flame retardancy of the samples was examined by flammability test. The optimum nanoclay content was determined by comparison of the properties in nanocomposite and neat LDPE foams. Due to the presence of nanoclay in the foam and decreasing the cell nucleation energy around the nanoclay, the average cell size was decreased as well as the cell density and microstructure uniformity was increased. In XRD patterns of LDPE nanocomposite foams, OMMT (DK1) characteristic peak was not observed as evidence of nanoclay intercalation-exfoliation in the polymer matrix, which led to the production of foams with homogenous microstructure. Furthermore, this nanocomposites showed lower thermal conductivity compared to neat LDPE foam, which can be attributed to the cell size reduction as well as narrow cell size distribution in nanocomposite foams. Compression test results demonstrated that LDPE nanocomposite foams with proper clay contents have improved mechanical properties (Young’s modulus, compressive strength). Furthermore due to the presence of DK1 nanoclay, LDPE foam showed a good char formation as an evidence of their flame retardancy.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 4570
Author(s):  
Chunling Zhang ◽  
Jinrui Zhang ◽  
Tianlu Xu ◽  
Haofei Sima ◽  
Jiazi Hou

The thermal and mechanical properties of polysiloxane foam are greatly improved by the addition of acrylolsobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (MA0701, hereinafter referred to as MAPOSS), which has double bonds. The morphologies and properties of the polysiloxane composite foam were characterized. The average cell diameter of the composite foams decreased, while the cell density increased with increasing MAPOSS. Meanwhile, MAPOSS can enhance thermal conductivity and thermal stability. Thermal conductivity increased by 25%, and the temperature at the maximum weight loss rate increased from 556 °C to 599 °C. In addition, MAPOSS also promoted heterogeneous nucleation by functioning as a nucleating agent, which can increase cell density to improve the mechanical properties. The compressive strength of the composite foam increased by 170% compared with that of pure foam. In the composite, MAPOSS increased the cross-linking density by acting as a physical cross-linking point and limited the movement of the segments.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Zhu ◽  
Qingyu Peng ◽  
Haowen Zheng ◽  
Fuhua Xue ◽  
Pengyang Li ◽  
...  

With the development of multifunction and miniaturization in modern electronics, polymeric films with strong mechanical performance and high thermal conductivity are urgently needed. Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes)...


2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3270-3278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinwen Zhu ◽  
Hiroyuki Hayashi ◽  
You Zhou ◽  
Kiyoshi Hirao

Dense β–Si3N4 ceramics were fabricated from α–Si3N4 raw powder by gas-pressure sintering at 1900 °C for 12 h under a nitrogen pressure of 1 MPa, using four different kinds of additive compositions: Yb2O3–MgO, Yb2O3–MgSiN2, Y2O3–MgO, and Y2O3–MgSiN2. The effects of additive composition on the microstructure and thermal and mechanical properties of β–Si3N4 ceramics were investigated. It was found that the replacement of Yb2O3 by Y2O3 has no significant effect on the thermal conductivity and fracture toughness, but the replacement of MgO by MgSiN2 leads to an increase in thermal conductivity from 97 to 113 Wm-1K-1and fracture toughness from 8 to 10 MPa m1/2, respectively. The enhanced thermal conductivity of the MgSiN2-doped materials is attributed to the purification of β–Si3N4 grain and increase of Si3N4–Si3N4 contiguity, resulting from the enhanced growth of large elongated grains. The improved fracture toughness of the MgSiN2-doped materials is attributed to the increase of grain size and fraction of large elongated grains. However, the same thermal conductivity between the Yb2O3- and Y2O3-doped materials is related to not only their similar microstructures, but also the similar abilities of removing oxygen impurity in Si3N4 lattice between Yb2O3 and Y2O3. The same fracture toughness between the Yb2O3- and Y2O3-doped materials is consistent with their similar microstructures. This work implies that MgSiN2 is an effective sintering aid for developing not only high thermal conductivity (>110 Wm−1K−1) but also high fracture toughness (>10 MPa m1/2) of Si3N4 ceramics.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4629
Author(s):  
Przemysław Brzyski ◽  
Piotr Gleń ◽  
Mateusz Gładecki ◽  
Monika Rumińska ◽  
Zbigniew Suchorab ◽  
...  

The aim of the research presented in the article was to check the differences in the hygro-thermal and mechanical properties of hemp-lime composites with different shives fractions, depending on the direction of mixture compaction. The research part of the paper presents the preparation method and investigation on the composites. Thermal conductivity, capillary uptake, as well as flexural and compressive strengths were examined. Additionally, an analysis of the temperature distribution in the external wall insulated with the tested composites was performed. The results confirm that the direction of compaction influences the individual properties of the composites in a similar way, depending on the size of the shives. The differences are more pronounced in the case of the composite containing longer fractions of shives. Both thermal conductivity of the material and the capillary uptake ability are lower in the parallel direction of the compaction process. Composites exhibit greater stiffness, but they fail faster with increasing loads when loaded in the direction perpendicular to compaction.


2019 ◽  
Vol 803 ◽  
pp. 346-350
Author(s):  
Jessalyn C. Grumo ◽  
Lady Jaharah Y. Jabber ◽  
Arnold A. Lubguban ◽  
Rey Y. Capangpangan ◽  
Arnold C. Alguno

We report on the rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) with varying amount of blowing agent. The effects of blowing agent in the formation of polyurethane will be characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. SEM images revealed that varying the amount of blowing agent will significantly change the surface morphology of the resulting RPUF. The average cell size of the RPUF increases with increasing amount of blowing agent. Moreover, FTIR results revealed the presence of functional group related to formation of urethane bonds such as N-H, C=O, C=N and C-O-C stretching suggesting that polyurethane foam was successfully synthesized. This simple and straightforward process of RPUF using water as blowing agent will be economical.


Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 2770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongxu Wu ◽  
Congliang Huang ◽  
Yukai Wang ◽  
Yi An ◽  
Chuwen Guo

In this work, SiC and Cu particles were utilized to enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of Al matrix composites. The ball-milling and cold-compact methods were applied to prepare Al matrix composites, and the uniform distribution of SiC and Cu particles in the composite confirms the validity of our preparation method. After characterizing the thermal conductivity and the compressibility of the prepared composites, results show that small particles have a higher potential to improve compressibility than large particles, which is attributed to the size effect of elastic modulus. The addition of SiC to the Al matrix will improve the compressibility behavior of Al matrix composites, and the compressibility can be enhanced by 100% when SiC content is increased from 0 to 30%. However, the addition of SiC particles has a negative effect on thermal conductivity because of the low thermal conductivity of SiC particles. The addition of Cu particles to Al-SiC MMCs could further slightly improve the compressibility behavior of Al-SiC/Cu MMCs, while the thermal conductivity could be enhanced by about 100% when the Cu content was increased from 0 to 30%. To meet the need for low density and high thermal conductivity in applications, it is more desirable to enhance the specific thermal conductivity by enlarging the preparation pressure and/or sintering temperature. This work is expected to supply some information for preparing Al matrix composites with low density but high thermal conductivity and high compressibility.


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