Modelling the Strength of Cellulose Nanofiber-Filled Rigid Low-Density PU Foams

2019 ◽  
Vol 827 ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janis Andersons ◽  
Mikelis Kirpluks ◽  
Ugis Cabulis

Rigid low-density closed-cell polyurethane (PU) foams are used primarily as a thermal insulation material. The foams have to possess a sufficient strength and stiffness in order to ensure their mechanical integrity and dimensional stability in service. The mechanical characteristics of foams are enhanced by adding cellulose nanofibers to the polyol system, which both modify the foaming process and act as a reinforcement of cell struts and walls. A model of composite foam strength is developed based on a regular unit cell and assuming the onset of strut failure as the foam fracture criterion. The load-bearing capacity of foam struts is estimated by the modified Fukuda and Chou model considering the orientation of nanofibers along the strut axis. The model developed is shown to provide a reasonably accurate prediction for the nanofiber loading effect on the strength of composite foams.

2017 ◽  
Vol 748 ◽  
pp. 51-54
Author(s):  
Pei Bang Dai ◽  
Lin Ying Yang ◽  
Ting Zheng ◽  
Chang Qin ◽  
Qi Chen Tang

A rigid polyurethane (PU) flame retardant composite foam was prepared by the compounding of polyols and diisocyanates with a modified intumescent flame retardant (MIFR). The MIFR was based on the three components of intumescent flame retardant normally used and was modified in a surfactant TX-10 solution. The flame retardancy of the PU flame retardant composite foams were evaluated by using the limiting oxygen index (LOI), the UL-94 (vertical flame) test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). When MIFR was fixed at 20.0 wt% in PU/MIFR composite foams, the MIFR could enhance the flame retardancy and pass V-0 rating of UL-94 test. The microstructures observed by SEM demonstrate that a suitable amount of MIFR can promote formation of compact intumescent charred layers in PU foams.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3474
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Uram ◽  
Milena Leszczyńska ◽  
Aleksander Prociak ◽  
Anna Czajka ◽  
Michał Gloc ◽  
...  

Rigid polyurethane foams were obtained using two types of renewable raw materials: bio-polyols and a cellulose filler (ARBOCEL® P 4000 X, JRS Rettenmaier, Rosenberg, Germany). A polyurethane system containing 40 wt.% of rapeseed oil-based polyols was modified with the cellulose filler in amounts of 1, 2, and 3 php (per hundred polyols). The cellulose was incorporated into the polyol premix as filler dispersion in a petrochemical polyol made using calenders. The cellulose filler was examined in terms of the degree of crystallinity using the powder X-ray diffraction PXRD -and the presence of bonds by means of the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FT-IR. It was found that the addition of the cellulose filler increased the number of cells in the foams in both cross-sections—parallel and perpendicular to the direction of the foam growth—while reducing the sizes of those cells. Additionally, the foams had closed cell contents of more than 90% and initial thermal conductivity coefficients of 24.8 mW/m∙K. The insulation materials were dimensionally stable, especially at temperatures close to 0 °C, which qualifies them for use as insulation at low temperatures.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0021955X2110626
Author(s):  
Tae Seok Kim ◽  
Yeongbeom Lee ◽  
Chul Hyun Hwang ◽  
Kwang Ho Song ◽  
Woo Nyon Kim

The effect of perfluoroalkane (PFA) on the morphology, thermal conductivity, mechanical properties and thermal stability of rigid polyurethane (PU) foams was investigated under ambient and cryogenic conditions. The PU foams were blown with hydrofluorolefin. Morphological results showed that the minimum cell size (153 μm) was observed when the PFA content was 1.0 part per hundred polyols by weight (php). This was due to the lower surface tension of the mixed polyol solution when the PFA content was 1.0 php. The thermal conductivity of PU foams measured under ambient (0.0215 W/mK) and cryogenic (0.0179 W/mK at −100°C) conditions reached a minimum when the PFA content was 1.0 php. The low value of thermal conductivity was a result of the small cell size of the foams. The above results suggest that PFA acted as a nucleating agent to enhanced the thermal insulation properties of PU foams. The compressive and shear strengths of the PU foams did not appreciably change with PFA content at either −170°C or 20°C. However, it shows that the mechanical strengths at −170°C and 20°C for the PU foams meet the specification. Coefficient of thermal expansion, and thermal shock tests of the PU foams showed enough thermal stability for the LNG carrier’s operation temperature. Therefore, it is suggested that the PU foams blown by HFO with the PFA addition can be used as a thermal insulation material for a conventional LNG carrier.


2011 ◽  
Vol 393-395 ◽  
pp. 1012-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Feng Ma ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Ling Li ◽  
Ming Ming Zhang ◽  
Zeng Hui Cheng ◽  
...  

New composite foams were prepared by co-foaming of Melamine-Urea-Formaldehyde (MUF) resin and wood fiber in the closed mould at 70°C. The effects of amount of wood fiber on mechanical properties, brittleness, flame-retardant, insulation and microscopic structures of wood fiber-MUF foam were investigated. Results indicated that the flame-retardant properties increased, and the brittleness and mechanical properties decreased with the increase of the amount of wood fiber in composite foams. The addition of wood fiber resulted in more uniform cell size distribution and irregular cell shape, but had little effect on insulation properties.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiujuan Li ◽  
Ruisong Guo ◽  
Xiaodong Qian

Under high temperature, aqueous film forming foam extinguishing agent has poor flame retardancy and low fire efficiency. In order to solve this problem, talc was introduced into foam to form composite foam. The fire resistance and fire extinguishing properties of the composite foam were studied. The results showed that talc composite foam had good flame retardant resistance. when the concentration of talc reached 40 g/100 ml, the 50% liquid separation time of the composite foam was 21.1 min. The fuel burning in the anti burning tank did not ignite the gasoline in the oil pan, and burned out at 51.5 min. It was related to the structure of composite foam and the properties of talc. Due to the introduction of talc, the viscosity of the composite foam increased. The network structure of composite foam was important to the improved stability of foam. Talc powder formed a dense layer covering the oil surface, which effectively isolated the oil from the air.


Author(s):  
NurFadhlin Sakina Jamil ◽  
◽  
Mazatusziha Ahmad ◽  
Ahmad Hakiim Jamaluddin ◽  
◽  
...  

Biodegradable foam packaging was chosen as an alternative food packaging material due to non-toxic and produced from renewable sources. Researchers has turned to incorporate natural fibre to enhance the mechanical properties of polymer composite foam. In this study, the objective is to identify the studies which investigated on the tensile properties of natural fiber incorporated polymer composite foam and analyzed the effect of natural fibre content and size on tensile properties. Further correlation between the natural fibre content and size on tensile properties of composite polymer foam was conducted. The studies on the natural fibre incorporated polymer composite was identify via PRISMA method. The effect of natural fibre content and natural fibre size on tensile properties of polymer composite foam were analyzed in terms of qualitative analysis via systematic review. This study employs systematic review method on the existing literature. This study has utilized supplementary databases such as SAGE Journals, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis, Emerald Insight, ERIC ProQuest, SpringerLink and IEEE Xplore to cater all the possible relevant literature for a comprehensive review. The systematic review method comprised of the steps that explain on the review process in the sequence of the (identification, screening, eligibility), data analysis and data abstraction. From the article used in this systematic review, most of the result shown the increased tensile properties on natural fibre reinforced polymer composite foams. The study by Texteira et al. (2014) shows that the softwood fibre with 33% of PLA loading has the highest elongation at break, and highest natural fibre size (2470 µm). While the study by Long et al. (2019) has the highest tensile strength with 30% of ABF fibre content. The composition of 20 wt% BF with 80 wt% PLA composites were concluded to have the optimum tensile properties


Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiwei Yang ◽  
Zongqian Wang ◽  
Zhi Liu ◽  
Huan Cheng ◽  
Changlong Li

Aerogel fiber, with the characteristics of ultra-low density, ultra-high porosity, and high specific surface area, is the most potential candidate for manufacturing wearable thermal insulation material. However, aerogel fibers generally show weak mechanical properties and complex preparation processes. Herein, through firstly preparing a cellulose acetate/polyacrylic acid (CA/PAA) hollow fiber using coaxial wet-spinning followed by injecting the silk fibroin (SF) solution into the hollow fiber, the CA/PAA-wrapped SF aerogel fibers toward textile thermal insulation were successfully constructed after freeze-drying. The sheath (CA/PAA hollow fiber) possesses a multiscale porous structure, including micropores (11.37 ± 4.01 μm), sub-micron pores (217.47 ± 46.16 nm), as well as nanopores on the inner (44.00 ± 21.65 nm) and outer (36.43 ± 17.55 nm) surfaces, which is crucial to the formation of a SF aerogel core. Furthermore, the porous CA/PAA-wrapped SF aerogel fibers have many advantages, such as low density (0.21 g/cm3), high porosity (86%), high strength at break (2.6 ± 0.4 MPa), as well as potential continuous and large-scale production. The delicate structure of multiscale porous sheath and ultra-low-density SF aerogel core synergistically inhibit air circulation and limit convective heat transfer. Meanwhile, the high porosity of aerogel fibers weakens heat transfer and the SF aerogel cellular walls prevent infrared radiation. The results show that the mat composed of these aerogel fibers exhibits excellent thermal insulating properties with a wide working temperature from −20 to 100 °C. Therefore, this SF-based aerogel fiber can be considered as a practical option for high performance thermal insulation.


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