Article
Polymer Science
Emilia Csiszar, David Kun, Erika Fekete
Summary: Composite films were fabricated with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as reinforcement in thermoplastic starch (TPS) up to 50 wt%. The addition of CNCs decreased film transmittance due to increased light scattering, but enhanced strength, especially in the series with 30% sorbitol. Water vapor permeability of TPS was significantly decreased by incorporating at least 20 wt% CNCs.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Harini Bhuvaneswari Gunasekaran, Sathiyanathan Ponnan, Naveen Thirunavukkarasu, Abdelatif Laroui, Lixin Wu, Jianlei Wang
Summary: This study investigates the foaming behavior of 3D printed TPU samples with different hardness values. The results show that the infill density and saturation time have an impact on the expansion behavior of the foam samples. Additionally, filling the foam with hydrogel can increase its compression strength.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Wenzhang Huang, Leilei Yu, Zhen Yu, Lijuan Yang, Shibao Wen, Zhen Xiu Zhang
Summary: A blend of thermoplastic polyamide elastomer (PEBAX) and thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) was prepared by using triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) as a chain extender. The resulting blend foam showed a uniform cell structure and excellent mechanical properties, with a resilience of 83% and an elongation at break of 850.3%. Moreover, the blend foam exhibited significantly lower surface resistivity and volume resistivity compared to the IEC 61340 standard.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Mercedes Santiago-Calvo, Haneen Naji, Victoria Bernardo, Judith Martin-de Leon, Alberto Saiani, Fernando Villafane, Miguel Angel Rodriguez-Perez
Summary: A series of TPUs with different hard segment contents were synthesized and foamed, with only TPU containing 50% hard segments showing stable foam formation under certain conditions. By optimizing the saturation and foaming parameters, foams with excellent properties were obtained, demonstrating the potential for further applications.
Review
Polymer Science
Wentao Zhai, Junjie Jiang, Chul B. Park
Summary: Elastomer foams are widely used due to their flexibility and physical foaming provides environmental-friendly and adjustable material properties, but also leads to post-foaming shrinkage issues. Researchers have made progress in improving the performance of elastomer foams by understanding the foaming mechanisms.
Article
Polymer Science
Yufei Ma, Hui Wen, Chunling Xin, Yadong He
Summary: Thermoplastic polyamide elastomer (TPAE) foam material has important applications but faces challenges due to its low melt viscoelasticity. By using multifunctional epoxides as chain extenders, the melt viscoelasticity of TPAE can be increased, leading to successful fabrication of microcellular TPAE foams.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sai Wang, Haoyang Feng, Jianming Hong, Guilong Wang
Summary: This study investigates the improvement in the foaming of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) by enhancing the crystallization of hard segments. The effects of packing time in MOFIM technology on the crystallization behavior of hard segments and the cell morphology of TPU foams are studied. It is found that prolonging the packing time increases the crystallinity of TPU solids and foams due to closer-packed crystals. The enhanced foamability of TPU is attributed to both increased crystallinity of hard segments and broader distribution of crystals at the same crystallinity. Moreover, TPU foams with higher hardness have smaller cell size, higher cell density, and narrower distribution in cell size due to their higher viscosity and storage modulus.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY-JMR&T
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Bin Sun, Lixin Wu
Summary: Thermoplastic foam additive manufacturing is a new industry that combines polymer foaming with 3D printing to address the limitations of material availability and monolithic part manufacturing. Designing multifunctional components with additive manufacturing and foaming allows for the creation of lightweight items with differentiated physical properties. Among various methods, in-situ foam 3D printing is an emerging technique that integrates foaming and fused filament fabrication processes, potentially replacing other foaming processes.
FRONTIERS IN MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
P. Belmonte, J. M. Garcia-Vargas, J. F. Rodriguez, S. Medovarschi, I. Garrido, M. T. Garcia, M. J. Ramos
Summary: Reprocessing polyurethane elastomers into foams using supercritical CO2 is an opportunity to promote the recycling of polyurethane materials. This study examines the influence of hard segment content on the foaming process. The results show that increasing hard segment content leads to increased crystalline phase, changes in foaming temperature window, and the possibility of obtaining foams suitable for insulation applications.
JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yaozhuo Su, Pengke Huang, Haibin Luo, Yunkai Chong, Yongqing Zhao, Minghui Wu, Hao Zheng, Xiaoqin Lan, Fei Wu, Wenge Zheng
Summary: This study creatively used supercritical CO2 extrusion foaming combined with wind-cooling granulator technology to prepare controllable polypropylene (PP)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composite bead foams. The process of polymer melting, gas dispersion, foaming, and pelletizing can be completed in one continuous step, with advantages such as high efficiency, low cost, and controllable cellular structures. The effect of processing parameters on the cellular structures and properties of the foam board was also studied. The prepared foam board exhibited low density and thermal conductivity, making it suitable for thermal insulation applications.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuyin Zhao, Jiaxin Zheng, Pei Guo, Congxiao Wang, Menghao Guo, Chunling Xin, Yadong He
Summary: In this study, acid anhydride chain extenders SMA were used to improve the melt foaming properties and reduce the shrinkage rate of thermoplastic polyamide elastomers (TPAE) blended with polyamide 6 (PA6). The modified TPAE samples showed reduced melting enthalpy and enhanced gas penetration and foam shrinkage reduction. Additionally, the microcross-linked structure formed with increased PA6 content improved the storage modulus and strain recovery of the modified TPAE. The foaming temperature zone and recovery performance of all modified TPAE samples were significantly improved, resulting in reduced overall shrinkage rate, increased expansion ratio, more complete cell structure, and improved resilience.
Article
Polymer Science
Tao Zhang, Seung-Jun Lee, Yong Hwan Yoo, Kyu-Hwan Park, Ho-Jong Kang
Summary: ETPU beads were prepared using a supercritical CO2 foaming process and compression molded into foam sheets. The cell structure of the foamed beads influenced the properties of the foam sheets. By controlling the pressure and temperature, the properties of the ETPU foam sheets, including foam resilience, hardness, tensile strength, and elongation, could be adjusted.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guilong Wang, Tianzheng Ren, Weijun Zhang, Junxia Liu, Zhaorui Xu, Jinchuan Zhao, Xinyang Li, Shuai Li, Guoqun Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the effects of different foaming strategies on the compression properties of polycarbonate-based TPU foams, revealing that the expansion ratio is a key factor influencing the compression strength of the foam.
JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiulu Gao, Yichong Chen, Peng Chen, Zhimei Xu, Ling Zhao, Dongdong Hu
Summary: This study focuses on the preparation of eco-friendly thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) as a blowing agent. The addition of borate ester coupling agent (BE) modified magnesium borate whiskers (Mg2B2O5) (BE-Mg2B2O5) effectively modulates the cell nucleation, bubble growth, and foam stabilization of TPU. The intercalation structure of Mg2B2O5, entanglement effect of BE, and increased physical crosslinking density play vital roles in enhancing the properties of TPU composites.
JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Wei Peng Zhong, Zhen Yu, Tongyu Zhu, Yongxian Zhao, Ajit Dattatray Phule, Zhen Xiu Zhang
Summary: This study developed and investigated superelastic ETPU foam materials for footwear applications. ETPU foams were prepared with different ratios of CO2/N2 as foaming agents, and with different kinds of foaming additives using supercritical (Sc) foaming technology. The study revealed the high potential of these materials in footwear applications and offered sound evidence for mass production in the industry.
EXPRESS POLYMER LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Chanelle Gavin, Casparus J. R. Verbeek, Mark C. Lay
Article
Polymer Science
Casparus J. R. Verbeek, Matthew J. Smith, Wade C. Cozens
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Chanelle Gavin, Casparus J. R. Verbeek, Mark C. Lay, James M. Bier, Talia M. Hicks
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Jussi M. Uitto, Casparus J. R. Verbeek
Article
Environmental Sciences
Safiya Noorzai, Casparus Johannes Reinhard Verbeek, Mark Christopher Lay, Janis Swan
WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
James Oyediji Aremu, Mark Lay, Graeme Glasgow
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2019)
Article
Polymer Science
Casparus Johannes Reinhard Verbeek, Priyal Madubhashana Yapa
Summary: This study investigated the difference in energy absorption (EA) of a lattice structure under quasi-static and dynamic loading, and the influence of morphology. The results showed that EA under dynamic loading was closely related to morphology, ductility, and the addition of a compatibilizer. Under quasi-static loading, EA was mainly determined by the ductility of the blend, and morphology had little effect.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Casparus Johannes Reinhard Verbeek, Matthew James Smith
Summary: In this study, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) was functionalised with itaconic anhydride (IA) via melt grafting. The ratio of IA to dicumyl peroxide (DCP) was found to be crucial for the reaction outcome, and low reagent concentration and conversion resulted in the lowest effective rate constant.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marianne Hull-Cantillo, Mark Lay, Peter Kovalsky
Summary: The study investigates the impact of intensified farming practices on the energy production for water heating in New Zealand low-input dairy farms. A combination of methods including literature review, surveys, chemical analyses, biomethane potential analysis, and modeling were used. Results showed that 558 MJ/day and 176-861 MJ/day of energy could be produced from the solid and liquid portions of effluent, respectively, which would be sufficient for water heating needs of a dairy farm using a tankless water heater.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Casparus J. R. Verbeek, De Wet Van der Merwe, James M. Bier
Summary: Hygiene is crucial for meat processors during slaughtering, and plugs are commonly used to reduce contamination. However, these plugs, along with other waste, are considered serious contaminants. A life cycle assessment was conducted to compare the environmental impacts of polypropylene plugs and protein-based thermoplastic plugs. The assessment showed that although protein-based plugs had a higher global warming potential, they required less non-renewable primary energy. The study also highlighted the importance of considering allocation methods and the advantage of Novatein plugs breaking down safely during rendering.
Article
Polymer Science
Casparus J. R. Verbeek, Priyal M. Yapa, Rachel Self, Mark Harrison
Summary: This study successfully prepared a homogeneous and compatible blend suitable for injection molding by mixing protein with polyester, and exhibited suitable mechanical properties. Simulated rendering experiments showed that this new material can be safely processed with offal after degradation.