Structure-property relationships in extruded plastics foams

Abstract

Physical properties and morphology of extruded semicrystalline polymers can be significantly affected by modification and change in die design and melt viscosity of the molten polymer. Further modifications to physical properties (i.e. density and open cell fraction) of foamed material occur, following the modification of melt viscosity by melt blending of polypropylene and high density polyethylene). The main object of this research project was to carry out a systematic examination of rheological properties of polymer/gas mixture, affect of die design, polymer molecular weight (melt viscosity), and processing conditions on density, open cell fraction, cell morphology (i.e. cell size and cell size distribution) and micromorphology of polyolefin foams. Also attention was given to method of stabilisation of extruded foam, where, it was found support of the extrudated foam (by adding a specially designed die adapter to the end of the die) prior to entering the cooling tank could result not only to a specimen with uniform cross section, but also due to drop in melt temperature, the cell walls are to some extent rigidized, hence, the collapse of bubbles are limited. From commercial point of view control of cell collapse, density and open cell fraction, will make these foamed materials valuable for their filtration characteristics. Microstructural analysis of polypropylene (unfoamed state) by X-ray diffraction and Differential Scanning Calorimetry revealed 13-spherulites are only formed in skin layer, and beneath the thickness of 500 pm from the surface, the crystal structure of this polymer is only consist of B-spherulites. On the other hand, the chemical blowing agent (Hydrocerol CF-20), was found to have nucleating affect on microstructure of polypropylene, where, it has resulted in reduction of size of spherulites together with a drop in recrystallisation temperature and formation of P and a spherulites through the thickness of extrudated foam. The foregoing chemical blowing agent was found to have no significant affect on the crystal structure of the high density polyethylene.