Titre du document / Document title

The effect of material factors on the density and cell morphology of chemically foamed polypropylene

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

DIXON D. ⁽¹⁾ ; MARTIN P. J. ⁽¹⁾ ; HARKIN-JONES E. ⁽¹⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering The Queen's University of Belfast Ashby Building, Stranmillis Rd., Belfast, BT9 5AH, ROYAUME-UNI

Résumé / Abstract

This paper assesses the effect of various material factors on the cell morphology and density of extruded expanded polypropylene (EPP), rod samples produced using a range of commercial chemical blowing agents (CBAs). This work is part of a research project into the optimisation of the extrusion and subsequent thermoforming of EPP sheet for food packaging applications. In each case the agents were added to PP and extruded under identical processing conditions, and the resulting variations in foam density and cell morphology are reported and discussed. Trials were also carried out to quantify the effects on the foam of additives, such as pigment, sodium benzoate, co-polymer and regrind, and the grade of polymer used (nucleated and un-nucleated). A design of experiment (DOE) methodology was adopted for all of these latter tests. The chemical blowing agents tested, produced foams with markedly different cellular structures with cell densities in the range 4.77x10⁴ to 1.45x10⁶ cells/ cm³. Of the other material factors tested the change in polymer grade and the addition of sodium benzoate were found to most significantly affect the density and cell morphology.

Revue / Journal Title

Cellular polymers    ISSN  0262-4893   CODEN CELPDJ 

Source / Source

2001, vol. 20, n^o6, pp. 403-416 (7 ref.)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

Rapra, Shrewsbury, ROYAUME-UNI  (1982) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Experimental study

;

Morphology

;

Cell structure

;

Structure processing relationship

;

Density

;

Citric acid

;

Sodium Hydrogencarbonates

;

Blowing agent

;

Property formulation relationship

;

Foaming process

;

Propylene polymer

;

Foam(plastics)

;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Etude expérimentale

;

Morphologie

;

Structure cellulaire

;

Relation mise en œuvre structure

;

Densité

;

Citrique acide

;

Sodium Hydrogénocarbonate

;

Gonflant

;

Relation formulation propriété

;

Procédé expansion

;

Propène polymère

;

Alvéolaire

;

Mots-clés espagnols / Spanish Keywords

Estudio experimental

;

Morfología

;

Estructura celular

;

Relación puesta en marcha estructura

;

Densidad

;

Cítrico ácido

;

Sodio Hidrógenocarbonato

;

Hinchador

;

Relación formulación propiedad

;

Procedimiento expansión

;

Propeno polímero

;

Alveolar

;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 18363, 35400010353259.0030