Thermoplastic Foam Processing: Principles and Applications

Hardback  320pp  ISBN 0849317010      £92.00

• Includes up-to-date research in foam extrusion and physical foaming agents
• Covers chemical and physical aspects of blowing agents and polymeric materials
• Provides a strong focus on materials interaction in foaming process
• Identifies in-line monitoring as a valuable complement to the data generated off-line
• Suggests fresh ideas that still need dedicated efforts to be explored

As part of the Polymeric Foams series and a companion to the volume, Foam Extrusion: Principles and Practice (2000), the book includes new topics such as polymer blends and mechanical properties, and further develops several vital topics appearing in Foam Extrusion, such as extensional rheology and solubility/diffusivity. The text also addresses factors that affect the critical interaction between polymer and gas in the foaming process, such as polymer plasticization, gas dissolution, phase separation, foaming, and stabilization. Written by experts, the book provides clear information on the mechanisms and the practical conditions experienced during nucleation and cell growth.

In the midst of new research for alternative, environmentally friendly foaming agents, Thermoplastic Foam Processing: Principles and Development gives the reader a clear understanding of the current trends in R & D and an up-to-date review of the state of the art in thermoplastic foam processing. This book provides useful tools for the development and validation of innovative physical foaming agent and polymer combinations for current and future research.

Contents

• Solubility and Diffusivity
• Rheological Behavior Relevant to Extrusion Foaming
• Polymer Blending Technology in Foam Processing
• Research on Alternative Blowing Agents
• Investigating Foam Processing
• The Relationship between Morphology and Mechanical Properties in Thermoplastic Foams
• Index