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Polymers
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High Performance Polymeric Composite Foam: Design, Processing and Properties
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High Performance Polymeric Composite Foam: Design, Processing and Properties

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2023) | Viewed by 11629

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jing Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical & Power Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
Interests: polymer composites; foams; injection molding; processing–structure–property relationship; biodegradable polymer; tissue engineering scaffold
Prof. Dr. Qian Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
Interests: polymer composites; biofoams; tissue engineering scaffolds; injection molding
Dr. Feng Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Material Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
Interests: polymer foams; polymer/nano filler composite; design and processing; sound insulation materials and EMI shielding materials
Dr. Xiaofeng Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
Interests: biofoams; tissue engineering scaffolds; biodegradable polymeric composites and applications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue, we present a collection of papers regarding the design, processing, and properties of high-performance polymeric composite foams.

Polymer composites are defined as composites with a polymer matrix, and that incorporate fillers that are shown in the micro/nano scale in at least one dimension. Polymer composites normally exhibit high mechanical performance and multifunctionality compared with neat polymers. Polymer composites can be used to create micro- and nanoporous foams, which are an intriguing class of materials that are lightweight, energy-saving, can act as thermal insulation and sound barriers, and have specific mechanical properties due to their excellent foamability. Nowadays, polymeric composite foams are widely used in the fields of automotives, building and construction, packaging, and biomedical science. New applications are also being developed in hydrogen storage, electromagnetic shielding, and sensors.

The aim of this Special Issue is to explore how fillers can be used to modify polymer structure and properties, and to improve our fundamental understanding of the processing–micro/nano foam structures–final properties relationship.

Dr. Jing Jiang
Prof. Dr. Qian Li
Dr. Feng Chen
Dr. Xiaofeng Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polymeric composite
  • foam
  • cell structure
  • dispersion
  • processing
  • rheology
  • crystallization
  • property

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 23095 KiB  
Article
Investigation on the Compressive Behavior of Hybrid Polyurethane(PU)-Foam-Filled Hyperbolic Chiral Lattice Metamaterial
by Qingguo He, Yuliang Hou, Xiaomeng Li, Shuang Li and Liang Meng
Polymers 2023, 15(9), 2030; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15092030 - 25 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2420
Abstract
In this study, a novel hybrid metamaterial has been developed via fulfilling hyperbolic chiral lattice with polyurethane (PU) foam. Initially, both the hyperbolic and typical body-centered cubic (BCC) lattices are fabricated by 3D printing technique. These lattices are infiltrated in a thermoplastic polyurethane [...] Read more.
In this study, a novel hybrid metamaterial has been developed via fulfilling hyperbolic chiral lattice with polyurethane (PU) foam. Initially, both the hyperbolic and typical body-centered cubic (BCC) lattices are fabricated by 3D printing technique. These lattices are infiltrated in a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) solution dissolved in 1,4-Dioxane, and then freeze casting technique is applied to achieve the PU-foam-filling. Intermediate (IM) layers possessing irregular pores, are formed neighboring to the lattice-foam interface. While, the foam far from the lattice exhibits a multi-layered structure. The mechanical behavior of the hybrid lattice metamaterials has been investigated by monotonic and cyclic compressive tests. The experimental monotonic tests indicate that, the filling foam is able to soften the BCC lattice but to stiffen the hyperbolic one, further to raise the stress plateau and to accelerate the densification for both lattices. The foam hybridization also benefits the hyperbolic lattice to prohibit the property degradation under the cyclic compression. Furthermore, the failure modes of the hybrid hyperbolic lattice are identified as the interface splitting and foam collapse via microscopic analysis. Finally, a parametric study has been performed to reveal the effects of different parameters on the compressive properties of the hybrid hyperbolic lattice metamaterial. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Performance Polymeric Composite Foam: Design, Processing and Properties)
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19 pages, 4280 KiB  
Article
High-Expansion Open-Cell Polylactide Foams Prepared by Microcellular Foaming Based on Stereocomplexation Mechanism with Outstanding Oil–Water Separation
by Dongsheng Li, Shuai Zhang, Zezhong Zhao, Zhenyun Miao, Guangcheng Zhang and Xuetao Shi
Polymers 2023, 15(9), 1984; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15091984 - 22 Apr 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2187
Abstract
Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) foams with open-cell structures are good candidates for oil–water separation. However, the foaming of PLA with high-expansion and uniform cell morphology by the traditional supercritical carbon dioxide microcellular foaming method remains a big challenge due to its low melting [...] Read more.
Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) foams with open-cell structures are good candidates for oil–water separation. However, the foaming of PLA with high-expansion and uniform cell morphology by the traditional supercritical carbon dioxide microcellular foaming method remains a big challenge due to its low melting strength. Herein, a green facile strategy for the fabrication of open-cell fully biodegradable PLA-based foams is proposed by introducing the unique stereocomplexation mechanism between PLLA and synthesized star-shaped PDLA for the first time. A series of star-shaped PDLA with eight arms (8-s-PDLA) was synthesized with different molecular weights and added into the PLLA as modifiers. PLLA/8-s-PDLA foams with open-cells structure and high expansion ratios were fabricated by microcellular foaming with green supercritical carbon dioxide. In detail, the influences of induced 8-s-PDLA on the crystallization behavior, rheological properties, cell morphology and consequential oil–water separation performance of PLA-based foam were investigated systemically. The addition of 8-s-PDLA induced the formation of SC-PLA, enhancing crystallization by acting as nucleation sites and improving the melting strength through acting as physical cross-linking points. The further microcellular foaming of PLLA/8-s-PDLA resulted in open-cell foams of high porosity and high expansion ratios. With an optimized foaming condition, the PLLA/8-s-PDLA-13K foam exhibited an average cell size of about 61.7 μm and expansion ratio of 24. Furthermore, due to the high porosity of the interconnected open cells, the high-absorption performance of the carbon tetrachloride was up to 37 g/g. This work provides a facile green fabrication strategy for the development of environmentally friendly PLA foams with stable open-cell structures and high expansion ratios for oil–water separation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Performance Polymeric Composite Foam: Design, Processing and Properties)
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16 pages, 34340 KiB  
Article
The Study of Crystallization Behavior, Microcellular Structure and Thermal Properties of Glass-Fiber/Polycarbonate Composites
by Xinchao Wang, Yapeng Sun, Jiale Hu, Lan Wu, Tie Geng, Yonggang Guo, Chenhao Zhao, Binbin Dong and Chuntai Liu
Polymers 2023, 15(6), 1546; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15061546 - 21 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2891
Abstract
Polycarbonate (PC) foam is a versatile material with excellent properties, but its low thermal stability limits its application in high-temperature environments. The aim of this study was to improve the thermal stability of PC foam by adding glass fibers (GF) and to investigate [...] Read more.
Polycarbonate (PC) foam is a versatile material with excellent properties, but its low thermal stability limits its application in high-temperature environments. The aim of this study was to improve the thermal stability of PC foam by adding glass fibers (GF) and to investigate the effect of GF on PC crystallization behavior and PC foam cell morphology. This study was motivated by the need to improve the performance of PC foams in various industries, such as construction, automotive, and medical. To achieve this goal, PC/GF composites were prepared by extrusion, and PC/GF composite foams were produced using a batch foaming process with supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) as the blowing agent. The results showed that the addition of GF accelerated the SC-CO2-induced crystallization stability of PC and significantly increased the cell density to 4.6 cells/cm3. In addition, the thermal stability of PC/GF foam was improved, with a significant increase in the residual carbon rate at 700 °C and a lower weight loss rate than PC matrix. Overall, this study highlights the potential of GF as a PC foam reinforcement and its effect on thermal and structural properties, providing guidance for industrial production and applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Performance Polymeric Composite Foam: Design, Processing and Properties)
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18 pages, 8285 KiB  
Article
Lightweight and High Impact Toughness PP/PET/POE Composite Foams Fabricated by In Situ Nanofibrillation and Microcellular Injection Molding
by Junwei Sun, Qian Li, Yufan Jiang, Jing Jiang, Lian Yang, Caiyi Jia, Feng Chen and Xiaofeng Wang
Polymers 2023, 15(1), 227; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010227 - 1 Jan 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3413
Abstract
Polypropylene (PP) has become the most promising and candidate material for fabricating lightweight products. Microcellular injection molding (MIM) is a cost-effective technology for manufacturing porous plastic products. However, it is still challenging to fabricate high-performance PP microcellular components. Herein, we reported an efficient [...] Read more.
Polypropylene (PP) has become the most promising and candidate material for fabricating lightweight products. Microcellular injection molding (MIM) is a cost-effective technology for manufacturing porous plastic products. However, it is still challenging to fabricate high-performance PP microcellular components. Herein, we reported an efficient strategy to produce lightweight and high impact toughness foamed PP/polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/polyolefin-based elastomer (POE) components by combining in situ fibrillation (INF) and MIM technologies. First, the INF composite was prepared by integrating twin-screw compounding with melt spinning. SEM analysis showed PET nanofibrils with a diameter of 258 nm were achieved and distributed uniformly in the PP due to the POE’s inducing elaboration effect. Rheological and DSC analysis demonstrated PET nanofibrils pronouncedly improved PP’s viscoelasticity and crystal nucleation rate, respectively. Compared with PP foam, INF composite foam showed more stretched cells in the skin layer and refined spherical cells in the core layer. Due to the synergistic toughening effect of PET nanofibrils and POE elastic particles, the impact strength of INF composite foams was 295.3% higher than that of PP foam and 191.2% higher than that of melt-blended PP/PET foam. The results gathered in this study reveal potential applications for PP based INF composite foams in the manufacturing of lightweight automotive products with enhanced impact properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Performance Polymeric Composite Foam: Design, Processing and Properties)
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