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Polymers for Cryogenic Temperatures for Space and On-Ground Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1169

Special Issue Editor


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Polymer Laboratory, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, 27 Dzerbenes St., LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
Interests: polyurethane chemistry and technology; renewable raw materials; thermal insulation; cryogenic insulation; space technologies
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Until recently, materials that served at cryogenic temperatures were mainly used in space technology, for example, liquefied gases as rocket fuel in very critical conditions in space. But today, many energy solutions are already needed to ensure a safe environment at very low temperatures; currently, the most well-known field is the storage and transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In the future, liquefied hydrogen (LH2) will play an increasingly important role in energy, which will be produced in places where natural energy is easily available, e.g., from the sun in deserts, and transported to intensive industrial areas. Materials, both metals and polymers, that are used at these very low temperatures have specific requirements: they must not be brittle, they must not be gas permeable, they must not absorb moisture, and they must have many special properties that we cannot currently predict.

Dear colleagues, you are invited to publish in this Special Issue your research on innovative materials that will be used both in space technologies and in future energy.

Dr. Uģis Cābulis
Guest Editor

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

  • insulation
  • foam materials
  • brittleness
  • cryo-shock
  • liquefied gasses
  • future hydrogen energy
  • space propulsion
  • barrier properties

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 2808 KiB  
Article
Phase-Change Materials as Cryo-Shock Absorbers in Rigid Polyurethane Cryogenic Insulation Foams
by Laima Vevere, Beatrise Sture-Skela, Vladimir Yakushin, Pavel Němeček, Hynek Beneš and Ugis Cabulis
Polymers 2025, 17(6), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17060729 - 10 Mar 2025
Viewed by 745
Abstract
This study investigates the effects of microencapsulated phase-change materials (PCMs) on the density and thermal conductivity of rigid polyurethane (PU) foams, alongside their mechanical properties. Introducing PCMs into the foam composition results in increased viscosity, complicating the mixing of polyol and isocyanate components. [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effects of microencapsulated phase-change materials (PCMs) on the density and thermal conductivity of rigid polyurethane (PU) foams, alongside their mechanical properties. Introducing PCMs into the foam composition results in increased viscosity, complicating the mixing of polyol and isocyanate components. This viscosity increase can slow the foaming rate and subsequently raise the foam density, as observed in both poured and sprayed rigid PU foams containing 5% and 10% PCM, leading to density increases of up to 9%. Despite these slight density changes, the thermal conductivity remained relatively stable due to the preservation of the foam’s closed-cell structure. The mechanical evaluation revealed a decrease in compressive and tensile strength with a higher PCM content attributed to defects arising in the foam’s cellular architecture. However, adhesive strength to aluminum substrates improved, particularly with 5% PCM, possibly due to a more consistent foam structure during the slower foaming process. Differential scanning calorimetry and a dynamic mechanical analysis indicated that the incorporation of PCM increased the glass transition temperature and affected the foam’s mechanical properties. This research underscores the potential of microencapsulated PCMs to enhance the functionality of rigid PU foams while needing careful consideration of their concentration to avoid compromising the structural integrity. Full article
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