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Polymers
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Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites
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Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 21340

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Emanoil Linul

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanics and Strength of Materials, Politehnica University of Timisoara, 300222 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: lightweight composite materials; porous and cellular materials; advanced metallic foams; syntactic foams; mechanical characterization; microstructural analysis; structure–property relationships; failure mechanisms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Respected Colleagues,

Polymeric materials are widely used in everyday day life in various applications. Foams are a very interesting class of porous cellular bio-inspired materials that mimic the framework of natural load-bearing structures, such as bones. Compared to other types of cellular materials, polymeric foams exhibit unique properties (excellent stiffness-to-weight ratio, high ability to absorb impact energy, good formability, shock wave attenuation, thermal conductivity, recycling potential, etc.) that make them attractive in a wide range of critical structural engineering applications. Their cellular structure is the key to their interesting properties. With respect to this, hybrid polymeric foam composites are materials with the potential to achieve high-performance lightweight construction, being simultaneously ideal candidates for replacing high-density materials (e.g., steel, aluminum) while following the constant weight reduction demands of the construction, automotive, aerospace, packaging, and naval industries.

This Special Issue, “Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites”, accepts high-quality innovative original research articles as well as review articles that focus on the scientific discussion and practical applications in the field of functional polymeric foam composite structures. Topics of special interest include, but are not limited to, the manufacturing processes, experimental and numerical characterization, collapse mechanisms, microstructure–properties relationships, and industrial applications of advanced composites with polymeric foam core. I hope that this Special Issue will promote academic research exchange, in addition to identifying and responding to the tremendous challenges currently faced in this burgeoning field.

Dr. Emanoil Linul
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

  • advanced hybrid polymeric foam (HPF) composites
  • HPF composite manufacturing processes
  • experimental and numerical characterization of HPF composites
  • mechanical and physical properties of HPF composites
  • collapse mechanisms of HPF composites
  • microstructure–properties relationships
  • applications of HPF composites
  • HPF composites of renewable resources
  • recycling of HPF composites

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 7218 KiB  
Article
Effect of Aluminum Flakes on Mechanical and Optical Properties of Foam Injection Molded Parts
by Donghwi Kim, Youngjae Ryu, Ju-Heon Lee and Sung Woon Cha
Polymers 2021, 13(17), 2930; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13172930 - 30 Aug 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1935
Abstract
Injection research using aluminum flakes has been conducted to realize metallic textures on the surface of plastic products. Several studies have focused on the effect of the orientation and quality of the flakes when using conventional injection molding methods; however, limited studies have [...] Read more.
Injection research using aluminum flakes has been conducted to realize metallic textures on the surface of plastic products. Several studies have focused on the effect of the orientation and quality of the flakes when using conventional injection molding methods; however, limited studies have focused on the foam injection molding method. In this study, we examined the orientation of aluminum flakes through foam injection with an inert gas and observed the changes in texture using a spectrophotometer and a gloss meter. The mechanical properties were also studied because the rigidity of the product, which is affected by the weight reduction that occurs during foaming, is an important factor. The results demonstrate that under foam injection molding, reflectance and gloss increased by 6% and 7 GU, respectively, compared to those obtained using conventional injection molding; furthermore, impact strength and flexural modulus increased by 62% and 15%, respectively. The results of this research can be applied to incorporate esthetic improvements to products and to develop functional parts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites)
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15 pages, 2785 KiB  
Article
Advances in Low-Density Flexible Polyurethane Foams by Optimized Incorporation of High Amount of Recycled Polyol
by Gabriel Kiss, Gerlinde Rusu, Geza Bandur, Iosif Hulka, Daniel Romecki and Francisc Péter
Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1736; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111736 - 26 May 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5888
Abstract
An industrially manufactured recycled polyol, obtained by acidolysis process, was for the first time proved to be a possible replacement of the reference fossil-based polyol in a low-density formulation suitable for industrial production of flexible polyurethane foams. The influence of increasing recycled polyol [...] Read more.
An industrially manufactured recycled polyol, obtained by acidolysis process, was for the first time proved to be a possible replacement of the reference fossil-based polyol in a low-density formulation suitable for industrial production of flexible polyurethane foams. The influence of increasing recycled polyol amounts on the properties of the polyurethane foam has been studied, also performing foam emission tests to evaluate the environmental impact. Using 10 pbw recycled polyol in the standard formulation, significant differences of the physical properties were not observed, but increase of the recycled polyol amount to 30 pbw led to a dramatic decrease of the foam air flow and a very tight foam. To overcome this drawback, N,N′-bis[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]urea was selected as tertiary amine catalyst, enabling the preservation of foam properties even at high recycled polyol level (30 pbw). Foam emission data demonstrated that this optimized foam formulation also led to an important reduction of volatile organic compounds. The results open the way for further optimization studies in low-density flexible polyurethane foam formulations, to increase the reutilization of the polyurethane waste and reduce the amount of petroleum-based raw materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites)
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13 pages, 2521 KiB  
Article
Backpressure Optimization in Foam Injection Molding: Method and Assessment of Sustainability
by Clemens Kastner, Thomas Mitterlehner, Dominik Altmann and Georg Steinbichler
Polymers 2020, 12(11), 2696; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12112696 - 16 Nov 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2424
Abstract
Inspired by the Industry 4.0 trend towards greater user-friendliness and self-optimization of machines, we present a novel approach to reducing backpressure in foam injection molding. Our method builds on the compressibility of polymer-gas mixtures to detect undissolved gas phases during processing at insufficient [...] Read more.
Inspired by the Industry 4.0 trend towards greater user-friendliness and self-optimization of machines, we present a novel approach to reducing backpressure in foam injection molding. Our method builds on the compressibility of polymer-gas mixtures to detect undissolved gas phases during processing at insufficient backpressures. Identification of a characteristic behavior of the bulk modulus upon transition from homogeneous to heterogeneous polymer-gas mixtures facilitated the determination of the minimum pressure required during production to be determined, as verified by ultrasound measurements. Optimization of the pressure conditions inside the barrel by means of our approach saves resources, making the process more sustainable. Our method yielded a 45% increase in plasticizing capacity, reduced the torque needed by 24%, and required 46% less plasticizing work and lower pressures in the gas supply chain. The components produced exhibited both improved mechanical bending properties and lower densities. From an economic point of view, the main advantages of optimized backpressures are reduced wear and lower energy consumption. The methodology presented in this study has considerable potential in terms of sustainable production and offers the prospect of fully autonomous process optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites)
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20 pages, 6181 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Characterization of Condensed Tannin Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane (NIPU) Rigid Foams by Ambient Temperature Blowing
by Xinyi Chen, Xuedong Xi, Antonio Pizzi, Emmanuel Fredon, Xiaojian Zhou, Jinxing Li, Christine Gerardin and Guanben Du
Polymers 2020, 12(4), 750; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12040750 - 30 Mar 2020
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 4959
Abstract
Ambient temperature self-blowing mimosa tannin-based non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) rigid foam was produced, based on a formulation of tannin-based non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) resin. A citric acid and glutaraldehyde mixture served as a blowing agent used to provide foaming energy and cross-link the tannin-derived products [...] Read more.
Ambient temperature self-blowing mimosa tannin-based non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) rigid foam was produced, based on a formulation of tannin-based non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) resin. A citric acid and glutaraldehyde mixture served as a blowing agent used to provide foaming energy and cross-link the tannin-derived products to synthesize the NIPU foams. Series of tannin-based NIPU foams containing a different amount of citric acid and glutaraldehyde were prepared. The reaction mechanism of tannin-based NIPU foams were investigated by Fourier Trasform InfraRed (FT-IR), Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C NMR). The results indicated that urethane linkages were formed. The Tannin-based NIPU foams morphology including physical and mechanical properties were characterized by mechanical compression, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All the foams prepared showed a similar open-cell morphology. Nevertheless, the number of cell-wall pores decreased with increasing additions of glutaraldehyde, while bigger foam cells were obtained with increasing additions of citric acid. The compressive mechanical properties improved with the higher level of crosslinking at the higher amount of glutaraldehyde. Moreover, the TGA results showed that the tannin-based NIPU foams prepared had similar thermal stability, although one of them (T-Fs-7) presented the highest char production and residual matter, approaching 18.7% at 790 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites)
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13 pages, 6453 KiB  
Article
Characterization and Preparation of Furanic-Glyoxal Foams
by Xuedong Xi, Antonio Pizzi, Hong Lei, Guanben Du, Xiaojian Zhou and Yuying Lin
Polymers 2020, 12(3), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12030692 - 20 Mar 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2124
Abstract
Synthetic foams have become an essential industrial product for a great variety of applications. Furfuryl alcohol, as a biomass chemical, was reacted with glyoxal at room temperature to prepare furanic-glyoxal rigid foams, and p-toluenesulfonic acid was used as a catalyst to initiate the [...] Read more.
Synthetic foams have become an essential industrial product for a great variety of applications. Furfuryl alcohol, as a biomass chemical, was reacted with glyoxal at room temperature to prepare furanic-glyoxal rigid foams, and p-toluenesulfonic acid was used as a catalyst to initiate the reaction. Foams with different molar ratios (furfuryl alcohol/glyoxal) were prepared in this work, and uniform cells foams have been obtained. Their compression resistance, 24-h water absorption, density, and other basic properties were tested. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the cellular morphology of the foams prepared, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) helped to understand their thermal and combustion properties, and FTIR and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Time of Flight (MALDI ToF) mass spectroscopy to explain the structure of the resulting foams to clarify the reactions occurring during foaming. The results show that the compression resistance of furanic-glyoxal foams declined as the furfuryl alcohol/glyoxal ratio decreases also. SEM observations revealed that foams with open-cell were obtained when furfuryl alcohol was added in greater amounts, and more closed cell structures were formed as the proportion of glyoxal increased. TGA results showed that the initial ignition temperature of furanic-glyoxal foams is ~200 °C higher than that of wood, and the smaller comprehensive combustion index S (about 0.15 × 10−7 (%2 K−3 min−2)) indicates that the foam burns slowly and has poor flammability, that is, it is not easy to burn. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites)
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Other

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15 pages, 2882 KiB  
Technical Note
Measurement of the Shear Properties of Extruded Polystyrene Foam by In-Plane Shear and Asymmetric Four-Point Bending Tests
by Hiroshi Yoshihara and Makoto Maruta
Polymers 2020, 12(1), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12010047 - 30 Dec 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2976
Abstract
The shear modulus and shear strength of extruded polystyrene foam were obtained by the in-plane shear and asymmetric four-point bending tests. In addition, the test data were numerically analysed, and the effectiveness of these tests was examined. The numerical and experimental results suggest [...] Read more.
The shear modulus and shear strength of extruded polystyrene foam were obtained by the in-plane shear and asymmetric four-point bending tests. In addition, the test data were numerically analysed, and the effectiveness of these tests was examined. The numerical and experimental results suggest that the shear modulus and shear strength obtained from the in-plane shear test are significantly smaller than those obtained from the asymmetric four-point bending test because the influence of the stress concentration was less significant. Although the in-plane shear test is standardised in ASTM C273/C273M-11, it is considerable to adopt the asymmetric four-point bending test as another candidate for obtaining the shear properties of extruded polystyrene foam. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hybrid Polymeric Foam Composites)
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