Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Polystyerene (PS) nanocomposite foams were prepared using CO₂ supercritical fluid (SCF) as a solvent and blowing agent. PS was first in situ polymerized with 0, 1, and 3% Montmorillonite-Layered Silicate (MLS) mixtures, which were then compression-molded into thin laminates. The laminates were foamed in a batch process at temperatures and pressures within the range of 60–85 C and 7.6–12 MPa. Characterization was accomplished with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). SEM images revealed the effects of different processing parameters on the foam’s cellular morphology, and also showed that the MLS layers were arranged in alignment with the foam cell walls. DSC data indicated that different concentrations of MLS have a notable effect on the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the composite, and that the foaming process itself alters the endothermic behavior of the material. XRD spectra suggested that the PS–MLS composite had an intercalated structure at both the 1 and 3% mixtures, and that the intercalation may be enhanced by the foaming process.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Goel, S.K. and Beckman, E.J. (1994). Polym. Eng. Sci., 34(14): 1137–1137 .

2. Goel, S.K. and Beckman, E.J. (1994). Polym. Eng. Sci., 34(14): 1148–1148 .

3. Kazarian, S.G. (2000). Polym. Sci., Ser. C., 42(1): 78–78 .

4. Liang, M.-T. and Wang, C.-M. (2000). Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 39(12): 4622–4622 .

5. Park, C., Park, O.O., Lim, J.G. and Kim, H.J. (2001). Polymer, 42: 7465–7465 .

6. Arora, K., Lesser, A. and McCarthy, T. (1999). Macromolecules, 32(8): 2562–2562 .

7. Zeng, C., Han, X., Lee, L.J., Koelling, K. and Tomasko, D. (2002). Conference Proceedings–ANTEC 2002, 1504–1504.

8. Han, X., Zeng, C., Lee, L.J., Koelling, K. and Tomasko, D. (2002). Conference Proceedings–ANTEC 2002, 1915–1915.

9. Fu, Y., Palo, D., Erkey, C. and Weiss, R. (1997). Macromolecules, 30(24): 7611–7611 .

10.

10. Mizumoto, T., Sugimura, N., Moritani, M., Sato, Y. and Masuoka, H. (2000). Macromolecules, 33(18): 6757–6757 .

11.

11. Martinache, J., Royer, J., Siripurapu, S., Hénon, F., Genzer, J., Khan, S. and Carbonell, R. (2001). Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 40(23): 5570–5570 .

12.

12. Krause, B., Mettinkhof, R., van der Vegt, N. and Wessling, M. (2001). Macromolecules, 34(4): 874–874 .

13.

13. Lee, M., Tzoganakis, C. and Park, C. (1998). Polym. Eng. Sci., 38(7): 1112–1112 .

14.

14. Lee, K.-N., Lee, H.-J. and Kim, J.-H. (2000). Polym. Int., 49: 712–712 .

15.

15. Siripurapu, S., Gay, Y., Royer, J., DeSimone, J., Spontak, R. and Khan, S. (2002). Polymer, 43: 5511–5511 .

16.

16. Arora, K., Lesser, A. and McCarthy, T. (1998). Macromolecules, 31(14): 4614–4614 .

17.

17. Lee, M., Park, C. and Tzoganakis, C. (1999). Polym. Eng. Sci., 39(1): 99–99 .

18.

18. Lee, M., Tzoganakis, C. and Park, C. Adv. Polym. Tech., 19: 300–300 .

19.

19. Han, X., Baxter, A., Koelling, K., Tomasko, D. and Lee, L.J. (2002). Conference Proceedings–ANTEC 2002, 1910–1910.

20.

20. Wang, W.-C.V., Kramer, E. and Sachse, W. (1982). J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed., 20: 1371–1371 .

21.

21. Han, X., Koelling, K., Tomasko D. and Lee, L.J. (2000). Ohio State Univ. CAPCE Newsletter, 2(2): 2–2 .

22.

22. Lee, S.-T. (2000). Foam Nucleation in Gas-Dispersed Polymeric Systems, In: Lee, S.-T. (ed.), Foam Extrusion: Principles and Practice, Technomic, Lancaster, Basel .

23.

23. Shafti, M.A. and Flumerfelt, R.W. (1997). Chem. Eng. Sci., 52(4): 627–627 .

24.

24. Kumar, V. and Suh, N.P. (1990). Polym. Eng. Sci., 30: 1323–1323 .

Supercritical CO2 Processed Polystyrene Nanocomposite Foams

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References