Abstract
The morphology of the microcellular ethylene-octene copolymer (Engage®) of both unfilled and precipitated calcium carbonate filled compounds has been studied from SEM photomicrographs with variation of blowing agent and precipitated CaCO3 filler loading. The average cell size, maximum cell size and cell density varies with variation of blowing agent and filler loading. Physical properties like relative density, hardness, tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus, tear strength decreases with blowing agent concentration. The elastic nature of closed cells reduces the hysteresis loss compared to solid compounds. Stress relaxation behaviour is independent of blowing agent loading, i.e. density of closed cell microcellular vulcanisates. Theoretically flaw sizes are found to be about 2.4 times larger than maximum cell sizes observed from SEM photomicrographs.
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