Moulding technology is described for the production of hot cured thermosetting plastics structural foams, based on polyester and phenolic resin moulding compositions incorporating chemical expansion agents. Products with a well defined integral skin and cellular core are readily obtained by an injection-compression-decompression moulding sequence, preferably through programmed thermoset injection moulding.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of these materials are discussed, with emphasis on the load bearing and energy absorbing characteristics of fibre-reinforced structural foam variants.
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