Effect of TPU soft segment molecular weight on TPU's bead foaming behavior

Bige Bati, Emine Bursa Kucuk, Mohammadreza Nofar*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The bead foaming behavior of three different thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) samples with different polyol soft-segment molecular weights was investigated through a lab-scale bead foaming reactor. These TPU samples possessed similar hard-segment content and soft-segment molecular weights of 1000, 2000, and 3500 g/mol. The evolution of the hard-segment crystallization during the isothermal saturation as well as the increased solubility of supercritical CO2 within the soft-segment region are, respectively, determinative parameters on improving the heterogeneous cell nucleation and expansion of the expanded TPU (ETPU) bead foams. The effect of saturation temperature, pressure, and time on the hard-segment crystallization and hence on the foaming behavior of TPU samples were explored. The results showed that the increase in soft-segment molecular weight increased the expansion ratio of the bead foams while the processing parameters differently influenced the hard-segment crystallization and CO2 solubility and hence the foaming behavior of ETPU foams.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 35th International Conference of the Polymer Processing Society, PPS 2019
EditorsFevzi Cakmak Cebeci, Yusuf Z. Menceloglu, Serkan Unal, Yakup Ulcer
PublisherAmerican Institute of Physics Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)9780735419568
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 Jan 2020
Event35th International Conference of the Polymer Processing Society, PPS 2019 - Cesme-Izmir, Turkey
Duration: 26 May 201930 May 2019

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume2205
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Conference

Conference35th International Conference of the Polymer Processing Society, PPS 2019
Country/TerritoryTurkey
CityCesme-Izmir
Period26/05/1930/05/19

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Author(s).

Keywords

  • bead foaming
  • crystallization
  • hard-segment
  • molecular weight
  • soft segment
  • TPU

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