Papers by Keyword: Structural Foam

Abstract: Structural foams (SF) consist of a sandwich-like material composed by a cellular core and a solid skin. It is the ideal material solution for injection moulding of short production series of large size parts. The injection moulding of SF is a low pressure process, thus it is a viable alternative for light moulding tools. The right formulation of structural foams and the use of adequate processing conditions are important to optimize the performance of the plastics part. In this study the processing conditions (injection speeds and percentages of mould filling) and the amount of chemical blowing agent (CBA) added to polypropylene were assessed on injection moulding circular discs. A hybrid mould with epoxy/aluminium composite cavity was used to produce the parts. The structural foam performance was evaluated by rheological, morphological and mechanical tests.

Abstract: The demand for safer, lighter and more fuel efficient vehicles has led to the market entry of light weight construction, with the use of advanced high strength steels, engineering plastic and light weight metals. Maximum weight savings potential will be limited if these are used in isolation. Chemistry based structural adhesives and foams enable the intelligent use of all three weight saving methodologies to overcome the problems of safety, quality and high processing cost.