Journal of Materials Science, Vol.34, No.21, 5387-5395, 1999
Generation of novel microstructures in rapidly foamed polybutylene terephthalate
A novel technology called "Dynamic Decompression and Cooling (DDC) Process" for producing foams from semicrystalline polymers has been developed. In the present experiment, a solution of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) melt and blowing liquid (CHCl3) is processed under high pressure and temperature. As the system is decompressed above the boiling point of the solvent, phase separation occurs; gas bubbles nucleate out from a metastable regime and grow through evaporation of the volatile phase and diffusion of non-condensable gas. Solidification is achieved by crystallization of the polymer and supercooling of the melt induced by the latent heat of vaporization of the volatile phase. The resulting foams have open, interconnected cell structures with densities of 10-20% of the original materials. Structural characterization with DSC, SEM and X-ray diffraction techniques reveals that the DDC foams are semicrystalline with crystallinity of ca. 35% and possess a variety of micromorphologies as well as crystalline orientations. This structural character is believed to modify considerably the mechanical properties of the fabricated DDC foams.
Keywords:SUPERCRITICAL FLUID SOLUTIONS;POLY(BUTYLENE TEREPHTHALATE);POLY(1;4-BUTYLENE TEREPHTHALATE);BUBBLE NUCLEATION;POLYMERICLIQUIDS;PHASE-SEPARATION;MORPHOLOGY;BEHAVIOR;CRYSTALLIZATION;FIBERS