Processing and cell morphology relationships for microcellular foamed PVC/wood-fiber composites

Matuana, Laurent M.; Park, Chul B.; Balatinecz, John J.

Affiliations

¹Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3B3

²Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3G8

Abstract

In this research, the effects of the materials and the processing conditions on the cell morphology of foamed PVC/wood-fiber composites were studied with a view to establishing their process-structure relationships. Each step of microcellular PVC/wood-fiber composites processing is addressed, including the surface treatment of the wood-fiber, mixing of polymer and wood-fiber, manufacture of the composites, the saturation of the composites with gas, microcellular foaming of the composites, and characterization of the cell morphology. The cellular morphologies of the foamed PVC/wood-fiber composites are a strong function of the content of plasticizer and the surface treatment of wood-fiber as well as the gas saturation and foaming conditions.

Links

DOI: 10.1002/pen.11758

WoS: A1997XN40600003

History

Received: 1996-06

Revised: 1997-02

Cited By (29)

Year	Entry
1998	Park CB, Behravesh AH, Venter RD. Low density microcellular foam processing in extrusion using CO₂. Polym Eng Sci. November 1998;38(11):1812-1823.
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2012	Afrifah KA. Fracture Mechanics and Statistical Modeling of Ternary Blends of Polylactide/ethylene-Acrylate Copolymer /wood-Flour Composites [PhD thesis]. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University; 2012.
2020	Venkatesan KB. Microcellular Foaming of Poly(lactic Acid) Branched With Food-Grade Chain-Extenders [Master's thesis]. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University; 2020.
2001	Mengeloglu F. Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride/wood-Flour Composites and Their Foams [PhD thesis]. Houghton, MI: Michigan Technological University; 2001.
2009	Semeralul HO. Advancing the Technology Development for Better Quality Wood Plastic Composites: Process Ability Study [Master's thesis]. University of Ontario Institute of Technology; March 2009.
2010	Islam MR. Profile Extrusion of Wood Plastic Cellular Composites and Formulation Evaluation Using Compression Molding [Master's thesis]. University of Ontario Institute of Technology; May 2010.
1998	Behravesh AH. Extrusion Processing of Low-Density Microcellular Foams [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 1998.
1998	Rizvi GM. Extrusion Foaming of Plastic/wood-Fiber Composites Using a Chemical Blowing Agent [Master's thesis]. University of Toronto; 1998.
1998	Yeung AK-F. Development of Microcellular Foam Sheet Extrusion Systems [Master's thesis]. University of Toronto; 1998.
2000	Zhang H. Extrusion of Fine-Celled Plastic/wood-Fiber Composite Foams Using CO₂ as a Blowing Agent [Master's thesis]. University of Toronto; 2000.
2001	Guo G. Manufacture of Fine-Celled Plastic/wood-Fiber Composite Foams Using CO₂ as a Blowing Agent [Master's thesis]. University of Toronto; 2001.
2001	Lee PC. Manufacture of Microcellular Open-Celled Polyolefin Foams [Master's thesis]. University of Toronto; 2001.
2001	Lin WSL. Effect of Moisture and Other Volatiles on the Cellular Structure of Plastic/wood-Fiber Composite Foams [Master's thesis]. University of Toronto; 2001.
2002	Xu X. Design of an Injection-Molding System for Manufacture of Microcellular Foams [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2002.
2003	Rizvi GM. Development of Extrusion Processing Technology for Manufacture of Fine-Celled Plastic/wood-Fiber Composite Foams [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2003.
2004	Lee YH. Polyethylene/clay Nanocomposite Foams Blown With Physical Blowing Agents (PBA): From Microcellular to Nanocellular [Master's thesis]. University of Toronto; 2004.
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2006	Guo G. Development of Fine-Celled Bio-Fiber Composite Foams Using Physical Blowing Agents and Nano-Particles [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2006.
2006	Lee C-DP. Extrusion Processing of Low-Bulk Density, Microcellular, Open-Cell Thermoplastic Foams [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2006.
2008	Ahmed MYSE-S. Design and Manufacturing of Novel Microcellular Acoustical Foams [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2008.
2008	Kim S-G. A Study on the Foaming Behavior of Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) Blends [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2008.
2008	Lee YH. Foaming of Wood Flour/polyolefin/layered Silicate Composites [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2008.
2012	Wong AT. In Situ Observation of Plastic Foaming Under Static Condition, Extensional Flow and Shear Flow [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2012.
2014	Chu RKM. Open-Cell Foaming With Injection Molding [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2014.
2017	Tabatabaei Naeini A. In-Situ Visualization and Quantification of Polymer Crystallization Under Complex Flows During Foam Extrusion Processing [PhD thesis]. University of Toronto; 2017.
2021	Yu L. Lightweight Foam Structures for Aerospace Application Using High-Performance Polymer PPSU [Master's thesis]. University of Toronto; 2021.