Prediction of gas solubility in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) melt to inform process design and resulting foam microstructure

Foaming studies on poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) were performed to evaluate the potential impact of nitrogen gas solubility on foam microstructure and properties. It was found that there was a step change from low to high cell density below and above a specific pressure thresho...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymer engineering and science 2014-11, Vol.54 (11), p.2683-2695
Main Authors: Tsui, Amy, Wright, Zach, Frank, Curtis W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Cellular
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering research
Chemical properties
Composition
Errors
Exact sciences and technology
Extrusion
Foam
Foaming
Foams
Forms of application and semi-finished materials
Gas solubility
High temperature
Identification and classification
Mathematical analysis
Microstructure
Nitrogen
Polymer industry, paints, wood
Polymeric composites
Polypropylene
Polypropylenes
Rheology
Solubility
Technology of polymers
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Summary:Foaming studies on poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) were performed to evaluate the potential impact of nitrogen gas solubility on foam microstructure and properties. It was found that there was a step change from low to high cell density below and above a specific pressure threshold. This pressure threshold, which is associated with nitrogen gas solubility in PHBV, was calculated in order to inform processing requirements for extrusion foaming of PHBV. In the process, the PVT properties of PHBV were also calculated to account for polymer swelling at high temperature and pressure. To validate the predictive method applied in this work, gas solubility of nitrogen was also determined for polypropylene (PP) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA), which have similar thermal and rheological properties to PHBV. Predicted PVT properties for PP were found to be similar to experimental values in the literature, with the predicted solubility having a 10–14% error for PP and 20–24% error for PLA. Application of the same error range to the solubility predicted for PHBV aligned well with experimental observations. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2683–2695, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
ISSN:0032-3888
1548-2634
DOI:10.1002/pen.23822