Foamability of Thermoplastic Polymeric Materials

Foamability of Thermoplastic Polymeric Materials presents a cutting-edge approach to thermoplastic polymeric foams, drawing on the latest research, and guiding the reader through fundamental science, foamability, structure-property-processing relationship, multi-phase polymeric materials, degradation characteristics of biodegradable foams, and advanced applications. The book begins by introducing polymer foams and foaming, before providing detailed information on foam manufacturing technologies and the fundamental science behind foaming. The subsequent chapters provide an insight into the factors affecting foamability and ways of enhancing the foamability of various polymeric materials, with special focus on multi-phase systems. The book goes on to discuss in detail degradation of biodegradable foams, and special morphology development for scaffolds, packaging, acoustic and super-insulation applications, as well as cell seeding studies in scaffolds. Each application has specific requirements in terms of desired properties, and in-depth coverage and analysis helps those looking to move forward with microcellular processing and polymer foaming. This is an ideal resource for researchers and advanced students interested in microcellular processing of polymeric materials, and across the areas of polymer foaming, polymer processing, plastics engineering, and materials science. In an industrial setting, this book supports materials engineers, scientists, and R&D professionals looking to bring advanced polymeric foams into the market for a range of advanced applications. Offers in-depth coverage of factors affecting foamability, and methods for enhancing the foamability of polymeric materialsExplores innovative applications in a range of areas, including scaffolds, acoustic applications, packaging, and super-insulationProvides a comprehensive, critical overview of the state-of-the-art, possible future research directions, and opportunities for industrial application