• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2015

Thermally expandable microcapsules (TEMs) can be expanded upon heating since the activation energy of liquid hydrocarbon at the core of the TEMs increased at high temperature. Due to this property, TEMs are widely used in the industry as blowing agents or light-weight fillers. In this article, chemical blowing agent and TEM were used for making polypropylene (PP) foams, and their mechanical properties were compared. Physical properties (tensile strength, impact strength etc.) of PP foams decreased with increasing the amount of blowing agents while weight of specimen decreased. However, PP foam produced with TEMs showed higher impact strength than the one with a chemical blowing agent. In order to figure out the difference of impact strength, the morphology of PP foamed was investigated. Expanding properties of TEM can be controlled by changing core back distance.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.198-203
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• 2005

Melt extrusion foaming process for the preparation of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds was carried out and the effects of foaming conditions on the pore structure of PLLA scaffolds and their mechanical properties were investigated. The porosity and mechanical properties of fabricated scaffolds were compared with the scaffolds obtained from the salt leaching method as well. It was found that the optimum pore structure was achieved when the PLLA melt was kept in extruder for the maximum decomposition time of blowing agent. In order to maintain the proper scaffolds structure, the blowing agent content should be less than $10\;wt\%$. It can be concluded that melt extrusion foaming process allows for the production of scaffold having higher mechanical properties with reasonable pore size and open cell structure for hard tissue regeneration even though it has less porosity than scaffolds made by salt leaching process.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.707-718
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• 2001

Polypropylene (PP) exhibits many beneficial properties such as low density high thermal stability, chemical resistance, good processability and recyclability. However, only limited research has been done on expanded polypropylene (EPP). In this study, we were trying to prepare EPP with chemical blowing agent. Ethylene-octene copolymer (mPE) was melt blended with PP to enhance melt fluidity of PP at processing temperature and to make more flexible foamed material. Prior to foaming, phase morphology of PP/mPE blends were investigated to examine the effect of phase morphology on the foaming ratio and cell structure of foams. Phase morphology of PP/mPE blends were affected by the content of mPE and mixing torque ratio. At the same composition, it was affected by mixing rpm. High blowing ratio and stable cell structure were obtained in the blend which has the continuous PP matrix with dispersed droplets of mPE.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.467-472
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• 2008

Rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs) were fabricated from crude MDI (CMDI) and polypropylene glycols (PPGs) of various isocyanate indices with a physical blowing agent (HFC 365mfc). There was a tendency for the gel time to decrease and the tack-free time to increase with increasing index value. With increasing index value the foam density and compression strength decreased and the glass transition temperature, dimension stability and thermal insulation increased, while the cell size and closed cell content were virtually unchanged. Allophanate crosslinks and condensation reactions between the isocyanate groups, which are favored with a high index value, exerted significant effects on the properties of RPUFs.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.1114-1119
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• 2004

In a foaming process of microcellular plastics (MCPs) with a injection molding, research on the viscosity change that occurs when the gas is injected to the polymer has received little attention despite its importance. The purpose of this paper is to provide the basic data required to determine the processing condition by measuring viscosity changes against the gas injection rates of the blowing agent, and to verify the influence of the viscosity change on the flow condition of polymer inside the mold at the injection process.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.528-535
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• 2001

Polyurethane specimens were mainly composed of polyol, MDI, silicone surfactant, and water. The effects of ethylene glycol on the cell size, forming magnification, cream time, gel time, take free time, final free rising height, and reactive temperature were investigated. The cyclopentane was used for PU foam as a physical blowing agent. The components were hand-mixed at about 5000 rpm within 4 seconds at room temperature. The mixtures with various ethylene glycol contents were foamed in the wood mold. When the index of isocyanate was fixed, as the amount of ethylene glycol increased, cell size and thermal conductivity were decreased by about 5.1% and 14%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.2979-2984
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• 2015

This paper has presented a new foaming technology of selective hybrid-structured polymer film with expanded pores. The porous structure of closed pore was firstly fabricated by applying the 355nm UV-pulsed laser to 0.1mm thick film that was uniformly mixed with PP pellets, copper powder, and CBA (Chemical Blowing Agent). In order to expand pore size of closed-cell shape, LAMO(Laser Aided Micro pore Opening) processing was conducted to heat the copper powder, and then the bigger pore size of closed-cell more than existing pore size was successfully formed because of rapid conduction of heated metal powder. From the experimental results, various process parameters such as laser fluence, intensity, scan rate, spot size and density of powder and CBA were considerably considered to reveal the correlation among the pore characteristics. In the future, a function experiment will be carried out to use the hybrid film of industrial applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.130-133
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• 2005

An experimental and theoretical study was carried out to estimate the foaming characteristics in the pultrusion process of phenolic foam composite. For the experimental study, a lab-scale pultrusion apparatus was constructed. Methylene chloride(CH2Cl2) was used as a physical blowing agent, glass fiber roving was used as reinforcement and the polymer used was a resol type phenolic resin. Pultruded products were observed to count bubble size by a SEM(Scanning Electron Microscopy). For the theoretical study, a model for bubble growth in a gradually hardening resin was considered and solved for a few foaming conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2005

The physical characteristics of polyurethane were examined by SEM, FT-IR tensile strength and mole % [NCO/OH]. Growing concerns in the environment-friendly architecture and public works have led to the development of solvent-free formulations that can be cured and foamed in air. Compared with general packing materials, this resin is much stronger in intensity and much longer in durability. Polyurethane foam resins were mainly composed of polyol, MDI, silicone surfactant, fillers, catalyst and blowing agent. The rigid foam of polyurethane in mechanical characteristics were due to chain extender and the increase of mole % [NCO/OH]. The change in the microstructure of polyurethane should be taken into account when considering the process of construction and durability through the polyurethane polymer resin in lots of industries.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.618-624
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• 1989

Ultrasonically induced bubble formation in thermoplastic matrix was investigated experimentally and theoretically. polystyrene was saturated with nitrogen under the pressure of 0.2 to 3.45 MPa in a pressure chamber, followed by pressure release and ultrasonic bubble nucleation. Zinc stearate was added to polystyrene as the nucleating agent to induce heterogeneous nucleation. Various mixture of low density polyethylene and polyethylene wax was also saturated with the gas. The foamed specimens with or without ultrasonically induced bubble nucleation was modeled by modifying the classical nucleation theory. The rate of ultrasonic nucleation was predicted for homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation at a conical cavity. This study showed that the heterogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation at a conical cavity. This study showed that the heterogeneous nucleation must be employed for ultrasonic production of bubbles in a viscous fluid and the homogeneous nucleation for ultrasonic production of bubbles in a low viscosity fluid.