Methods of making foamed materials of blended thermoplastic polymers using carbon dioxide
First Claim
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1. A method of producing a foamed material, said method comprising:
- contacting a mixture comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second thermoplastic polymer with a blowing agent comprising a surfactant, wherein the surfactant is a copolymer selected from the group consisting of a graft copolymer, a block copolymer, and a random copolymer, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer has a higher percent crystallinity that the second thermoplastic polymer; and
subjecting the mixture to conditions sufficient to create a thermodynamic instability in the mixture to foam the mixture, the mixture comprising the first and second thermoplastic polymers having a percent crystallinity lower than the first thermoplastic polymer;
wherein the foamed material formed by said method has a plurality of distinct void spaces formed therein.
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Abstract
A method of producing a foamed material comprises contacting a mixture comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second thermoplastic polymer with a blowing agent, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer has a higher percent crystallinity that the second thermoplastic polymer; and subjecting the mixture to conditions sufficient to create a thermodynamic instability in the blend foam the mixture, wherein the mixture comprising the first and second thermoplastic polymers has a percent crystallinity lower than the first thermoplastic polymer.
82 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A method of producing a foamed material, said method comprising:
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contacting a mixture comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second thermoplastic polymer with a blowing agent comprising a surfactant, wherein the surfactant is a copolymer selected from the group consisting of a graft copolymer, a block copolymer, and a random copolymer, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer has a higher percent crystallinity that the second thermoplastic polymer; and
subjecting the mixture to conditions sufficient to create a thermodynamic instability in the mixture to foam the mixture, the mixture comprising the first and second thermoplastic polymers having a percent crystallinity lower than the first thermoplastic polymer;
wherein the foamed material formed by said method has a plurality of distinct void spaces formed therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of extrusion processing a mixture of thermoplastic materials, said process comprising:
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introducing at least two thermoplastic polymers into an extruder barrel, the at least two thermoplastic polymers comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second thermoplastic polymer, and wherein the first thermoplastic polymer has a higher percent crystallinity than the second thermoplastic polymer;
heating the mixture of thermoplastic materials to provide a molten blend thereof;
contacting the molten blend of thermoplastic materials with a blowing agent comprising at least one surfactant, wherein the surfactant is a copolymer selected from the group consisting of a graft copolymer; and
subjecting the blend to conditions sufficient to create a thermodynamic instability in the blend to foam the blend, wherein the foamed blend has a percent crystallinity lower than the first thermoplastic polymer;
wherein the foamed material formed by said method has a plurality of distinct void spaces formed therein. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of producing a foamed material, said method comprising:
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contacting a mixture comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second thermoplastic polymer with a blowing agent comprising a surfactant, wherein the surfactant is a copolymer selected from the group consisting of a graft copolymer, a block copolymer, and a random copolymer, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer has a higher percent crystallinity that the second thermoplastic polymer; and
subjecting the mixture to conditions sufficient to create a thermodynamic instability in the mixture to foam the mixture, the mixture comprising the first and second thermoplastic polymers having a percent crystallinity lower than the first thermoplastic polymer;
wherein the foamed material formed by said method has a plurality of distinct void spaces formed therein having an average size ranging from about 0 to about 500 microns. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method of extrusion processing a mixture of thermoplastic materials, said process comprising:
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introducing at least two thermoplastic polymers into an extruder barrel, the at least two thermoplastic polymers comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second thermoplastic polymer, and wherein the first thermoplastic polymer has a higher percent crystallinity than the second thermoplastic polymer;
heating the mixture of thermoplastic materials to provide a molten blend thereof;
contacting the molten blend of thermoplastic materials with a blowing agent comprising at least one surfactant, wherein the surfactant is a copolymer selected from the group consisting of a graft copolymer; and
subjecting the blend to conditions sufficient to create a thermodynamic instability in the blend to foam the blend, wherein the foamed blend has a percent crystallinity lower than the first thermoplastic polymer;
wherein the foamed material formed by said method has a plurality of distinct void spaces formed therein having an average size ranging from above about 0 to about 500 microns. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification