Solid-State Foaming of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene/Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Using Carbon Dioxide as a Blowing Agent.

Dong Eui Kwon,Youn-Woo Lee,Byung Kyu Park

doi:10.3390/polym11020291

Abstract

In this study, a single paragraph of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)/recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) polymeric foams is prepared using CO2 as a blowing agent. First, the sorption kinetics of subcritical and supercritical CO2 are first studied at saturation temperatures from −20 to 40 °C and a pressure of 10 MPa, in order to estimate the diffusion coefficient and the sorption amount. As the sorption temperature increases, the diffusion coefficient of CO2 increases while the sorption amount decreases. Then, a series of two-step solid-state foaming experiments are conducted. In this process, a specimen is saturated with liquid CO2 and foamed by dipping the sample in a high-temperature medium at 60 to 120 °C. The effects of foaming temperature and depressurization rate on the morphology and structure of ABS/R-PET microcellular foams are examined. The mean cell size and the variation of the cell size distribution increases as the foaming temperature and the depressurization rate increases.

Highlights

Plastics, whether synthetic or semi-synthetic polymeric compounds, play a significant role as building blocks in supporting the modern world
They are cheap, malleable, and water-resistant. They constitute a variety of products from daily necessities to building elements. Their versatility is preferred over traditional materials including woods, rocks, ceramics, and metals
Plastics already make up 50%–80% of debris in marine areas [1] and continuously increase in proportion

Summary

Introduction

Whether synthetic or semi-synthetic polymeric compounds, play a significant role as building blocks in supporting the modern world. They constitute a variety of products from daily necessities to building elements. Their versatility is preferred over traditional materials including woods, rocks, ceramics, and metals. The predominance of plastic products has engendered environmental hazards. Plastics already make up 50%–80% of debris in marine areas [1] and continuously increase in proportion. The pileup of plastics in natural environments led us to seek ways to improve the recycling rate of these materials

Objectives

Methods

Results