Abstract
In this work, the solubility and diffusivity of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) in Polystyrene (PS) at different temperatures and pressures were studied using a magnetic suspension balance (MSB). Bubble nucleation and growth in PS/CO2 mixture were investigated via visual observation in a batch foaming system at different temperatures and pressures. A firm relationship between bubble nucleation and growth with solubility and diffusivity was observed. The results show that bubble density during the process can be controlled by changing the temperature and the pressure release rate. Furthermore, bubble growth was simulated considering mass diffusion equations and implicit method. The simulation results were in a good agreement with the experimental data. Finally, the effects of diffusivity and zero shear viscosity on the bubble growth were investigated and it was found that the bubble growth is a diffusion controlled phenomenon.
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