Microcellular Polymers: Novel Materials for the 21st Century

Microcellular polymer's produced by gas nucleation, refer to closed cell thermoplastic foams with a very large number of very small cells—typically 10 ⁸ or more cells per cm ³ of order 10μm in diameter. First produced in the early 1980's with the objective of reducing the amount of polymer used in mass produced items, these novel materials have the potential to revolutionize the way thermoplastic polymers are used today. Microcellular plastics have been produced from a number of polymers ranging in relative density from 0.1 to 1.0, containing 10 ⁸ to 10 ¹¹ cells per cm ³ , offering the engineer a new range of properties for design. The microcellular polymers appear to possess improved fatigue life and energy absorption characteristics as well as a higher specific strength. This paper reviews recent progress in this emerging technology and discusses the areas where this technology is likely to make an impact in the future.