EFFECT OF RECYCLING ON POLYMER FOAMING

摘要

The purpose of this work was to investigate the loss of performance undergone by a foamed polymer in a closed loop recycling process. Up to ten generations of recycled low density polyethylene (LDPE) foams were produced via a chemical blowing agent based on azodicarbonamide. Characterization of the polymer and foams was performed in terms of Theological and morphological properties. The same treatment was applied to unfoamed LDPE to detect any effect of the foaming process itself. Of all the tests performed on the resins, elongational viscosity was found to be the most important parameter to explain the loss of foaming performance.