PRODUCT AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NITROGEN AUTOCLAVE PROCESS FOR POLYOLEFIN FOAM MANUFACTURE

摘要

A review is presented of the nitrogen autoclave process for the manufacture of crosslinked polyolefin foams. Process and product developments over the last few years are summarised and future possibilities are described. Process developments include use of higher temperatures and pressures to produce foams having densities as low as 10 kg/m~3. Product developments include foams based on HDPE/LDPE blends, polypropylene copolymers and metallocene catalysed ethylene copolymers. The structure and properties of these foams are compared with those of foams produced by alternative processes.