EFFECTS OF SURFACE GEOMETRY OF NUCLEATING AGENTS ON HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEATION

摘要

Ideal nucleating agents are expected to improve the cell morphology of plastics foams (i.e., higher cell densities, smaller cell size, and narrower cell size distribution) by providing heterogeneous nucleation sites. Surface geometry is one of the factors that govern the nucleating power of nucleating agents. Based on the computer simulation of a batch foaming process of polystyrene/carbon dioxide system, this paper indicates that nucleating agents having numerous crevices of small semi-conical angles, are most desirable for polymeric foaming processes.