Foaming behavior of the fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer assisted with supercritical carbon dioxide

Foaming behavior of the fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP) and its composites assisted with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO(2)) as the blowing agent were investigated. The batch foaming process was applied at temperature ranging from 250 degrees C to 265 degrees C and pressure ranging between 12 MPa and 24 MPa. The optimal foaming temperature and saturation pressure were obtained for both pure FEP and FEP composites with 1 wt% different-sized BaTiO3 as nucleating agent. The cell diameter of pure FEP foam ranging from 80-140 mu m was observed while the cell diameter decreased to 20-40 mu m after adding BaTiO3 particles. The cell density of foamed FEP with BaTiO3 increased significantly from 10(6) to 10(8) cells/cm(3) and the expansion ratio ranged between 4.0 and 5.5. Moreover, a decrease in an abnormal phenomenon that expansion ratio for the pure FEP foam was observed as the saturation pressure increased. This unexpected phenomenon can be explained by the relationship between foaming and crystallization coupling processes.