Multi scale tomographic Analysis of polymeric foams A detailed study of the cellular structure.

This manuscript presents a detailed characterization of the cellular structure of two types of polymeric foams by non destructive multi scale X ray computed micro tomography. This comparative study is conducted in two different polymeric materials rigid polyurethane foams and cross linked low density polyethylene foams . Based on this technique and using 3D image analysis, conventional descriptors of the foams gaseous phase cell size distribution, mean cell size and anisotropy ratio are characterized at a standard voxel size of 5 amp; 8239; m. Complementarily, 0.4 amp; 8239; m voxel size synchrotron X ray tomography data sets have been used to characterize, using a new image analysis approach, features of the solid phase of the foams fraction of mass in the struts and thickness of the different entities of the solid architecture struts and walls . The presented methodology, based on multi scale tomographic analysis, allows obtaining a better understanding of the connection between foaming process and cellular structure and is important to gain knowledge on the structure properties relationships for these material

Effect of solid phase corrugation on the thermo mechanical properties of low density flexible cellular polymers

This manuscript presents the effect of the solid phase corrugation of low density flexible cellular polymers on both their mechanical and thermal properties. First, a detailed quantification of solid phase corrugation has been carried out by means of high resolution synchrotron micro tomography in a collection of polyethylene foams. Subsequently, the collapse stress in compression has been analysed both from the theoretical and experimental points of view achieving a clear relation between the solid phase corrugation and the ratio of theoretically calculated and experimentally measured collapse stress. Finally, solid phase corrugation has been correlated with the thermal expansion coefficient at room temperatur