Expanded polyethylene

Ease of fabrication is one of the many advantages of polyethylene foam. It can be skived to precise thickness, cut and shaped to form custom parts, and joined to itself or to other materials without major investment in complex equipment. It can also be vacuum formed. Expanded polyethylene will adhere to itself by the use of heat alone. Hot air, or a plate heated to approximately 350°F (177°C) can be used to simultaneously heat the surfaces of two sections of foam to be joined. Upon softening, the two pieces are quickly joined together under moderate pressure, and an excellent bond formed, with only a short cooling period required. Release of the melted foam is aided by a coating of fluorocarbon resin or silicone dispersion on the heating surface. The foam may also be bonded to itself and to other materials by the use of solvents or commercially available adhesives (6). 

There are two grades of expanded polyethylene which in compression are similar to pulpboard (compression 10-20%) and compo cork (compression 45-55%)... 

Note that compo cork is recommended as the wadding for wide mouthed closures as it takes up any unevenness (undulations) of the sealing surface, or one can use a suitable grade of expanded polyethylene, particularly where glass is involved. 

Arpak. [Aico] Expanded polyethylene beads fw closed-cell resilient foam. 

Plastifoam. [Bubble Foam Industries NV] Expanded polyethylene. 

Polyethylene foams [expanded polyethylene (EPE), invented in 1941] can be prepared both from HDPE and LDPE, which are usually in thermoset structures (these can be non-XLPE, mostly XLPE or expandable bead structures). EPE is mainly used for insulation and seals. Different azobis compounds are used as blowing agents (yielding nitrogen gas), and different peroxides or silanes, as well as irradiation techniques are used for crosslinking. 

US Environmental Protection Agency Ethylene-propylene diene terpolymer Expanded polyethylene Rubbers of ethylene-propylene monomer Ethylene-propylene rubber Expanded polystyrene Electrostatic-discharge dissipating... 

Non-structural insulation foams (heat) Foams of PU (rigid), EPS, expanded polyethylene (EPE), phenolics, furanes, PVC, polyisocyanurate (PIR), urea formaldehyde(UF) (indoors)... 

EPE expandable polyethylene EPM ethylene propylene fluorinated EPP expandable polypropylene EPR ethylene propylene rubber EPS expandable polystyrene ERP enterprise resource planning ESC environmental stress cracking ESCR environmental stress cracking resistance... 

Expandable polyethylene- copolymers Arcel Nova Innovene, CFI 18-35 Up to 80 Energy absorbing molded parts, transport packaging for multiple use 0.1-0.15 120-127... 

The effect of temperature was analyzed by Marcondes et al. [81]. The materials were tested for shock and vibration under four different temperatures (- 17 °C, 3 °C, 23 °C, and 43 °C). The results show that the properties of expanded polystyrene (in the glassy state in this range of temperatures) were least influenced and those of expanded polyethylene (between the glass transition and melting temperatures) were most influenced by changes in temperature. 

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