Styrene-acrylonitrile foam

Styrene-acrylonitrile foam Core-Cell by ATC Chemicals... 

Table 6.19 shows some examples of the properties of styrene-acrylonitrile foams. 

Table 6.19 Styrene-acrylonitrile foams examples of properties...

Another type of polyol often used in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foams contains a dispersed soHd phase of organic chemical particles (234—236). The continuous phase is one of the polyols described above for either slab or molded foam as required. The dispersed phase reacts in the polyol using an addition reaction with styrene and acrylonitrile monomers in one type or a coupling reaction with an amine such as hydrazine and isocyanate in another. The soHds content ranges from about 21% with either system to nearly 40% in the styrene—acrylonitrile system. The dispersed soHds confer increased load bearing and in the case of flexible molded foams also act as a ceU opener. 

Another family of polyols is the filled polyols.llb There are several types, but die polymer polyols are die most common. These are standard polyether polyols in which have been polymerized styrene, acrylonitrile, or a copolymer thereof. The resultant colloidal dispersions of micrometer-size particles are phase stable and usually contain 20-50% solids by weight. The primary application for these polyols is in dexible foams where the polymer filler serves to increase foam hardness and load-bearing capacity. Other filled polyol types diat have been developed and used commercially (mainly to compete with die preeminent polymer polyols) include the polyurea-based PEID (polyhamstoff dispersion) polyols and the urethane-based PIPA (poly isocyanate polyaddition) polyols. 

Uses. Plastics and synthetic rubber are the major uses for styrene. They account for the exponential growth from a few million pounds per year in 1938 to more than 8 billion pounds today. The numerous plastics include polystyrene, styrenated polyesters, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN), and styrene-butadiene (SB). Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) was a landmark chemical achievement when it was comrner-cialized during World War II. The styrene derivatives are found everywhere—in food-grade film, coys, construction pipe, foam, boats, latex paints, tires, luggage, and furniture. 

Systems in which a polyolefin is the binder have attracted world-wide attention. These include the polyethylene—phenolic microsphere 74,115>, polyethylene or polypropylene—glass microsphere114116), polyethylene or polybutylene—PVC microsphere (containing isobutane)52), and polyethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer—glass microsphere11 systems. Syntactic foams have been made from polystyrene (and its copolymers with chlorostyrene or polychlorostyrene) and microspheres made from polyethylene or polypropylene46115 and foams from styrene/acrylonitrile 1171... 

The moisture resistance, low cost, and low-density closed-cell structure of many cellular polymers resulted in their acceptance for buoyancy in boats, floating docks, and buoys. Because each cell is a separate flotation unit, these materials cannot be destroyed by a single puncture. Foamed-in-place polyurethane between thin skins of high tensile strength is used in pleasure craft [98]. Other cellular polymers that have been used where buoyancy is needed are produced from polystyrene, polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), and certain types of rubber. Foams made from styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers are resistant to petroleum products [99,100]. 

Ethylbenzene is a colorless aromatic liquid. It is only slightly soluble in water, but infinitely soluble in alcohol and ether. Additional properties are listed in Table 1. Ethylbenzene is chemically reactive with the most important reaction being its dehydrogenation to form styrene. Styrene is used to produce polystyrene, which is used in the manufacture of many commonly used products such as toys, household and kitchen appliances, plastic drinking cups, housings for computers and electronics, foam packaging, and insulation. In addition to polystyrene, styrene is used to produce acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer (ABS), styrene-acrylonitrile polymer (SAN), and styrene-butadiene synthetic rubber (SBR). 

There is an increasing market for higher resilience foams using the so-called polymer polyols. Amongst the earliest to become established were suspensions of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer in the polyol. A variation involved some grafting of SAN, either instead of or in addition to the use of a suspension. 

Foams (cellular structures) made by expanding a material by growing bubbles in it [11]. A foam has at least two components. At a macroscopic scale, there are the solid and liquid phases. The solid phase can be a polymer, ceramic or metal. The fluid phase is a gas in most synthetic foams, and a liquid in most natural foams. At a microscopic scale, the solid phase may itself consist of several components. For example, the solid phase of an amorphous polystyrene foam has only one component. On the other hand, the solid phase of a polyethylene foam or a flexible polyurethane foam typically has two components. These components are the crystalline and amorphous phases in polyethylene foams, and the hard and soft phases formed by the phase separation of the hard and soft segment blocks in flexible polyurethane foams. The solid phase of a polyurethane foam may, in fact, have even more than two components, since additional reinforcing components such as styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer or polyurea particles are often incorporated [12,13]. The solid is always a continuous phase in a foam. Foams can generally be classified as follows, based on whether the fluid phase is co-continuous with the solid phase ... 

Copolymers of styrene and other monomers are also used in packaging foams. The most common is styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) foam, which is a semirigid foam and offers better performance than PS foam in repeated drops and for heavy products (high static loads). The density of SAN foam is usually about 16 Ib/m (1 Ib/ft ). 

Poly (styrene-co-acrylonitrile). See Styrene/acrylonitrile copolymer Poly (styrene-co-allyl alcohol). See Styrene/allyl alcohol copolymer Poly (styrene-co-butadiene). See Styrene/butadiene polymer Poly (styrene-co-divinylbenzene). See Styrene/DVB copolymer Poly (styrene-co-maleic anhydride). See Styrene/MA copolymer Poly (styrene-co-methyl methacrylate). See Styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymer Poly (styrene-co-a-methylstyrene). See Styrene/a-methyl styrene resin Poly (styrene-divinylbenzene). See Styrene/DVB copolymer Polystyrene, expandable Synonyms EPS Expandable polystyrene Expanded polystyrene XPS Definition Amorphous PS beads contg. pentane as a blowing agent and coated with a lubricant the polymer is converted to foamed articles with a closed cell structure by applic. of steam Properties Beads (0.4-1.5 mm diam.)... 

Chemistry Polyurethane is produced by the reaction of a polyol with an diisocyanate (or in some instances a polyisocyanate) in the presence of catalysts. The polyols of choice are poly(propylene glycol), block copolymers of ethylene oxide (10-15%) with propylene oxide, or the newer polymer polyols (based on polymers such as polystyrene or styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer). Polyester diols such as polycaprolactone diol can be used in place of the polyether polyol in this reaction. The isocyanate of choice is a mixture of the 2,4 and 2,6 isomers of tolylene di-isocyanate in the ratio of 80 20, generally referred to as 80 20TDI. Other isocyanates such as diphenylmethane di-isocyanate (MDI), hexamethylene di-isocyanate (HMDI), and isophorone di-isocyanate (IPDI) are also used. A tin-based or amine catalyst is used to promote the reaction. Given the wide choice of reactants available, the reaction can yield foams with a range of different mechanical and thermal characteristics. 

Polystyrene (PS) is a hard and transparent plastic. It is manufactured by polyaddition polymerization of styrene, CH2=CH-C6H5, using peroxide as an initiator. PS resin is one of the thermoplastics. As a foam, PS plastic is an important packaging and insulation material. Modified PS plastics with a co- or ter-polymer structure, e.g., styrene-butadiene (SB), styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), are used in household utensils, toys, electric appliances, handles, bags and pipes. PS products are also widely used in food packaging and disposable tableware. PS products can usually be identified by the metallic sound they produce when dropped on a hard surface. 

Window frames and doors PVC, foamed PVC (wood substitute), ABS (coextruded with vinyl modified ASA or polyolefins modified styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) -glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP), composite based, ABS (thermoformed panels for high quality doors and window profiles)... 

Chemical cracking due to the refrigerator foaming agent can be prevented by controlling the rubber content, acrylonitrile content, and molecular weight of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, or adding a chemical resistance modifier to provide better chemical resistance to ABS resin. 

This technique has found the following applications in addition to those discussed in Sections 10.1 (resin cure studies on phenol urethane compositions) [65], 12.2 (photopolymer studies [66-68]), and 13.3 (phase transitions in PE) [66], Chapter 15 (viscoelastic and rheological properties), and Section 16.4 (heat deflection temperatures) epoxy resin-amine system [67], cured acrylate-terminated unsaturated copolymers [68], PE and PP foam [69], ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers [70], natural rubbers [71, 72], polyester-based clear coat resins [73], polyvinyl esters and unsaturated polyester resins [74], polyimide-clay nanocomposites [75], polyether sulfone-styrene-acrylonitrile, PS-polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blends and PS-polytetrafluoroethylene PMMA copolymers [76], cyanate ester resin-carbon fibre composites [77], polycyanate epoxy resins [78], and styrenic copolymers [79]. 

ABS is a copolymer in which a rubbery polybutadiene phase is dispersed in a rigid but brittle styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) phase. The presence of rubber particles imparts flexibility and impact strength to the material even at low temperatures. Due to its excellent strength, ABS pipes are also available whose pipe walls are made of foamed core rather than being solid walls, which decreases weight without compromising physical properties. The major use of ABS pipes is in drain, waste, and vent (DWV) applications. 

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