Foam processing and cellular structure of polypropylene/clay nanocomposites

Polypropylene (PP)/clay nanocomposites (PPCNs) were autoclave-foamed in a batch process. Foaming was performed using supercritical CO2 at 10 MPa, within the temperature range from 130.6degreesC to 143.4degreesC, i.e., below the melting temperature of either PPCNs or maleic anhydride-modified PP (PP-MA) matrix without clay. The foamed PP-MA and PPCN2 (prepared at 130.6degreesC and containing 2 wt% clay) show closed cell structures with pentagonal and/or hexagonal faces, while foams of PPCN4 and PPCN7.5 (prepared at 143.4degreesC, 4 and 7.5 wt% clay) had spherical cells. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that foamed PPCNs had high cell density of 10(7)-10(8) cells/mL, cell sizes in the range of 30-120 mum, cell wall thicknesses of 5-15 mum, and low densities of 0.05-0.3 g/mL. Interestingly, transmission electron microscopic observations of the PPCNs' cell structure showed biaxial flow-induced alignment of clay particles along the cell boundary. In this paper, the correlation between foam structure and rheological properties of the PPCNs is also discussed.