Mills N.J. Polymer Foams Handbook: Engineering and Biomechanics Applications and Design Guide

Handbook. — Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007. — 562 p.
This book explores the applications of polymer foams. It attempts to explain their mechanical properties in terms of polymer properties and the foam microstructure. The first chapter introduces geometrical concepts that are used throughout the book. The subsequent three chapters deal separately with the microstructure and processing of polyurethane foams, foamed thermoplastics, and bead-foam mouldings. Their different processing routes and microstructures mean that a combined treatment would be confusing. Surface tension may mainly determine the microstructure of PU foams, but high-stress melt flow is more important for foamed thermoplastics. Concepts in the mechanical property area are introduced in Chapter 5 before Chapter 6 covers finite element analysis (FEA) for the complex geometries of many foam products.
Case studies are included for two reasons. Firstly, they are increasingly used to motivate students to study the relevant theory and to understand major industries; a variety of activities such as literature searches and product dismantling can be used as the basis for student presentations. Secondly, specialised foam-based industries tend to remain compartmentalised, but could learn a lot from each other. Thus the areas of foam seating, protective packaging, safety helmets are included; each is associated with one or more theory chapters. There are two strategies for reading this book. One is to read the case studies alone, and use the computer programs to illustrate the foam selection and properties. The other is to read a case study together with the appropriate background theory on the mechanics and materials science. If the reader's background is weak in polymer materials science, it is recommended that he/she should read a general textbook, such as the authors Plastics.
This book is intended to compliment previous books with different approaches. Mustin (1968) viewed foam packaging from the military engineering viewpoint; how to design packaging so that supplies could survive air-drops. Hilyard's (1982) multi-author book reviewed many areas of mechanical properties, but concentrated on polyurethane systems. Gibson and Ashby's (1988) book, which surveyed all cellular solids, contains many interesting ideas. However it gives the impression that the mechanical properties of foams are fully explained. It uses a dimensional approach to avoid full analyses of deformation, which are now available. Some of the proposed deformation mechanisms are less important than suggested, and some are not observed in polymer foams. Hilyard and Cunningham's (1994) book contains a good review of the micromechanics of foam elasticity by Kraynik and Warren, and useful chapters on the mechanisms of heat transfer and gas diffusion. Finally Klempner and Sendijarevic (2004) book reviews the chemistry and processing of all the major polymer families.
This book covers the principles which provide a framework for foam developments. It has become easy to search and access literature electronically, but the user should be aware of the advantage and shortcomings of databases such as Google Scholar, Science Direct, and RAPRA databases in keeping their coverage of the foam literature up to date.
Writing this book has been a voyage of discovery. I am grateful to the efforts of collaborators such as Adam Gilchrist and Miguel Rodriguez-Perez, and to PhD students, in particular Hanzing Zhu, Stephanie Ankrah, Raquel Verdejo, Yago Masso-Moreu, Iona Lyn, and Catherine Fitzgerald.Chapter 1 - Introduction to polymer foam microstructure
Chapter 2 - Polyurethane foams: processing and microstructure
Chapter 3 - Foamed thermoplastics: microstructure and processing
Chapter 4 - Bead foam microstructure and processing
Chapter 5 - Simple mechanical tests
Chapter 6 - Finite element modelling of foam deformation
Chapter 7 - Micromechanics of open-cell foams
Chapter 8 - Air flow in open-cell foams
Chapter 9 - Seating case study
Chapter 10 - Sport mat case study
Chapter 11 - Micromechanics of closed-cell foams
Chapter 12 - Product packaging case study
Chapter 13 - Running shoe case study
Chapter 14 - Bicycle helmet case study
Chapter 15 - Indentation, cracking, and fracture
Chapter 16 - Motorcycle helmet case study
Chapter 17 - Hip protector case study
Chapter 18 - Sandwich panel case study
Chapter 19 - Modelling of creep and viscoelasticity
Chapter 20 - The effects of water
Chapter 21 - Rugby and soccer protection case study