Thermoplastic Elastomeric Foams: Challenges, Opportunities and New Approaches

Polymeric foams possess a wide range of applications from packaging to aerospace. This is due to their lightweight, high thermal insulation, high impact resistance, and damping properties. The application of foam depends on its morphology and cell structures. The morphology of the cell depends on the degree of crystallinity, melt strength, and viscosity of the polymer. Various thermoplastics and elastomeric foams are available in the market, however, still there is a challenge to develop thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE) foam. This is due to the hybrid nature of the material i.e. presence of both thermoplastic and rubbery segments. This book chapter includes various foam processing techniques, such as batch process and continuous process with reference to TPE. The cell formation, cell growth, and cell stabilization of TPE foam were predicted from rheological properties. This book chapter would be beneficial for both the industry and academics to understand the foaming process of thermoplastic elastomeric material.