Polymeric Foams: Materials, Technology, and Applications

In recent years, lightness, cheapness, and less raw material consumption have gained more significance in all production sectors. Especially, the use of polymer-based foam materials, which can provide performances such as high impact resistance, toughness, thermal stability, and reduced electrical and thermal insulation, has rapidly increased. Because of the advantages of polymeric foams produced from polyethylene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene have started to be utilized in industrial applications. In this chapter, polymeric foam materials have been introduced and discussed in view of the material, technology and their applications. Moreover, information about the purposes of polymer foam material production, foaming chemicals, and their production methods has been summarized. In the first part of the chapter, the classification and manufacturing methods of polymeric foams have been given by discussing with the processing conditions which are one of the main factors affecting the properties. In the second part, foaming processes and applications of polymeric foams have been discussed through researches from literature.