Thermal expansion of low-density microcellular foams

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6228742

Drotning, W D

There has been considerable recent interest in the development and application of low-density, microcellular foams. Researchers at our laboratory have successfully developed techniques for producing polymeric and carbon-based foams with densities as low as 0.02 g/cc and cell sizes in the range 1 to 20 micrometers. These materials have been considered for a wide variety of applications, such as laser fusion targets, artificial blood vessels, filters, catalytic substrates, and microporous membranes. This paper describes the results of thermal expansion measurements by pushrod dilatometry on a number of these foam materials. Low-density carbon foams can exhibit expansion coefficients as low as glassy carbon. Depending on the processing technique and the thermal history, thermal expansion behavior can be significantly modified in these materials.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6228742
• Report Number(s): SAND-87-0636C; CONF-870988-2; ON: DE87010431
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603* -- Materials-- Properties
CARBON
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
EXPANSION
FOAMS
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTIC FOAMS
PLASTICS
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYSTYRENE
POLYVINYLS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
THERMAL EXPANSION