Foam-blow molding is emerging as a more and more popular
fabrication method in the polymer manufacturing industry.
Polymer foams are needed in many applications including
insulation, biomedical, and footwear. The important properties of
a foamed polymer, such as low density or shape sustainability,
are controlled by the foaming process. New and improved
polymer foams can be achieved by gaining full control over the
conditions at which they are produced.
Kiran and his team have developed a novel mold for polymer foaming
that allows porous mold boundaries to expand along with the expanding
polymer. The new trend is to use physical blowing agents such as
carbon dioxide or nitrogen or their mixtures which are considered to be
environmentally safe and benign. This tool can be used to test different
blowing agents as well as adjusted for applications with different
shapes. The invention can help ensure homogeneity in the final product
while providing insights to physical effects of changes in the
manufacturing process. The mold is of extreme value for its potential to
translate the findings from laboratory evaluations to industrial scale
injection mold foaming. It will allow polymer foam manufacturers to
quickly bring new foams to production, giving them a major advantage
over competition.
