Accession Number ADA560945
Title Investigation of Expandable Polymeric Microspheres for Packaging Applications.
Publication Date Jun 2012
Media Count 48p
Personal Author C. Thellen J. A. Ratto S. S. Cheney
Abstract This report describes a 3-year investigation, ended September 2010, of expandable polymeric microspheres, conducted by the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, to determine the feasibility of compounding microspheres into a polyolefin film to produce a high performance ration packaging material with reduced weight and improved thermal insulation. Polymeric microspheres are small, spherically shaped particles which encapsulate an expandable gas. When the microspheres are heated the gas inside expands, and this increase in free volume results in a decrease in density. Polymeric microspheres are used currently in many applications including; lightweight shoe soles, printing inks, internally pressurized tennis balls, and foaming cable compounds. Microspheres were compounded into high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) at various loading levels to successfully produce a polymeric microsphere loaded film for the first time. Three processing trials were completed. The first trial investigated blown and cast monolayer HDPE with powdered microspheres, the second investigated blown multilayer HDPE with powdered microspheres, and the third compared blown and cast monolayer and multilayer HDPE and PP produced usung a microsphere masterbatch. It was determined that multilayer blown film processing utilizing the microsphere masterbatch was the most efficient method of producing a polymer film with reduced density and improved thermal insulation.
Keywords Battlefields
Biodegradation
Cost reduction
Costs
Density
Environmental impact
Films
Lightweight
Materials
Microspheres
Military rations
Packaging
Polymers
Rations
Savings
Solid wastes
Thermal insulation
Waste disposal
Waste management
Weight reduction


 
Source Agency Non Paid ADAS
NTIS Subject Category 94G - Manufacturing Processes & Materials Handling
41E - Manufacturing, Planning, Processing & Control
71H - Elastomers
Corporate Author Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center, MA.
Document Type Technical report
Title Note Final rept. Oct 2007-Sep 2012.
NTIS Issue Number 1222
Contract Number N/A

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