Relative modulus-relative density relationships in low density polymer-clay nanocomposite foams

摘要: Polymer–clay nanocomposite (PCN) foams represent an important class of new materials in structural engineering, biomedical fields and packaging. This paper reports the relative modulus–relative density relationship, a crucial correlation cellular solids, for low-density PCN foams. Polyurethane (PU)–natural clay with porosity 97% were used studies such relationship. The foam structures characterised by Scanning Electron Microscopy X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography modulus was obtained from compressive testing. It found relationship porosities higher than 95% closely followed normalised Gibson–Ashby models open cells closed cells, case PU–clay geometric constant C1 determined to be approximately 0.45–0.88 well-established model conventional open-cell foams, namely Ef/Es = C1(ρf/ρs)2 where E ρ refer subscripts f s stand solid. effects clay, content mixing sequence on cell structure, physical mechanical properties polymer also discussed.