文档介绍：Polymer Foams Handbook:
Engineering and Biomechanics Applications and Design Guide
by Nigel J. Mills
· ISBN: 0750680695
· Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
· Pub. Date: April 2007
Prelims-H8069 1/22/07 6:11 PM Page xvii
Foreword
This book explores the applications of polymer foams. It attempts to explain their
mechanical properties in terms of polymer properties and the foam microstructure.
The first chapter introduces geometrical concepts that are used throughout the book.
The subsequent three chapters deal separately with the microstructure and processing
of polyurethane foams, foamed thermoplastics, and bead-foam mouldings. Their dif-
ferent processing routes and microstructures mean that bined treatment would
be confusing. Surface tension may mainly determine the microstructure of PU foams,
but high-stress melt flow is more important for foamed thermoplastics. Concepts in
the mechanical property area are introduced in Chapter 5 before Chapter 6 covers
finite element analysis (FEA) for plex geometries of many foam products.
Case studies are included for two reasons. Firstly, they are increasingly used to
motivate students to study the relevant theory and to understand major industries; a
variety of activities such as literature searches and product dismantling can be used as
the basis for student presentations. Secondly, specialised foam-based industries tend to
partmentalised, but could learn a lot from each other. Thus the areas of
foam seating, protective packaging, safety helmets are included; each is associated
with one or more theory chapters. There are two strategies for reading this book. One
is to read the case studies alone, and use puter programs to illustrate the foam
selection and properties. The other is to read a case study together with the appropri-
ate background theory on the mechanics and materials science. If the reader’s back-
ground is weak in polymer materials science, it is