Multifunctional Polymeric Foams

Book excerpt: Polymeric foams or cellular or expanded polymers have characteristics that makes their usage possible for several industrial and household purposes. This book is focused on the recent advancements in the synthesis of polymer foams, various foaming methods, foaming technology, mechanical and physical properties, and the wide variety of its applications. Divided into 11 chapters, it explains empirical models connecting the geometrical structure of foams with their properties including structure-property relations. This book: Describes functional foams, their manufacturing methods, properties, and applications. Covers various blowing agents, greener methods for foaming, and their emerging applicability. Illustrates comparative information regarding polymeric foams and their recent developments with polymer nanocomposite foams. Includes applications in mechanical, civil, biomedical, food packaging, electronics, health care industry, and acoustics fields. Reviews elastomeric foams and their nanocomposite derivatives. This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students in materials science, mechanical engineering, and polymer science.