Reinforced polymer composite foams and method of manufacture

摘要

A pin or tube reinforced polymeric foam and a method of manufacture thereof. The reinforcing pins or tubes are incorporated into the polymeric foam during or after fabrication of the reinforced polymer foam and are preferably coated with an adhesive or binder layer prior to fabrication.

主权项

1. A process for the manufacture of a composite polymer foam comprising:
A) saturating a polymer pellet or powder with an inert gas under conditions of elevated temperature of from about the glass transition temperature of the polymer to about 100° C. above the melting point of the polymer and elevated pressure; B) lowering the temperature and releasing the pressure to yield a polymer foam precursor; C) coating a plurality of pins or tubes with an adhesive; D) placing the polymer foam precursor into a mold containing said plurality of reinforcing pins or tubes in fixed positions within the mold, wherein said pins or tubes possess an angle of inclination between 0° and 90′; and E) heating the mold containing the polymer foam precursor and the pins or tubes to a temperature between about 30° C. below to about 150° C. above the melting point of the polymer under an inert gas at elevated pressure between just above ambient to about 500 psi, thereby forming an integrated composite foam.