Thermal-insulation performance of low density polyethylene (LDPE) foams: Comparison between two radiation thermal conductivity models

Document Type : Original research

Authors

1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

2 Dr. Foam, 33 Silker Street, Vaughan L6A4T4, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

The loss of energy especially in industrial and residential buildings is one of the main reasons of increased energy consumption. Improving the thermal insulation properties of materials is a fundamental method for reducing the energy losses. Polymeric foams are introduced as materials with excellent thermal insulation properties for this purpose. In the present study, a deep theoretical investigation is performed on the overall thermal conductivity of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) foams. The thermal conductivity by radiation is predicted using two different methods. The most appropriate model is selected in comparison with experimental results. The results show that the theoretical model has an appropriate agreement with the experimental results. The effects of foam characteristics including foam density, cell size, and cell wall thickness on the overall thermal conductivity are investigated. The results indicate that by decreasing the cell size and increasing the cell wall thickness, the overall thermal conductivity is decreased significantly. Also, there is an optimum foam density in order to achieve the smallest thermal conductivity. The lowest overall thermal conductivity achieved in the studied ranges is 30 mW/mK at foam density of 37.5 kg.m-3, cell size of 100 μm, and cell wall thickness of 6 μm.

Keywords

References

  1. Hasanzadeh R, Azdast T, Lee RE, Afsari Ghazi A (2017) Experimental polymeric nanocomposites material selection for automotive bumper beam using multi-criteria decision making methods. Iran J Mater Sci Eng 14: 1-10
  2. Lee RE, Hasanzadeh R, Azdast T ( 2017) A multicriteria decision analysis on injection moulding of polymeric microcellular nanocomposite foams containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Plast Rubber Compos 46: 155-162
  3. Azdast T, Hasanzadeh R (2018) Tensile and morphological properties of microcellular polymeric nanocomposite foams reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Int J Eng Trans C-Aspects 31: 504-510
  4. Molani S, Azdast T, Doniavi A, Hasanzadeh R, Moradian M, Mamaghani Shishavan S (2018) A Taguchi analysis on structural properties of polypropylene microcellular nanocomposites foams containing Fe2O3 nanoparticles in batch process. Plast Rubber Compos 47: 106-112
  5. Ranaweera CK, Ionescu M, Bilic N, Wan X, Kahol PK, Gupta RK (2017) Biobased polyols using thiol-ene chemistry for rigid polyurethane foams with enhanced flame-retardant properties. J Renew Mater 5: 1-12
  6. Verdejo R, Stämpfli R, Alvarez-Lainez M, Mourad S, Rodriguez-Perez MA, Brühwiler PA, Shaffer M (2009) Enhanced acoustic damping in flexible polyurethane foams filled with carbonnanotubes. Compos Sci Technol 69: 1564-1569
  7. Wicklein B, Kocjan A, Salazar-Alvarez G, Carosio F, Camino G, Antonietti M, Bergström L (2015) Thermally insulating and fireretardant lightweight anisotropic foams based on nanocellulose and graphene oxide. Nature Nanotechnol 10: 277-283
  8. Okolieocha C, Raps D, Subramaniam K, Altstädt V (2015) Microcellular to nanocellular polymer foams: Progress (2004–2015) and future directions–A review. Eur Polym J 73: 500-519
  9. Strong AB (2006) Plastics: Materials and processing. Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jeresey
  10. Gong P, Wang G, Tran MP, Buahom P, Zhai S, Li G, Park CB (2017) Advanced bimodal polystyrene/multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite foams for thermal insulation. Carbon 120: 1-10
  11. Kazemilari M, Mardani A, Streimikiene D,Zavadskas EK (2017) An overview of renewable energy companies in stock exchange: Evidence from minimal spanning tree approach. Renew Energy 102: 107-117
  12. Panwar NL, Kaushik SC, Kothari S (2011) Role of renewable energy sources in environmental protection: A review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 15: 1513-1524
  13. Ferkl P, Pokorný R, Bobák M, Kosek J (2013) Heat transfer in one-dimensional micro-and nano-cellular foams. Chem Eng Sci 97: 50-58
  14. Forest C, Chaumont P, CassagnauP, Swoboda B, Sonntag P (2015) Polymer nano-foams for insulating applications prepared from CO2 foaming. Prog Polym Sci 41: 122-145
  15. Gong P, Buahom P, Tran MP, Saniei M, Park CB, Pötschke P (2015) Heat transfer in microcellular polystyrene/multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite foams. Carbon93: 819-829
  16. Wang G, Zhao J, Wang G, Mark LH, Park CB, Zhao G (2017) Low-density and structure tunable microcellular PMMA foams with improved thermal-insulation and compressive mechanical properties. Eur Polym J 95: 382-393
  17. Zhao J, Zhao Q, Wang C, Guo B, Park CB, Wang G (2017) High thermal insulation and compressive strength polypropylene foams fabricated by high-pressure foam injection molding and mold opening of nano-fibrillar composites. Mater Des 131:1-11
  18. Zhang H, Fang WZ, Li YM, Tao WQ (2017) Experimental study of the thermal conductivity of polyurethane foams. Appl Therm Eng 115: 528-538
  19. Zhao J, Zhao Q, Wang L, Wang C, Guo B, Park CB, Wang G (2018) Development of high thermal insulation and compressive strength BPP foams using mold-opening foam injection molding with in-situ fibrillated PTFE fibers. Eur Polym J 98: 1-10
  20. Notario B, Pinto J, Solorzano E, De Saja JA, Dumon M, Rodríguez-Pérez MA (2015) Experimental validation of the Knudsen effect in nanocellular polymeric foams. Polymer 56: 57-67
  21. Lu X, Caps R, Fricke J, Alviso CT, Pekala RW (1995) Correlation between structure and thermal conductivity of organic aerogels. J Non-Crystal Solids 188: 226-234
  22. Glicksman L, Schuetz M, Sinofsky M (1987) Radiation heat transfer in foam insulation. Int J Heat Mass Transfer 30: 187-197
  23. Williams RJJ, Aldao CM (1983) Thermal conductivity of plastic foams. Polym Eng Sci 23: 293-298
  24. Zhao J, Zhao Q, Wang L, Wang C, Guo B, Park CB, Wang G (2018) Development of high thermal insulation and compressive strength BPP foams using mold-opening foam injection molding with in-situ fibrillated PTFE fibers. Eur Polym J 98: 1-10
  25. Zhao B, Zhao C, Wang C, Park CB (2018) Poly (vinylidene fluoride) foams: A promising low-k dielectric and heat-insulating material. J Mater Chem C 6: 3065-3073
  26. Wang G, Zhao J, Mark LH, Wang G, Yu K, Wang C, Park CB, Zhao G (2017) Ultra-tough and super thermal-insulation nanocellular PMMA/TPU. Chem Eng J 325: 632-646
  27. Zhao J, Zhao Q, Wang C, Guo B, Park CB, Wang G (2017) High thermal insulation and compressive strength polypropylene foams fabricated by high-pressure foam injection molding and mold opening of nano-fibrillar composites. Mater Des 131:1-11
  28. Wang G, Wang C, Zhao J, Wang G, Park CB, Zhao G (2017) Modelling of thermal transport through a nanocellular polymer foam: Toward the generation of a new superinsulating material. Nanoscale 9: 5996-6009
  29. Kaemmerlen A, Vo C, Asllanaj F, Jeandel G,Baillis D (2010) Radiative properties of extruded polystyrene foams: predictive model and experimental results. J Quant Spectr Radiat Transfer 111: 865-877
  30. Campo-Arnáiz RA, Rodríguez-Pérez MA, Calvo B, De Saja JA (2005) Extinction coefficient of polyolefin foams. J PolymSci Pol Phys 43:1608- 1617
  31. Almanza OA, Rodríguez-Pérez MA, De Saja JA (2000) Prediction of the radiation term in the thermal conductivity of crosslinked closed cell polyolefin foams. J PolymSci Pol Phys 38: 993- 1004
  32. Reglero Ruiz JA, Saiz-Arroyo C, Dumon M, Rodríguez-Perez MA, Gonzalez L (2011) Production, cellular structure and thermal conductivity of microcellular (methyl methacrylate) – (butyl acrylate) – (methyl methacrylate) triblock copolymers. PolymInt 60:146- 152

Files

Cited by

History

  • Receive Date: 30 April 2018
  • Revise Date: 13 July 2018
  • Accept Date: 04 August 2018

Share

How to cite

Statistics