Page 62 - Plastics Nuews October 2017

TEChNoLoGy

Lighter plastic foam could mean more fuel efficient cars

esearchers have developed a way to make cheaper, economies of scale by smaller companies for automotive
Rlighter-weight syntactic foams at industrial scale, paving and consumer products sectors.
the way for more efficient, less costly products and vehicles. In research published in the journal Composites Part

Syntactic foams—strong, exceptionally light materials made B, the team developed a compression-molding-based
of plastic perfused with hollow microspheres—are used processing method for syntactic foam comprising of
in everything from buoys and boat hulls to soccer balls glass microballoons or fly ash cenospheres permeating
and solid rocket boosters. Because they weigh less than high-density polyethylene. Achieving a 36 percent weight
molded plastic components, they are now making their way reduction in these plastics while conferring better
mechanical properties, the researchers were able to
make components lighter and cheaper, while reducing
their manufacturing carbon footprints.
“At laboratory scale, when you are mixing components
in a flask, you can be careful and minimize damage,”
says Nikhil Gupta, an associate professor of mechanical
and aerospace engineering at New York University. “But
at an industrial scale, producers have to make large
quantities of material quickly, because time is money.
Thus, breakage of these particles becomes much more
problematic.” To minimize microsphere fractures, the
team developed parameters for use by small operations
with industrial injection molding machines. After Gupta
into new industries, including the automotive sector and performed the mathematical modeling necessary to find
consumer products.Researchers have developed a way to optimal mix ratios, the researchers turned to India’s
make cheaper, lighter-weight syntactic foams at industrial abundance of small-scale manufacturers who employ
scale, paving the way for more efficient, less costly products plastic molding equipment to test the concepts. The
and vehicles. team then collaborated with the manufacturers to fine-
tune mixing parameters.

Syntactic foams—strong, exceptionally light materials made “Sophisticated, light-weight materials, such as syntactic
of plastic perfused with hollow microspheres—are used foams, are key to making today’s cars and trucks more
in everything from buoys and boat hulls to soccer balls efficient, regardless of whether they run on gasoline or
and solid rocket boosters. Because they weigh less than electricity,” says Katepalli R. Sreenivasan, dean of the
molded plastic components, they are now making their way Tandon School of Engineering at New York University.
into new industries, including the automotive sector and “Because these light-weight components confer cost
consumer products. This is why, while there are dozens of and energy benefits while lowering the carbon footprint
manufacturers of plastic precursors, such as polyethylene, of suppliers, automakers, and consumers alike, this
polystyrene, and vinyl, and several of microspheres, few research could lead to windfalls not just for industry,
companies can make syntactic foam, especially of molded but for society as a whole.” With the help of industry,
thermoplastics, at industrial volumes. Now, researchers the research team now plans to extend the work to
studying the means by which smaller plastic components cast prototype components and to test them in actual
manufacturers can create these strong, light compounds by applications. Researchers at the National Institute of
mixing hollow microspheres into molded plastic products Technology-Karnataka in India are collaborators on the
have proved that the materials can be produced with research.

Plastics News | Octob er 2017 62