Process of making solid foams from polymer emulsions

Abstract

Abstract A PROCESS OF MAKING A SOLID FOAM WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO ANY POLYMER THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE FORM OF AN AQUEOUS EMULSION AND IS FILM FORMING AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW 300*F., IN WHICH AN AQUEOUS DISPERSION OF THE POLYMER IS CONVERTED INTO A WET FOAM,. AND THE WET FOAM IS THEN CONVERTED INTO A SOLID FOAM. THE PROCESS IS CARRIED OUT BY INCORPORATING IN THE AQUEOUS DISPERSION WHICH IS CONVERTED TO A WET FOAM, A FORMING AGENT THAT IS INCAPABLE OF GELLING THE WET FOAM, THE AQEOUS DISPERSION BEING FREE OF OTHER AGENTS CAPABLE OF GELLING THE WET FOAM AND CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN 45 WEIGHT PERCENT OF VOLATILES, AND THEN SUBJECTING THE WET FOAM TO A DRYING OPERATION BY HEATING IT WITHOUT GELLING THE WET FOAM, THE AMOUNT OF FOAMING AGENT PRESENT BEING SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN A FOAM STRUCTURE DURING THE DRYING OPERATION UNTIL A SOLID CELLULAR MATERIAL IS OBTAINED. (FINALLY) AS THE VOLATILES EVAPORATE DURING THE DRYING OPERATION, THE SOLID CELLULAR MATERIAL IS HEATED TO A TEMPERATURE THAT IS AT LEAST AS HIGH AS THE FILM-FORMING TEMPERATURE OF THE POLYMER TO CURE OR FUSE THE POLYMER.

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