Example of Observation of CNF-Containing Foamed Plastic by inspeXio™ SMX™-100 CT

Introduction

Among molded resin products, those with a porous structure produced by adding a foaming agent and hot forming are called foamed plastic. Because foamed plastic contains a large number of voids in its internal structure, it is lightweight and has excellent heat insulation and shock absorbing properties. On the other hand, its porous structure also reduces its strength, as its density is smaller than that of non- foamed plastic. As a method for securing light weight and strength while imparting a heat insulation property, fibers are added to foamed plastics as a reinforcing material. Although various types of fibers are used, including glass fibers and carbon fibers, research on the use of cellulose nanofibers (hereinafter, CNF) as the reinforcing material is progressing. CNF, a high performance new material of biological origin, is produced by refining cellulose, which is the main component of plant cell walls, to the nano level. Weighing only 1/5 as much as steel, CNF has high specific strength no less than five times that of ferrous materials. While high production cost is still a challenge for practical application, CNF has attracted attention as a new fiber material following carbon fiber. This article introduces an example of observation of the internal structure of foamed plastic containing CNF as a reinforcing material by using an inspeXio SMX-100CT micro focus X-ray CT system.

October 30, 2019 GMT