Investigation of the interaction between thermal conductivity and foam morphology of elastomers foamed by expanding thermoplastic microspheres.

The study investigates the use of thermoplastic expanding microspheres (TEM) as a physical blowing agent in EPDM-based rubber foams. Thermal conductivity is a local, time and temperature dependent variable that is influenced by foam expansion and plays a crucial role in this foaming process. To model this interaction, Representative Volume Elements (RVE) are used to investigate how morphological parameters, such as porosity and pore size distribution, affect the thermal conductivity of the rubber foam. Experimental validation will be carried out on pure rubber and various rubber foam samples. The aim is to establish a method for the determination of the foam morphology dependent thermal conductivity, which will allow predictive process simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]