Development of thermally conductive polymer matrix composites by foaming‐assisted networking of micron‐ and submicron‐scale hexagonal boron nitride

Thermally conductive polymer matrix composite (PMC) foams with effective thermal conductivities (k_eff) higher than their solid counterparts have been developed for the first time. Using a material system consists of low density polyethylene and micron‐scale or submicron‐scale hexagon boron nitride platelets as a case example, this article demonstrates that foaming‐assisted filler networking is a feasible processing strategy to enhance PMC's k_eff, especially at a low hBN loading. Parametric studies were conducted to identify the structure‐to‐property relationships between foam morphology (e.g., cell population density, cell size, and foam expansion) and the PMC foam's k_eff. In particular, there exists an optimal cell size to maximize the PMC foam's k_eff for foams with up to 50% volume expansion. However, an optimal cell size is absent for PMC foams with higher volume expansion. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses reveal that both the presence of hBN platelets and foam expansion promoted the crystallization of LDPE phase. Moreover, the XRD spectra also provide evidence for the effect of foam expansion on the orientation of hBN platelets. Overall, the findings provide new directions to design and fabricate thermally conductive PMC foams with low filler contents for heat management applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42910.     

A conductive foam: Based on novel poly(styrene‐b‐butadiene‐co‐styrene‐b‐styrene) tri‐block copolymer filled by carbon black

In this article, a conductive foam based on a novel styrene‐based thermoplastic elastomer called poly(styrene‐b‐butadiene‐co‐styrene‐b‐styrene) tri‐block copolymer S(BS)S was prepared and introduced. S(BS)S was particularly designed for chemical foaming with uniform fine cells, which overcame the shortcomings of traditional poly(styrene‐b‐butadiene‐b‐styrene) tri‐block copolymer (SBS). The preparation of conductive foams filled by the carbon black was studied. After the detail investigation of cross‐linking and foaming behaviors using moving die rheometer, the optimal foaming temperature was determined at 180°C with a complex accelerator for foaming agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images shown that the cell bubbles of conductive foam were around 30–50 µm. The conductivity of foams was tested using a megger and a semiconductor performance tester. SEM images also indicated that the conductivity of foams was mainly affected by the distribution of carbon black in the cell walls. The formation of the network of the carbon black aggregates had a contribution to perfect conductive paths. It also found that the conductivity of foams declined obviously with the foaming agent content increasing. The more foaming agent led to a sharp increasing of the number of cells (from 2.93 × 10⁶ to 6.20 × 10⁷ cells/cm³) and a rapid thinning of the cell walls (from 45.3 to 1.4 µm), resulting in an effective conductive path of the carbon black no forming. The conductive soft foams with the density of 0.48–0.09 g/cm³ and the volume resistivity of 3.1 × 10³?2.5 × 10⁵ Ω cm can be easily prepared in this study. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41644.     

Fabrication of isocyanate‐based polyimide foam by a postgrafting method

Density and flame retardancy controlled isocyanate‐based polyimide foam was prepared by a postgrafting method. The first solution containing prepolymer that was synthesized by dianhydride and overdose isocyanates was added into the second solution containing dianhydride derivatives, water, catalysts, and surfactants. The possible reactions during preparation are discussed. The obtained Fourier transform infrared spectra indicate that an increased amount of imide rings was generated with increasing molar ratio of the anhydride/isocyanate groups. The size and walls of the cells became smaller and thinner with less carbon dioxide (CO₂) escaping into the air during the first solution preparation process, as shown in scanning electron microscopy images. The thermogravimetric analysis curves demonstrated that the 5% weight loss temperature (T_5%) was greater than 289 °C, and the residual weight retention at 800 °C was more than 45%. In addition, differential thermogravimetry curves demonstrated that the thermal stability decreased with more byproducts in polyimide foams. The limiting oxygen index increased gradually from 30.63% ± 0.56 to 48% ± 0.50 with increasing molar ratio of the anhydride/isocyanate groups. Meanwhile, the density of obtained polyimide foams ranged from 38.31 kg/m³ ± 0.90 to 99.53 kg/m³ ± 10.85. When the molar ratio of anhydride/isocyanate groups ranged from 0.4 to 0.8, the prepared isocyanate‐based polyimide foams all exhibit both great flame retardancy and lower density. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44240.     

Thermosetting foam with a high bio‐based content from acrylated epoxidized soybean oil and carbon dioxide

A resilient, thermosetting foam system with a bio‐based content of 96 wt % (resulting in 81% of C₁₄) was successfully developed. We implemented a pressurized carbon dioxide foaming process that produces polymeric foams from acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO). A study of the cell dynamics of uncured CO₂/ AESO foams proved useful to optimize cure conditions. During collapse, the foam's bulk density increased linearly with time, and the cell size and cell density exhibited power‐law degradation rates. Also, low temperature foaming and cure (i.e. high viscosity) are desirable to minimize foam cell degradation. The AESO was cured with a free‐radical initiator (tert‐butyl peroxy‐2‐ethyl hexanoate, T_i ～ 60°C). Cobalt naphtenate was used as an accelerator to promote quick foam cure at lower temperature (40–50°C). The foam's density was controlled by the carbon dioxide pressure inside the reactor and by the vacuum applied during cure. The viscosity increased linearly during polymerization. The viscosity was proportional to the extent of reaction before gelation, and the cured foam's structure showed a dependence on the time of vacuum application. The average cell size increased and the cell density decreased with foam expansion at a low extent of cure; however, the foam expansion became limited and unhomogeneous with advanced reaction. When vacuum was applied at an intermediate viscosity, samples with densities ～ 0.25 g/cm³ were obtained with small (<1 mm) homogeneous cells. The mechanical properties were promising, with a compressive strength of ～ 1 MPa and a compressive modulus of ～ 20 MPa. The new foams are biocompatible. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Open‐cell polypropylene/polyolefin elastomer blend foams fabricated for reusable oil‐sorption materials

The fabrication of high‐performance oil sorbents is of great significance for oil spill cleanup. The main objective of this study was to prepare open‐cell polypropylene/polyolefin elastomer (PP/POE) blend foams for fabrication of reusable sorbents for oil sorption. Open‐cell PP/POE blend foams were prepared via continuous‐extrusion foaming using supercritical carbon dioxide as the blowing agent. The interconnected open‐cell structure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The hydrophobicity and lipophilicity of PP/POE open‐cell foams were revealed by tests of contact‐angle measurement, water and cyclohexane sorption on the foam surface, CCl₄ and cyclohexane sorption in water, and oil/water separation. Further, the sorption tests indicated that PP/POE blend foams showed larger oil‐uptake capacities than pure PP foams. In addition, cyclic compression tests showed that PP/POE open‐cell foams had excellent ductility and significantly improved recoverability compared to pure PP foams. In cyclic sorption–desorption tests, the sorption kinetics was studied in terms of capacity and saturation time, showing that PP/POE foams kept larger sorption capacities for 10 cycles, with larger sorption rates and good reusability. Based on the high open‐cell content, the good hydrophobic and oleophilic properties, the high oil‐sorption capacity, the improved recoverability, the large sorption rate, and the good reusability in cyclic oil‐sorption performance, the PP/POE open‐cell foams have shown promise as potential oil sorbents in applications for oil spill cleanup. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43812.     

Polyurethane foams from soyoil‐based polyols

The focus of this work was to synthesize bio‐based polyurethane (PU) foams from soybean oil (SO). Different polyols from SO were produced as follows: soybean oil monoglyceride (SOMG), hydroxylated soybean oil (HSO), and soybean oil methanol polyol (SOMP). The SOMG was a mixture of 90.1% of monoglyceride, 1.3% of diglyceride, and 8.6% of glycerol. The effect of various variables (polyol reactivity, water content curing temperature, type of catalyst, isocyanate, and surfactant) on the foam structure and properties were analyzed. SOMG had the highest reactivity because it was the only polyol‐containing primary hydroxyl (? OH) groups in addition to a secondary ? OH group. PU foams made with SOMG and synthetic polyol contained small uniform cells, whereas the other SO polyols produced foams with a mixture of larger and less uniform cells. The type of isocyanate also had an influence on the morphology, especially on the type of cells produced. The foam structure was found to be affected by the water and catalyst content, which controlled the foam density and the cure rate of the PU polymer. We observed that the glass transition (T_g) increased with the OH value and the type of diisocyanate. Also, we found that the degree of solvent swelling (DS) decreased as T_g increased with crosslink density. These results are consistent with the Twinkling Fractal Theory of T_g. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Foaming of poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate) and poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate‐co‐carbon monoxide) and their blends with carbon dioxide

Poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate) (EVA‐25) and poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate‐co‐carbon monoxide) (EVACO‐2410) and their blends with EVACO:EVA ratios of 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, and 20:80 were foamed using CO₂. These foams are of interest for applications ranging from footwear to medical devices. Foaming experiments were carried out using 1 mm thick melt‐extruded films in CO₂ at a range of pressures (100, 200, and 300 bar) and temperatures (30, 40, 50, and 60 °C). Foamability of the polymers was explored both under isothermal and gradient temperature conditions. Foams of EVACO‐2410 displayed high initial expansions followed by postfoaming relaxation and shrinkage while foams generated from EVA‐25 showed more dimensional stability. Blending EVACO‐2410 with EVA‐25 was explored as an approach to reduce postfoaming relaxation and shrinkage. The surfaces of the foamed samples displayed blistering that was linked to CO₂ bubble entrapment and coalescence at the surface. Scanning electron micrographs of the foams generated from blends displayed distinct morphologies reflecting whether the sections were representing the machine‐ or cross‐machine direction of extruded films. In going from EVACO‐2410 to EVA‐25, the cell densities ranged from about 10⁶ to 10¹⁰ cells/cm³. Foams with low bulk densities of about 0.11 g/cm³ could be generated. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45841.     

Polylactide foams prepared by a traditional chemical compression‐molding method

To reduce environmental pollution and oil shortages, biodegradable polylactide (PLA) from plants was used to replace synthetic plastic from petroleum. In this study, high‐melt‐viscosity PLA was achieved through the in situ reaction of carboxyl‐ended polyester (CP) and solid epoxy (SE) first; then, PLA foams were successfully prepared by a chemical compression‐molding method. The detailed foaming factors were also studied, including the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent, the foam temperature, and the open‐mold temperature. The results reveal that the obtained PLA foams had good water absorption and degradable properties, and the foam density was low as 0.16 g/cm³. Moreover, the effects of the CP/SE concentration and the AC content on the properties of the foams were also investigated. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Carbon dioxide‐in‐water foams stabilized with nanoparticles and surfactant acting in synergy

Synergistic interactions at the interface of nanoparticles (bare colloidal silica) and surfactant (caprylamidopropyl betaine) led to the generation of viscous and stable CO₂‐in‐water (C/W) foams with fine texture at 19.4 MPa and 50°C. Interestingly, neither species generated C/W foams alone. The surfactant became cationic in the presence of CO₂ and adsorbed on the hydrophilic silica nanoparticle surfaces resulting in an increase in the carbon dioxide/water/nanoparticle contact angle. The surfactant also adsorbed at the CO₂–water interface, reducing interfacial tension to allow formation of finer bubbles. The foams were generated in a beadpack and characterized by apparent viscosity measurements both in the beadpack and in a capillary tube viscometer. In addition, the macroscopic foam stability was observed visually. The foam texture and viscosity were tunable by controlling the aqueous phase composition. Foam stability is discussed in terms of lamella drainage, disjoining pressure, interfacial viscosity, and hole formation. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 3490–3501, 2013     

A new microcellular foam injection‐molding technology using non‐supercritical fluid physical blowing agents

A new foam injection‐molding technology was developed to produce microcellular foams without using supercritical fluid (SCF) pump units. In this technology, physical blowing agents (PBA), such as nitrogen (N₂) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), do not need to be brought to their SCF state. PBAs are delivered directly from their gas cylinders into the molten polymer through an injector valve, which can be controlled by a specially designed screw configuration and operation sequence. The excess PBA is discharged from the molten polymer through a venting vessel. Alternatively, additional PBA is introduced through the venting vessel when the polymer is not saturated with PBA. The amount of gas delivered into the molten polymer is controlled by the gas dosing time of the injector valve, the secondary reducing pressure of the gas cylinder and the outlet (back) pressure of the venting vessel. Microcellular polypropylene foams were prepared using the developed foam injection‐molding technology with 2–6 MPa CO₂ or 2–8 MPa N₂. High expansion foams with an average cell size of less than 25 μm were prepared. The developed technology dispels arguments for the necessity to pressurize N₂ or CO₂ to the SCF to prepare microcellular foams. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:105–113, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of epoxy syntactic foams reinforced by short carbon fiber

Epoxy syntactic foams were prepared with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (DGEBA) epoxy resin, 2.4.6‐tri(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol (DMP‐30), coupling treated microsphere and short carbon fiber. The density of the foam was maintained between 0.56 and 0.91 g/cm³ for all compositions. Compressive, flexural, tensile and dynamic mechanical properties of the foams were investigated with respect to hollow glass microsphere (HGM) and carbon fiber (CF) content. A considerable improvement in the mechanical properties viz. compressive, flexural and tensile strengths was observed for the foams on incorporation of a small quantity of CF. The storage modulus were higher for the foam composites containing CF. The presence of HGM has significant influence on T_g of the syntactic foams, spherical filler diminished the T_g of the syntactic foams due to the plasticizing effect of the coupling treatment of HGM, that is helpful for enhancing damping properties of syntactic foams. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1960–1970, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Porosity effect on microstructure,mechanical, and fluid dynamic properties of Ti2AlC by direct foaming and gel‐casting

In this study, Ti₂AlC foams were fabricated by direct foaming and gel‐casting using agarose as gelling agent. Slurry viscosity, determined by the agarose content (at a fixed solids loading), as well as surfactant concentration and foaming time were the key parameters employed for controlling the foaming yield, and hence the foam porosity after sintering process. Fabricated foams having total porosity in the 62.5‐84.4 vol% range were systematically characterized to determine their pore size and morphology. The effect of the foam porosity on the room‐temperature compression strength and elastic modulus was also determined. Depending on the amount of porosity, the compression strength and Young's modulus were found to be in the range of 9‐91 MPa and 7‐52 GPa, respectively. Permeability to air flow at temperatures up to 700°C was investigated. Darcian (k₁) and non‐Darcian (k₂) permeability coefficients displayed values in the range 0.30‐93.44 × 10^?11 m² and 0.39‐345.54 × 10^?7 m, respectively. The amount of porosity is therefore a very useful microstructural parameter for tuning the mechanical and fluid dynamic properties of Ti₂AlC foams.     

A novel natural rubber‐graft‐cassava starch foam for oil/gasohol absorption

The objective of this work was to study a novel foam prepared from natural rubber grafted with cassava starch (NR‐graft‐CSt) with the addition of super cell (SC) as a blowing agent. The effects of the blowing agent and grafting versus non‐grafting of the starch and the natural rubber on the properties of the foam were investigated. The results show that the optimum curing time decreases with increasing SC loading as observed using a moving die rheometer. The porosity, the number of cells per unit volume and the cell size of the NR/CSt blend increase as a function of the SC loading in the foam. A more open cell structure is produced by higher loadings of SC. The greatest number of cells per unit volume is found at 2 and 6 phr SC for NR‐graft‐CSt and NR/CSt blend, respectively. The foam produced was used as an absorbent for oil. The NR‐graft‐CSt foam shows a maximum percentage oil absorption of around 7 g g^?1. The NR‐graft‐CSt foam is able to be reused as an oil absorbent for a maximum number of over 30 times. The NR‐graft‐CSt foam shows better toluene resistance than the NR/CSt blend. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Processing‐structure‐property relationship in rigid polyurethane foams

Rigid polyurethane (PU) foam is used as a thermal insulating and supporting material in domestic refrigerator/freezers and it is produced by reaction injection molding (RIM) process. There is a need to improve the thermal property of rigid PU foam but this is still a challenging problem. Accordingly, this work investigates the RIM process parameters to evaluate their effects on rigid PU foam's structure and hence property. It has been found that mold temperature is a key parameter whereas curing time has negligible effect on structure of PU foam. Cell size, strut thickness, and foam density have been found very critical in controlling the thermal and mechanical properties. Upper and lower values of 30 to 32 kg/m³ density are critical to observe contribution of radiation and solid conductivity separately. Finally, PU foam with 160 µm average cell size, 16 µm strut thickness, below 10% open cell content, and 30 to 32 kg/m³ density allow obtaining better thermal insulation without significant reducing in the compressive strength. The presented work provides a better understanding of processing‐structure‐property relationship to gain knowledge on producing high‐quality rigid PU foams with improved properties. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44870.     

Microstructure and properties of epoxy foams prepared by microwave

In this article, epoxy foams comprised of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (DGEBA) based epoxy resin E₃₁ and E₅₁, polyamide resin, and water were prepared by microwave irradiation method. The structure and properties of epoxy foams were analyzed by FTIR, TGA, SEM, and DMA methods. The density and compressive performance of epoxy foams was also determined. The results indicated that the epoxy foams had excellent compressive performance and the preparation of epoxy foam by microwave irradiation was high efficiency and convenient. The composition has great effect on density, foam structure, dynamical mechanic performance, and thermal degradation behavior of epoxy foams. The epoxy foam with density from 0.08 g cm^?3 to 1.05 g cm^?3 can be obtained by varying ratio of E₅₁ and E₃₁ to control the viscosity of mixtures. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Epoxy composite foams with excellent electromagnetic interference shielding and heat‐resistance performance

Epoxy composite foams with improved heat‐resistant property and efficient electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) were fabricated through a two‐step foaming technique. A sort of novel and untraditional expandable microspheres was adopted to reduce the density of prepared materials. A multiscale conductive network system composed of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nickel‐plated carbon fibers (NiCFs) was introduced in these foams. Benefitting from the synergistic effect between NiCFs and MWCNTs, the multiscale epoxy foam with best comprehensive performance achieved a greatly enhanced T_g at 178.3 °C and an exceptional specific EMI SE ranging from 52.8 to 72.6 dB cm³ g^?1 in X band (8.2–12.4 GHz) at low filler loading. These properties are greatly better than original epoxy foam with a T_g of 157.8 °C and specific EMI SE of 1.0–6.4 dB cm³ g^?1. Their shielding mechanisms were discussed and the results showed that reflection is dominating. The effects of microspheres content, foaming temperature, NiCFs content, and length were investigated. In general, we provided a feasible, convenient and cost‐effective method to fabricate light‐weight, heat‐resistant thermosetting epoxy foams with sufficient EMI shielding performance which has a potential to be applied in aerospace or electronic devices. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46013.     

Flexible polyurethane foams modified with biobased polyols: Synthesis and physical‐chemical characterization

A series of flexible polyurethane foams with different polyol compositions were synthesized through the replacement of a portion of the petroleum‐based polyether polyol with biobased polyols, namely, glycerol (GLY) and hydroxylated methyl esters (HMETO). HMETO was synthesized by the alkaline transesterification of tung oil (TO; obtaining GLY as a byproduct) and the subsequent hydroxylation of the obtained methyl esters with performic acid generated in situ. FTIR spectroscopy, ¹H‐NMR, and different analytical procedures indicated that the hydroxyl content increased significantly and the molecular weight decreased with respect to those of the TO after the two reaction steps. The characterization of the obtained foams, achieved through the measurement of the characteristic reaction times, thermal and dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electronic microscopy, and density measurements, is reported and discussed. The most important changes in the modified foams were found with the addition of GLY to the formulation; this led to an increased foam density and storage rubbery modulus, which were associated with a higher crosslinking density because of the decrease in the chain length between crosslinking points. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43831.     

Thermomechanical characterization of thermoset urethane shape‐memory polymer foams

The shape‐memory polymer performance of urethane foams compressed under a variety of conditions was characterized. The foams were water‐blown thermosets with a closed‐cell structure and ranged in density from about 0.25 to 0.75 g/cm³. Compressive deformations were carried out over a range of strain levels, temperatures, and lateral constraints. Recovery stresses measured between fixed platens were as high as 4 MPa. Recovery strains, measured against loads up to 0.13 MPa, demonstrated the effects of various parameters. The results suggest that compression near the foam glass‐transition temperature provided optimal performance. Foams with densities of about 0.5 g/cc and compressed 50% provided a useful balance (time, strain, and load) in the recovery performance. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Development of mesophase pitch derived high thermal conductivity graphite foam using a template method

A simple and inexpensive method is described for preparing high thermal conductivity graphite foam by impregnating a coal tar pitch based mesophase pitch into a substrate polyurethane foam template. Mesophase pitch impregnated polyurethane foam was converted into graphite foam by several heat treatments in air as well as in an inert atmosphere. Scanning electron microscope images show the retention of an excellent open pore structure despite volume shrinkage of over 50%. The graphite foam prepared by this sacrificial template method is found to possess a thermal conductivity of 60 W/m K with a compressive strength in the range of 3.0–5.0 MPa. The X-ray diffraction pattern shows an interlayer spacing (d₀₀₂) of 0.3388 nm at a heat treatment temperature of 2400 °C. Different concentrations of slurries of mesophase pitch in water were used in combination with substrate foams of different densities to prepare graphite foams of density in the range 0.23–0.58 g cm⁻³. The specific thermal conductivity of the carbon foam with a low density of 0.58 g cm⁻³ is found to be higher than that of copper metal traditionally used in thermal management applications.     

Synthesis and properties of the copolymer of acrylamide with 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonic acid

A cross‐linked copolymer of acrylamide (AM) with 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) was prepared by solution polymerization. In this reaction, potassium persulfate (PPS) and N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (NMBA) were used as initiator and cross‐linker, respectively. This copolymer, poly(acrylamide‐co‐2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonic acid) (PAMA), can absorb up to 1749 g/g of dry polymer in distilled water and 87 g/g of dry polymer in 0.9 wt % NaCl aqueous solution at room temperature. The PAMA also has excellent performance in absorbing pure alcohols. Its absorbencies in methanol and glycol are about 310 g/g and 660 g/g, respectively. The effects of various salt solutions on the swelling properties were studied systematically, and the relationship between the absorbency and the concentrations of the different salt solutions can be expressed as Q = kcⁿ. Experimental results indicate that the absorbencies were stable at different water temperatures. The swelling rates of the copolymer in distilled water and a water/ethanol mixture (V_water:V_alcohol = 1:1) were also investigated, and the results showed that PAMA could absorb 992 g of distilled water per gram of dry polymer and 739 g of water/ethanol mixture per gram of dry polymer in five minutes. The PAMA has such good water retention at higher temperatures that the swollen gel can retain 71.6 and 49.5% of the maximum absorbency after being heated for 9 hours at 60 and 80 °C, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 3481–3487, 2003