Physical properties of tannin/furanic resin foamed with different blowing agents

Abstract

Tannin/furanic rigid foam made from raw materials of natural origin could be used to replace polyurethane and phenolic foams in many future applications. In this study, diethyl ether, pentane, and a mixture of the two were used to prepare tannin/furanic foams having different microstructures. It was found that the bulk density of the foam could be significantly extended, up to 180 kg/m3. The cell size of the pentane foam was larger than that of diethyl ether foam with comparable density; however, both presented a sudden increase in cell size when the density decreased. The thermal conductivity and mechanical properties were determined for the two foam types at the same density but different cell size. The minimum thermal conductivity for diethyl ether and pentane foams were presented, along with a suggested method for lowering the thermal conductivity of such foam. Additionally, the results of mechanical tests indicate that cell size does not play a role in compressive strength.