High-Performance Polymer Foams by Thermally Induced Phase Separation

Abstract

Macroporous, low-density polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone, and polyetherimide foams are produced using a high-temperature, thermally induced phase separation method. A high-boiling-point solvent, which is suitable to dissolve at least 20 wt% of these high-performance polymers at temperatures above 250 °C, is identified. The foam morphology is controlled by the cooling procedure. The resulting polymer foams have porosities close to 80% with surface areas up to 140 m2 g−1 and elastic moduli up to 97 MPa.