Experimental and numerical study of the polyurethane foaming process using high-pressure CO2

A simulation of simultaneous bubble nucleation and growth was performed for polyurethane/CO2 physical foaming process. The single-factor and comprehensive effects of viscoelastic properties, Henry’s constant, CO2 diffusion coefficient and surface tension on the cell morphology were numerically analyzed. The results show that the cell density of PU foam (N0) increases and its average cell diameter (Dv) reduces with increased Henry’s constant and slower gas diffusion. Both N0 and Dv reduces with the curing degree (α). In addition, the effects of α and foaming conditions on the cell structure were experimentally investigated. With an increase of α at foamable range, Dv decreases continuously and N0 increases first and then declines. With increasing saturation pressure and depressurization rate or decreasing temperature, N0 increases and Dv reduces. There is an intrinsic correlation between the simulated and experimental variables, and the results of the simulation and experiment are generally consistent.