The effects of viscoelastic properties on the cellular morphology of silicone rubber foams generated by supercritical carbon dioxide

Abstract

Supercritical fluid foaming technology has been investigated for use in silicone rubber foam production due to its many unique properties. The viscoelastic properties of silicone rubber play a vital role in the supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) foaming process. This paper investigated for the first time the effect of silica content, saturation temperature and pressure on the viscoelastic properties of silicone rubber compounds. Further, the cellular morphology of silicone rubber foams generated by scCO₂ was investigated with rheological analysis, which will be helpful for uncovering the connection between the cellular structure and the viscoelastic properties. This study could provide an environmentally-friendly and convenient way to better control the cellular morphology of rubber by adjusting experimental conditions.