Microcellular foam and foamed composite material

Abstract

The present invention is directed to thermo-expandable fibers and to the expanded hollow fibers or microtubes, microcellular foam or foamed composite material that results upon heating the expandable fibers. The thermo-expandable fiber of the present invention is characterized by having a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets or particles of blowing agent or propellant within the fiber. The polymeric wall may have reactive functional groups on its surface to give a fusible fiber. When the expandable fibers are heated, they expand to form hollow fibers or microtubes comprising polymeric shells surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, and when the fibers are expanded while in contact with each other, a microcellular foam may be formed. The foam consists of a plurality of hollow fibers fused together, optionally aided by functional groups present on the surface of the heated fibers that act to crosslink the material. When expandable microspheres are mixed with a matrix, which can optionally react with functional groups on the fiber surface, and the resulting combination is heated, the fibers expand to give a foamed composite material in which the hollow fibers or microtubes may optionally be fused or chemically crosslinked to the matrix.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A thermo-expandable plastic fiber comprising a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets of blowing agent within the fiber.  
     
     
         2 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 1  wherein the polymeric wall comprises reactive functionalities.  
     
     
         3 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 1  wherein the blowing agent is a liquid.  
     
     
         4 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 1  wherein the blowing agent is a solid at room temperature.  
     
     
         5 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 4  wherein the blowing agent is insoluble and is in the shape of a strand or a fiber.  
     
     
         6 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 1  wherein the polymeric wall comprises an engineering thermoplastic polymer.  
     
     
         7 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 1  wherein the polymeric wall comprises a copolymer, multiblock polymer, or polymer blend.  
     
     
         8 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 1  wherein the polymeric wall comprises a naturally occurring polymer.  
     
     
         9 ., A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 8  wherein the naturally occurring polymer is selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, and proteins.  
     
     
         10 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 8  wherein the naturally occurring polymer is Zein.  
     
     
         11 . A thermo-expandable fiber according to  claim 1  wherein the polymeric wall comprises a polymer and one or more reactive oligomers or crosslinkable moieties capable of forming a crosslinked, interpenetrating, or semi-interpenetrating polymeric network within the polymeric wall.  
     
     
         12 . A hollow plastic fiber comprising a polymeric shell surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, the polymeric shell comprising polymer chains that are at least partially radially oriented.  
     
     
         13 . A hollow fiber according to  claim 12  wherein the hollow fiber is derived from a thermo-expandable fiber, the thermo-expandable fiber characterized by a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets of blowing agent, the polymeric wall comprising reactive functionalities.  
     
     
         14 . A hollow fiber according to  claim 12  wherein the hollow fiber is derived from a thermo-expandable fiber, the thermo-expandable fiber characterized by a polymeric wall comprising a polymer and one or more reactive oligomers or crosslinkable moieties capable of forming a crosslinked, interpenetrating, or semi-interpenetrating polymeric network within the polymeric wall.  
     
     
         15 . A hollow fiber according to  claim 12  wherein the polymeric shell comprises an engineering thermoplastic polymer.  
     
     
         16 . A hollow fiber according to  claim 12  wherein the polymeric shell comprises a copolymer, multiblock polymer, or polymer blend.  
     
     
         17 . A hollow fiber according to  claim 12  wherein the polymeric shell comprises a naturally occurring polymer.  
     
     
         18 . A hollow fiber according to  claim 17  wherein the naturally occurring polymer is selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, and proteins.  
     
     
         19 . A hollow fiber according to  claim 17  wherein the naturally occurring polymer is Zein.  
     
     
         20 . A microcellular foam comprising expanded hollow fibers fused to each other, each hollow fiber comprising a polymeric shell surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, the polymeric shell comprising polymer chains that are at least partially radially oriented.  
     
     
         21 . A microcellular foam according to  claim 20  wherein the hollow fibers are derived from thermo-expandable fibers, the thermo-expandable fiber characterized by a polymeric wall comprising reactive functionalities.  
     
     
         22 . A foamed composite material comprising expanded hollow fibers fused to a surrounding matrix, each hollow fiber comprising a polymeric shell surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, the polymeric shell comprising polymer chains that are at least partially radially oriented.  
     
     
         23 . A foamed composite material according to  claim 22  wherein the hollow fibers are derived from thermo-expandable fibers, the thermo-expandable fiber characterized by a polymeric wall comprising reactive functionalities.  
     
     
         24 . An insulating material comprising a plurality of expanded hollow fibers, each hollow fiber comprising a polymeric shell surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, the polymeric shell comprising polymer chains that are at least partially radially oriented.  
     
     
         25 . An insulating material according to  claim 24  wherein the hollow fibers are fused to each other.  
     
     
         26 . A non-woven fabric comprising expanded hollow fibers fused to each other, each hollow fiber comprising a polymeric shell surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, the polymeric shell comprising polymer chains that are at least partially radially oriented.