# Structural characterization of hierarchical polymer foams by combining X-ray micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy

https://mdr.nims.go.jp/datasets/4d18e00c-a95a-4752-87b2-71dcd8e2a386

## File

- [2024 - Structural characterization of hierarchical polymer foams by combining X-ray micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy.pdf](https://mdr.nims.go.jp/filesets/8928a894-b8bb-4be2-b464-fe511106fdb1/download) ([Detail](https://mdr.nims.go.jp/filesets/8928a894-b8bb-4be2-b464-fe511106fdb1.md))

## Id

4d18e00c-a95a-4752-87b2-71dcd8e2a386

## Local identifier



## Visibility

open_to_public

## State

published

## Created at

2025-04-02T11:55:15.707980Z

## Updated at

2025-04-03T03:30:07.690210Z

## Published at

2025-04-03T03:47:40.287558Z

## Doi



## First published url

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2024.108580

## Date published

2024-09-16

## Recorded date published

2024-11

## Resource type

journal_article

## Manuscript type

vor

## Collection



## Title

- title: Structural characterization of hierarchical polymer foams by combining X-ray
    micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy
  title_type: original
  lang: en

## Description

- description: Complementary structural characterization methods are useful for studying
    the hierarchical cellular morphology of polymer foams. In this study, we employed
    scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)
    to characterize the hierarchical cellular morphology of poly(methyl methacrylate)
    (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) foams. The polymer foams were prepared using pure
    CO2 gas and CO2–chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22) gas mixtures as blowing agents.
    Depending on the type of polymer and HCFC-22 concentration, hierarchical cellular
    structures consisting of nanocells, microcells, and macrocells were obtained.
    The size distribution of the nanocells was determined by high-magnification SEM,
    while the size, shape, and spatial distribution of the microcells and macrocells
    in three dimensions were determined by micro-CT. Moreover, a well-designed micro-CT
    experiment  enabled a brightness comparison between the foams and relative local
    density mapping of the foams based on the brightness. The results clearly showed
    the formation of a dense skin layer at the air interface of both PMMA and PS foams
    and dense matrix around the large macrocells in the PMMA foams. Thus, combining
    SEM and micro-CT provides a deeper understanding of the formation mechanism of
    the hierarchical cellular structure of polymer foams.
  description_type: abstract
  lang: und

## Creator

- name: Takumi Ono
  role: author
- name: Sadaki Samitsu
  role: author
  orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4139-1656
  organization: National Institute for Materials Science
- name: Misa Hazutani
  role: author
- name: Seisuke Ata
  role: author

## Contact agent



## Publisher

organization: Elsevier BV

## Managing organization



## Keyword

- subject: X-ray micro-computed tomography
  schema: not_defined
- subject: Scanning electron microscopy
  schema: not_defined
- subject: Three dimensional imaging
  schema: not_defined
- subject: Hierarchical cellular structure
  schema: not_defined
- subject: Mixed blowing agent
  schema: not_defined
- subject: Poly(methyl methacrylate)
  schema: not_defined
- subject: Polymer foaming
  schema: not_defined

## Rights

- identifier: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

## Other identifier(s)



## Data origin

- data_origin_type: other

## Embargo



## Journal

- title: Polymer Testing
  issn: '01429418'
  volume: '140'
  article_number: '108580'

## Conference



## Related item



## Funding

- funder_name: 'Tsukuba Innovation Arena '
  description: 'The project was financially supported by Tsukuba Innovation Arena
    (Director: Takumi Ono, who is one of the co-authors of this manuscript).'

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## Fileset

- id: 8928a894-b8bb-4be2-b464-fe511106fdb1
  filename: 2024 - Structural characterization of hierarchical polymer foams by combining
    X-ray micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy.pdf
  content_type: application/pdf
  size: 7621132
  md5: a8a2e0b08f90904b44a7c1650c0a8726

## Thumbnail

fileset_id: 8928a894-b8bb-4be2-b464-fe511106fdb1
filename: 2024 - Structural characterization of hierarchical polymer foams by combining
  X-ray micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy.pdf