Polymer Foams Stabilized by Particles Adsorbed at the Air/Polymer Interface

In aqueous systems, partially hydrophobic particles are known to stabilize foams even in the absence of any added surfactant. This paper shows that the same principle can be applied to polymeric systems: particles that are partially wetted by a polymer melt can stabilize a foam of that polymer. The foam stability is attributable to the adsorption of the particles at the air/polymer interface. Remarkably, stable foams are realized even from polymers that are liquid at room temperature, and hence are otherwise unfoamable. The implications of this result to practical foaming operations are discussed.