The smaller the cells, the stronger the extrudates

The Microcell technology developed by Promix Solutions makes it possible to reduce by up to 20% material consumption in the extrusion of foams without altering their mechanical properties. A further 20-50% reduction in the weight of the final product is achieved by using atmospheric gases (CO2 and nitrogen) as blowing agents. 

For quality expansion, the cell structure is crucial. Tests have shown that very small, evenly distributed cells significantly improve the mechanical strength of the material. For example, a foam with 50-micron cell size has 27 times more cells than a foam with 150-micron cell size. Obtaining micro-cells involves a combination of various factors such as high process know-how, high-precision dosing of blowing agents, the provision of appropriate mixing and cooling equipment, and special nucleation technology.

Microcell technology makes it possible, for example, to produce thermoformed PET foam trays that have the same load-bearing capacity but are up to 18% lighter than solid and non-thermoformed trays, and up to 18% lighter but less load-bearing than solid trays. The micro-cell technology is effective in reducing the amount of raw material and therefore the energy consumption and environmental impact of the process. In addition, the material is fully recyclable in the same way as non-foamed material.

Microcell technology can be used with a wide range of materials including PP, PE, PET, TPE, TPU, PA and PVC and is suitable for the extrusion of film, sheet, pipe, profiles and cable on new or existing extrusion lines.