A visualization system for observing plastic foaming processes under shear stress

Previous studies offered theories to explain shear-induced bubble nucleation and growth phenomena in plastic foaming processes, but empirical verification was limited due to difficulty in observing these processes in situ under an easily adjustable and uniform shear flow. This study presents a novel visualization system that successfully achieved this goal. The system allows easy control of the critical experimental parameters: applied shear strain, shear strain rate, temperature, pressure, pressure drop rate, plastic material and blowing agent. From a foaming visualization study of polystyrene, it was observed that cell nucleation rate and maximum cell density increased with the applied shear strain, which was due to the decreased local system pressure, detachment and growth of microvoids, and elongation of bubbles. This foaming visualization system provides a direct and effective way to investigate the mechanisms of bubble nucleation and growth under dynamic conditions that simulates industrial plastic foaming processes.