TY - JFULL AU - P. Suriyachai and N. Thavarungkul and P. Sae-oui PY - 2010/1/ TI - Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Content and Vulcanization Method on Properties of NBR/PVC Thermal Insulator Foam T2 - International Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering SP - 736 EP - 741 VL - 4 SN - 1307-6892 UR - https://publications.waset.org/pdf/2723 PU - World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology NX - Open Science Index 48, 2010 N2 - In this research sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) was introduced to generate carbon dioxide gas (CO2) to the existing nitrogen gas (N2) of elastomeric foam, to lower thermal conductivity (K). Various loadings of NaHCO3 (0 to 60 phr) were added into the azodicarbonamide (AZC)-containing compound and its properties were then determined. Two vulcanization methods, i.e., hot air and infrared (IR), were employed and compared in this study. Results revealed that compound viscosity tended to increase slightly with increasing NaHCO3 content but cure time was delayed. The effect of NaHCO3 content on thermal conductivity depended on the vulcanization method. For hot air method, the thermal conductivity was insignificantly changed with increasing NaHCO3 up to 40 phr whereas it tended to decrease gradually for IR method. At higher NaHCO3 content (60 phr), unexpected increase of thermal conductivity was observed. The water absorption was also determined and foam structures were then used to explain the results. ER -