Application of foaming delay agent 1027 in biodegradable express packaging EPP foam and composting cycle control
1. Introduction: The appearance background of foaming delay agent 1027
In this era of “everything can be purchased online”, the express delivery industry has become an indispensable part of modern life. However, with the surge in express delivery business volume, the environmental problems brought about by traditional plastic packaging materials are becoming increasingly prominent. According to statistics, about one-third of the plastic waste generated worldwide every year comes from express packaging. These non-degradable plastic products can take hundreds of years to completely decompose in the natural environment, putting a heavy burden on the planet’s ecosystem.
Faced with this severe challenge, the research and development and application of environmentally friendly biodegradable materials have become the focus of global attention. Among them, EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) foam, as a buffer packaging material with excellent performance, has shown great potential in the field of express packaging due to its lightweight and strong impact resistance. However, to achieve truly environmental protection of EPP foam, the key is to solve the problems of its degradability and controllability in the production process.
It is in this context that the foaming retardant 1027 came into being. This new additive can not only effectively regulate the foaming process of EPP foam, but also significantly improve its degradability performance, making it compliant with the composting cycle requirements specified in the ASTM D6400 standard. This article will deeply explore the working principle, technical parameters and its application effect in EPP foam production, and combine it with new research results at home and abroad to analyze its importance in promoting the green transformation of express packaging.
Through the systematic explanation of this article, readers will have a comprehensive understanding of how foaming delay agent 1027 can achieve environmental protection goals while ensuring product performance, providing scientific basis and technical support for building a sustainable express packaging system.
2. Detailed explanation of the technical parameters of foaming retardant 1027
Foaming delay agent 1027 is a high-performance additive designed for degradable EPP foam. Its technical parameters have been strictly optimized to ensure excellent performance in different application scenarios. The following are the core parameter indicators of this product:
1. Basic physical properties parameters
| parameter name |
Unit |
Indicator Value |
| Appearance |
– |
White powder |
| Density |
g/cm³ |
0.85-0.95 |
| Melting point |
°C |
135-145 |
| Particle Size |
?m |
?100 |
| Moisture content |
% |
?0.5 |
2. Functional Characteristics Parameters
| parameter name |
Unit |
Indicator Value |
Description |
| Foaming delay time |
s |
10-30 |
Control the foaming reaction rate to avoid excessive rapid expansion |
| Dispersion Index |
– |
?95 |
Ensure uniform dispersion in the substrate |
| Compatibility coefficient |
– |
?90 |
Improve compatibility with polymer matrix |
| Thermal Stability |
°C |
?200 |
Ensure stability under high temperature processing conditions |
3. Degradable performance parameters
| parameter name |
Unit |
Indicator Value |
Test Method |
| Biodegradation rate |
% |
?90 |
ASTM D6400 |
| Compost cycle |
d |
90±5 |
ASTM D5338 |
| CO?Release |
% |
?60 |
ISO 14855 |
4. Environmental adaptability parameters
| parameter name |
Unit |
Indicator value |
Description |
| Temperature resistance range |
°C |
-40~80 |
Ensure performance under extreme climate conditions |
| UV Anti-UV Index |
– |
?85 |
Slow down the photoaging effect |
| Moisture-proof grade |
– |
IPX4 |
Providing good moisture protection |
5. Processing process parameters
| parameter name |
Unit |
Indicator Value |
Process Suggestions |
| Add ratio |
% |
1-3 |
Adjust to the specific formula |
| Mixing Temperature |
°C |
160-180 |
Promote full dispersion |
| Cooling rate |
°C/min |
5-10 |
Control crystal morphology |
Together these parameters constitute the complete technical system of foaming retardant 1027. Among them, the precise control of foaming delay time is one of the outstanding features of this product. It can effectively adjust the expansion rate of EPP foam and avoid product defects caused by excessive foaming. At the same time, biodegradation rates of up to more than 90% and composting cycles that meet ASTM D6400 standards ensure the environmentally friendly performance of the final product. In addition, good thermal stability and wide temperature resistance range enable the product to adapt to a variety of processing conditions and meet the needs of different application scenarios.
It is worth noting that there is a complex relationship between the various parameters of the foaming retardant 1027. For example, changes in the addition ratio will affect the foaming delay time and dispersion; the mixing temperature will change the compatibility coefficient and thermal stability. Therefore, in practical applications, the ratio of each parameter needs to be reasonably adjusted according to the specific formula design and process conditions to achieve excellent comprehensive performance.
3. Analysis of the mechanism of action of foaming retardant 1027
The reason why foaming retardant 1027 can be produced in EPP foamThe unique role of the system is mainly due to its clever molecular structure design and multifunctional synergy mechanism. The following is an in-depth analysis of the core working mechanism of this product from three aspects: chemical structure, mechanism of action and reaction kinetics.
(I) Chemical Structural Characteristics
Foaming retardant 1027 adopts a unique zwitterionic structure, consisting of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. This amphiphilic structure allows it to form good compatibility with the polymer matrix and to have specific interactions with the foaming agent. Specifically, its molecular backbone contains multiple ester and amide functional groups that not only provide the necessary polarity, but also impart excellent thermal and chemical stability to the product.
It is more worth mentioning that a specific biodegradation trigger unit is introduced into the foaming retardant 1027 molecule. These units remain stable under normal processing conditions, but can be rapidly catalyzed by microbial enzymes in a composting environment, thereby starting the entire material degradation process. This “intelligent switch” structural design allows the product to have controllable degradability while ensuring its performance.
(Bi) Analysis of the mechanism of action
The main functions of foaming retardant 1027 are reflected in the following aspects:
-
Foaming rate regulation: By forming a weak hydrogen bond network with the foaming agent molecules, the diffusion speed of the foaming agent is reduced, thereby delaying the time of bubble nuclei generation. This gentle regulation method not only avoids pore unevenness caused by excessive foaming, but also ensures the mechanical properties of the final product.
-
Crystal Nuclear Induction: Specific functional groups on the foaming retardant 1027 molecule can selectively adsorb in the crystallization region of the polymer matrix to form a stable crystal nuclear induction center. This not only improves the crystallinity of the foam material, but also improves its dimensional stability and compressive strength.
-
Interface stabilization effect: With its versatile structure, the foam retardant 1027 can form a protective film at the gas-liquid interface to prevent excessive expansion or rupture of the bubbles. This interface stabilization effect is crucial to obtaining a uniform and dense foam structure.
(III) Research on reaction kinetics
Through kinetic monitoring of the foaming process, it was found that the addition of foaming retardant 1027 significantly changed the reaction rate constant of the system. Research shows that it mainly affects the reaction kinetics through the following two pathways:
-
Activation Energy Regulation: The presence of foaming retardant 1027 increases the apparent activation energy of the foaming reaction and reduces the reaction rate to an appropriate range. This regulation effect is similar to the throttle valve in a car engine, and can be preciseConfirm the speed of the foaming process.
-
Increased diffusion resistance: Due to the formation of the above-mentioned hydrogen bond network, the diffusion path of the foaming agent molecules becomes more tortuous, and the effective diffusion coefficient is significantly reduced. This “maze effect” further extends the foaming delay time and creates conditions for obtaining an ideal foam structure.
It is worth noting that the mechanism of action of the foaming retardant 1027 is not a single linear process, but a result of the joint action of multiple factors. For example, there is a synergistic effect between its crystal nucleus induction and interface stabilization, which promotes each other and jointly improves the overall performance of foam materials. In addition, the activation process of the biodegradation trigger unit of the product in the composting environment also follows a similar synergistic mechanism, namely, multiple enzymatic reactions are carried out simultaneously to ensure that the material is degraded within the specified time.
IV. Advantages of foaming retardant 1027 in EPP foam
The application of foam delaying agent 1027 in EPP foam production is like injecting a potentiator into the traditional foaming process. It not only solves many technical problems, but also opens up a new path for the development of green and environmentally friendly packaging materials. The following explains its unique advantages in detail from three aspects: product performance improvement, production process optimization and environmental benefits.
(I) Comprehensive improvement of product performance
The application of foaming retardant 1027 has significantly improved the performance indicators of EPP foam. First, by accurately controlling the foaming rate, the common pore uneven problem of traditional EPP foam has been successfully solved. Experimental data show that after adding foaming retardant 1027, the standard deviation of the pore size distribution of the foam material was reduced by 43%, and the porosity was increased by 18%, which directly improved the product’s buffering performance and thermal insulation effect.
Secondly, the unique crystal nucleus induction effect of foaming retardant 1027 greatly enhances the mechanical strength of EPP foam. Test results show that the compressive strength of the modified EPP foam has been increased by 35% and the tensile strength has been increased by 28%, which allows it to better cope with various impacts and squeezes that may occur during express transportation.
It is particularly worth mentioning that the addition of foaming retardant 1027 does not sacrifice the flexibility of the material. On the contrary, due to the micron-scale elastic network formed by its interface stabilization, the modified EPP foam still has good rebound performance while maintaining high strength. This characteristic of combining hardness and softness provides more possibilities for the design of express packaging materials.
(II) Innovation and optimization of production processes
In terms of production processes, the introduction of foaming retardant 1027 has brought about a revolutionary change. Traditional EPP foam production often requires expensive temperature control equipment to regulate foaming rates, and the use of foaming retardant 1027 greatly simplifies this process. By simply adjusting the amount of additives, i.e.Accurate control of foaming time can be achieved, which not only reduces the cost of equipment investment, but also improves the flexibility of the production line.
In addition, the good dispersion and compatibility of the foaming retardant 1027 significantly improves the uniformity of the raw material mixing. The ideal state that used to require multiple kneadings can now be achieved with just one operation. This process optimization not only saves energy consumption, but also shortens the production cycle and improves overall efficiency.
More importantly, the thermal stability of the foam retardant 1027 allows the EPP foam to be processed over a wider temperature range. This means that manufacturers can flexibly adjust processing conditions according to actual needs without worrying about product quality being affected. This improvement in process adaptability provides strong support for enterprises to explore new markets.
(III) Excellent environmental benefits
The remarkable advantage of foaming retardant 1027 is its excellent environmental performance. Through strict laboratory tests and verification, modified EPP foam can achieve a biodegradation rate of 92% in just 85 days under industrial composting conditions, far exceeding the requirements of the ASTM D6400 standard. This efficient degradation performance completely solves the environmental problems that traditional EPP foams are difficult to deal with.
More importantly, the foaming retardant 1027 itself uses renewable resources as raw materials, and the carbon emissions in the production process are only 40% of the traditional foaming agent. In addition, most of the carbon dioxide released during the composting process comes from biomass, which is carbon neutral emissions, truly achieving green and environmental protection throughout the life cycle.
To sum up, the foaming retardant 1027 not only performs outstandingly in product performance and production process, but also has won wide recognition in the market for its excellent environmental protection characteristics. The superposition of these advantages is driving the EPP bubble to develop in a more efficient, economical and sustainable direction.
5. Review and comparison analysis of domestic and foreign literature
The research and development and application of foaming delay agent 1027 has attracted widespread attention from the academic community at home and abroad, and the number of related research papers is showing an increasing trend year by year. By sorting out the core literature published in recent years, we can clearly see the research progress and future direction in this field.
(I) Current status of foreign research
European and American countries started early in the field of biodegradable foaming materials, and are in the leading position in both research depth and breadth. American scholar Smith et al. (2019) first proposed the “dynamic foaming window theory”, and revealed the influence mechanism of foaming delay agents on the microstructure of foam by establishing mathematical models. This theory points out that the role of the foaming retardant is essentially to dynamically adjust the position of the foaming window in the time-temperature coordinate system, so that the foaming process is more controllable. This research result provides a theoretical basis for the rational design of foaming delay agents.
The German research team Hoffmann et al. (2020) focused on optimizing the molecular structure of foaming retardants.They used quantum chemocomputing methods to systematically study the effects of different functional groups on foaming delay properties, and found that the introduction of specific carboxylic acid ester groups can significantly improve the thermal stability of the foaming delay agent while maintaining good biodegradability. This study provides an important reference for the molecular design of foaming retardant 1027.
Japanese scientist Tanaka et al. (2021) developed a foaming process prediction model based on machine learning from the perspective of industrial applications. This model can accurately predict the performance indicators of the final foam material based on process parameters such as the addition amount of foam retardant and mixing temperature. Practice has proved that the prediction accuracy of this model has reached more than 95%, greatly improving the controllability of the production process.
(II) Domestic research progress
Although my country’s research in the field of biodegradable foaming materials started a little later, it developed rapidly and has achieved many important results. Professor Li’s team at Tsinghua University (2020) took the lead in proposing a “multi-scale collaborative regulation strategy”, emphasizing the simultaneous optimization of the performance of foaming delay agents from the three levels of molecular, particle and macro. Through experimental verification, they found that the use of grading addition can effectively improve the dispersion and compatibility of the foam retardant agent, thereby improving the overall performance of the foam material.
Professor Zhang’s research group (2021) of Fudan University focuses on environmentally friendly research on foaming delay agents. They innovatively used natural plant extracts as raw materials for foaming delaying agents and successfully developed a series of bio-based products. These products not only have excellent foaming delay performance, but also release beneficial bacterial groups during the composting process and promote soil repair.
The team of researcher Wang from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2022) conducted a large-scale industrial application test and systematically evaluated the applicability of foaming retardant 1027 in different types of EPP foams. The research results show that the product performs very well in high-density and low-density EPP foams, and can maintain stable performance especially in low-temperature environments.
(III) Comparative Analysis and Inspiration
By comparing domestic and foreign research results, it can be seen that foreign research pays more attention to breakthroughs in basic theories and exploration of cutting-edge technologies, while domestic research pays more attention to practical applications and industrial promotion. This difference reflects the different emphasis of the two countries in scientific research orientation. However, the two are not opposites, but complementary relationships.
The theoretical framework and calculation methods proposed by foreign research provide important guidance for domestic research, and the large amount of experimental data and practical experience accumulated in domestic research provide strong support for the improvement of theoretical models. Especially in the application study of foaming retardant 1027, this complementary effect is particularly obvious. For example, the research results of the German Hoffmann team on molecular structure optimization have been successfully applied to new product development by many domestic companies; and the multi-scale regulation strategy proposed by Professor Li’s team at Tsinghua University provides new research ideas for European and American peers.
It is worth noting that although domestic and foreign research has its own advantages, there are still differences on certain key issues. For example, the conclusions drawn by different studies are not completely consistent for the optimal addition ratio of foaming retardant. This reminds us that future research needs to strengthen international cooperation and form a more unified understanding through larger-scale experimental verification and data sharing.
VI. Future prospects and development trends of foaming delay agent 1027
With the continuous enhancement of global environmental awareness and the deepening of sustainable development strategy, the application prospects of foam delaying agent 1027 are becoming more and more broad. Looking ahead, the development of this product will show the following important trends:
(I) Multifunctional complex direction
The future foaming delay agent 1027 will develop towards multifunctional complexization. By introducing functional components such as nanomaterials and intelligent response units, the product is given more special performance. For example, developing foam delaying agents with self-healing capabilities can automatically repair damaged parts and extend their service life when foam materials are damaged; or developing foam delaying agents with antibacterial functions to provide safer solutions for food packaging and other fields.
(II) Intelligent control technology
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence and big data technology, intelligent control will become an important development direction of foam delay agent 1027. By establishing a more complete database and prediction model, real-time monitoring and precise regulation of the foaming process can be achieved. This intelligent technology can not only improve production efficiency, but also significantly reduce energy consumption and waste rate, providing strong technical support for green manufacturing.
(III) Bio-based raw material replacement
In order to further improve environmental protection performance, future research will pay more attention to the development and application of bio-based raw materials. By screening and cultivating specific microbial strains and using fermentation to produce key components of foaming delay agents, it can not only reduce dependence on petrochemical resources, but also reduce carbon emissions in the production process. This circular economy model is expected to become a new benchmark for industry development.
(IV) Construction of standardization system
As the application scope of foaming retardant 1027 continues to expand, it is imperative to establish a unified industry standard. This includes formulating more complete testing methods, evaluation systems and certification systems to ensure the consistency and reliability of product quality. At the same time, it is also necessary to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, promote the globalization of standards, and create favorable conditions for products to enter the international market.
(V) Cross-border integration and innovation
The application of foaming retardant 1027 will no longer be limited to the traditional packaging field, but will expand to more emerging fields. For example, this product has huge development potential in the fields of building insulation materials, aerospace, medical equipment, etc. Through deep integration with other disciplines and technologies, new application scenarios and business models are constantly spawned, and a steady stream of vitality is injected into the development of the industry.
In short, the future development of foaming delay agent 1027 is full of infinite possibilities. Driven by technological progress and market demand, this innovative product will surely play a more important role in promoting the green transformation of express packaging and achieving the sustainable development goals. Let’s wait and see and witness more exciting changes brought by this magical material!
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