| abstract |
pore initiation technique a technique for initiating pore formation in a polymeric material containing a thermoplastic compound is presented. the thermoplastic compound contains micro-inclusion and nano-inclusion additives dispersed in a continuous phase that includes a matrix polymer. to initiate pore formation, the polymeric material is mechanically stretched (for example, bent, stretched, twisted, etc.) to transmit energy to the continuous phase interface and inclusion additives, which allows the inclusion additives to separate of the interface to create the porous network. the material is also stretched in a solid state, in the sense that it is kept at a temperature below the melting temperature of the matrix polymer. |