Exploring the Multifunctional Applications of Surface-Coated Polymeric Foams─A Review

Abstract

Polymeric foams are porous, lightweight, and low-cost materials. Traditionally, polymeric foams have been used in home appliances, automotive, construction, transportation, and aerospace. However, the modern advancements and the materials demand have fostered the expansion of the application realm of these foams to other technological areas encompassing energy storage devices and Li-ion batteries, piezoresistive sensors, biomedical scaffolds, oil−water separation and water remediation etc., through coating. The sustainable technological solutions of these low-cost foams have now been realized through mutual attributes of their properties (high surface area, open-cell, low density, and flexibility), the availability of numerous advanced materials (e.g., carbon nanotubes, graphenes and metal oxide nanoparticles), and versatile and innovative coating methods. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in coating techniques of various polymeric foams by surface treatments and their applications. The surface modification of widely used and the most studied thermoset foams, namely, flexible polyurethane, melamine formaldehyde foams, thermoplastic foams such as polypropylene and ethylene vinylene acetate, and polystyrene foams are considered with special emphasis on open-cell foams. Further, hydrophobic coatings which have a large implication in environment cleanup and oil adsorption are highlighted. The use of a wide spectrum of nanoparticles, polymers, and organic compounds as coating materials is investigated. How the inherent properties such as hydrophobicity, adsorption capability, electrical and thermal conductivities, fire retardancy, electromagnetic interference shielding, and biocompatibility of the foam are influenced through modification is explicitly discussed. The methods which have used the modified foam as a support for catalysis and electrodes in Li-ion batteries are also deliberated. The properties of these coated substrates have been found to rely on the coating material, efficacy of the coating method, and the surface properties. Lastly, practical challenges of these foams in large scale use and future prospects in environment cleanup and energy storage have been envisioned.

Sprayable Superhydrophobic Polydopamine-Modified Oleic Acid/Nanoscale SiO2Composites for Insulator Protective Coatings

“…The mixture was rapidly stirred for 6 h at 70 °C with a magnetic stirrer. After that, the solution was filtered, and the residue (0.10–0.50 g) was combined with ethanol (50 mL) for 10 min under ultrasonication and then further homogenized for 10 min with a high-speed homogenizer . The product obtained was a milky white oleic acid/nano-SiO 2 composite spray.…”

Recent Advancements in Flame-Retardant Polyurethane Foams: A Review

“…Furthermore, a few of these advantages of PU foams are difficult to surpass by the foams based on other polymers, such as PS and PVC, which are also generally applied in commodity and technological applications. The applications of PU foams include adsorption, water purification, piezoresistive pressure sensors, templates for ceramic foam catalysts, soft body armors, tissue engineering scaffolds, self-healing materials, EMI shielding, and porous electrodes, to name a few. , Despite the ubiquitous applications of PU foams, the high flammability and rapid fire-spread tendency of PU foams is a serious concern and several efforts have been made to impart flame retardancy to PU foams. The significance of PU foams and FR-PU foams can be seen from the large number of journal publications over the past decade on these materials (see Figure ).…”

A Review On The Role Of LbL Technique In Post Modification Of Polymeric Sponges

“…Son zamanlarda, yağı emip suyu itebilen hidrofobik ve oleofilik karakterdeki polimerik köpüklerin geliştirilmesi vasıtasıyla yüksek verimli ayırma yaklaşımları önerilmektedir. Birbirine bağlı açık gözenekli yapılarıyla ilişkili olarak, yağ veya suya karşı olağanüstü afinitelerinden dolayı (veya itmeden dolayı) fonksiyonel yüzeyler ve gözenekli yapılarıyla bazı polimerik sorbentler yağ veya çözücü temizliğinde, ağır metal iyonlarını sudan uzaklaştırmada ve gümüş/bakır gibi nanopartiküller ekleyerek bakterisit su filtreleri geliştirmek gibi uygulama alanlarında kullanılmaktadır (Barroso-Solares vd., 2018; Sakhadeo & Patro, 2022;Suethao vd., 2020).…”