• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.495-505
• /
• 2016

This study explores and selects an appropriate material that considers light and soft physical properties as well as activity for impact absorption pads that can be used to develop practical impact protective clothes worn during daily life by the elderly to reduce the impact of falls. Physical properties, impact absorption performance, and compression characteristics were evaluated on 5 types of foam, 2 types of 3D spacer fabric, and 3 types of polymer gel to select a material appropriate for the pad to be inserted into impact protective clothes. The evaluation of the physical properties showed that 3D spacer fabrics had lower density compared to other materials and polymer gels had the highest density. The elongation percentage was higher in foams than 3D spacer fabrics and EPDM foam had the highest elongation percentage. The impact absorption performance of honeycomb polymer gel was better than foams and 3D spacer fabrics. As a result of looking into compression energy and compression characteristics of materials, 'CR foam A' was found to absorb the largest amount of compression energy, 24.1%, among foams and polymer gels. A high energy absorption rate of 50.0% (or above) was indicated by 3D spacer fabrics; however, foams and polymer gels showed a progressive deformation of energy compression / recovery curve with 3D spacer fabrics that showed drastic deformation. Based on characteristics of materials, 'CR foam C' and EPDM with relatively high absorption performance can be used as protective pad materials among foams. Among polymer gels, 2 open-type polymer gels that have relatively low impact protective performance but a relatively lighter weight on human body (compared to closed-type) are considered appropriate protective pad materials.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
• /
• v.18 no.11
• /
• pp.63-68
• /
• 2019

The dimensional quality of flexible foams is often difficult to be evaluated through general machine vision inspection methods due to the free deformation of the outer shape. For the evaluation of the dimensions of flexible foams, methods of estimating the size of the product through the expansion rate of the product surface are evaluated. Specimens with various dimensions and surface gratings are prepared, and the degree of surface expansion is measured through machine vision. The correlation, between the measured surface grid size and the actual size of test specimens, is analyzed. We further analyze the correlation between the size of test specimens and the position of the surface grid. This study provides a basis for estimating the actual dimensions of specimens by measuring the surface expansion of flexible foams.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.19 no.8
• /
• pp.562-570
• /
• 2018

New physical properties of polymer materials were obtained by blending two or three different type of polymers. TPE is used widely in the display, automotive and electronics industries. Consumers have sought emotionally more sensitive and advanced interior automotive parts. A polymer with high foamibility (Ed note: Please check this.) and flowability would be more plausible. TPE composed of foam is a good polymer material to satisfy these trends. In this research, two different TPE were tested, focusing on foamibility and flowability. Two type of TPE were prepared. The first was blended Homo-PP, oil and SEBS. The second was Co-PP, oil and SEBS. The blending temperatures were $180^{\circ}C$, $190^{\circ}C$, and $260^{\circ}C$(second one). The blending speed was 50rpm and blending time was 5 min. The MI of the blended material was affected by the MI of PP and not affected by the blending temperature. The hardness and tensile elasticity were less affected by the MI of PP and blending temperature. The hardness and tensile elasticity were lower at a higher SEBS/Oil content ratio. The soft touch feel was higher with high SEBS/Oil contents. The IPN (Interpenentration polymer network) structure was observed by dissolving the SEBS/Oil layer in xylene. Strain-hardening phenomena also was observed. TPE behaves in a rubber and foamed closed-cell improved its stability.