Phase Change Foam Blend for Foamed Shoe Dimensional Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The shoe manufacturing process faces challenges in maintaining dimensional stability of semi-finished shoe materials due to external temperature fluctuations, leading to increased energy consumption and inefficiency in multi-stage oven cooling processes.
Innovation Solution
A foam blend incorporating a phase change material with a transition temperature of 45° C.-100° C. is used, which stores thermal energy during foaming and releases it in a controlled aging environment to promote thermal shrinkage, reducing cooling and shrinkage time while saving energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If multi-stage temperature control of the oven is used to control dimensional shrinkage, then dimensional stability of the semi-finished shoe material is improved, but electric energy consumption increases and manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates a phase change material into the foam blend that undergoes phase transition at a specific temperature range (45°C-100°C). During the foaming process, the phase change material absorbs latent heat and stores thermal energy. After mold opening, as the semi-finished product cools down, the phase change material releases the stored thermal energy, maintaining a stable temperature and controlling dimensional shrinkage without requiring multi-stage oven temperature control, thus reducing energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change material acts as an intermediary between the hot foaming process and the cooling environment. It absorbs excess heat during foaming and releases it during cooling, serving as a thermal buffer that stabilizes the temperature of the semi-finished shoe material and controls shrinkage without needing external energy input
2Stability of the object's composition
If multi-stage temperature control of the oven is used to control dimensional shrinkage, then dimensional stability of the semi-finished shoe material is improved, but the overall efficiency of the shoe manufacturing process cannot be improved
Solution Approach 1:
The phase change material enables the semi-finished shoe material to self-regulate its temperature and control its own dimensional shrinkage. The material autonomously absorbs and releases thermal energy based on temperature changes, eliminating the need for complex external temperature control systems and lengthy processing times, thus improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining dimensional stability
3Stability of the object's composition
If the semi-finished shoe material is placed in an oven for cooling and shrinkage, then dimensional stability is improved, but the cooling and shrinkage time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The phase change material is pre-incorporated into the foam blend before molding. During the foaming process, it pre-absorbs thermal energy, storing it for later use. This preliminary action ensures that when cooling is needed, the material already has the thermal buffer required for controlled shrinkage, eliminating the need for prolonged oven cooling cycles
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method stabilizes the dimensional stability of foamed shoe bodies, shortens cooling and shrinkage time, and reduces energy consumption by utilizing the phase change material's latent heat absorption and release properties.
Implementation Method 1
a phase change material is added in an amount of no more than 15 phr based on the total content of the thermoplastic material to mix with the thermoplastic material, wherein the transition temperature of the phase change material is 45° C.-100° C.
Implementation Method 2
the phase change material stores thermal energy during the foaming process. After the mold opening, the phase change material releases the stored thermal energy to maintain the semi-finished product of the foamed shoe body at a certain temperature, increases the thermal shrinkage efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a foam blend incorporating a phase change material for foaming and making a foamed shoe body, comprising a thermoplastic material, a blowing agent, a crosslinking agent and a phase change material; the phase change material is added in an amount based on the total content of the thermoplastic material, and is mixed with the thermoplastic material in an amount of no more than 15 phr, wherein the transition temperature of the phase change material is 45° C.-100° C. Another embodiment provides a method for making a foamed shoe body from a foam blend, comprising the steps of filling the foam blend into a mold for heating and foaming to form a semi-finished product of the foamed shoe body, and placing the semi-finished product of the foamed shoe body in an aging environment for shrinking and molding into a finished product of the foamed shoe body. The method thus can shorten the time of cooling and shrinkage of the foamed shoe body and save energy consumption in the manufacturing process.