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On the Cover

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Foaming of rubbery polymers with physical foaming agents in confinement using a mold leads to the alteration of surface texture of the polymer foam and influences the development of pore morphology. Joseph Sarver and Erdogan Kiran explore the consequences of confined foaming on rubbery elastomers and review the use of molds in polymer foaming with carbon dioxide. The cover image shows an SEM micrograph of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-carbon monoxide) films foamed between porous metal plates which leads to a foam with ridge-like structure on the surface. DOI:10.1002/app.50698

This cover designed by Muhammad Irfan and colleagues shows how High Performance Polyethylene (HPPE) fibers are relatively tougher than carbon fibers and can be used to improve impact tolerance of carbon epoxy composite laminates. Composite laminates containing carbon fibers suffer from delamination upon impact. An interleave of a tough material like HPPE fibers inserted between these carbon fiber plies can reduce the damage due to impact. HPPE fibers do not undergo brittle fracture, rather ductile fracture is observed along with fibrillation. Nonwoven interleaves comprising HPPE fibers can be used to improve impact properties of carbon-epoxy composite laminates for various applications. DOI:10.1002/app.50683

This cover designed by Muhammad Bilal and colleagues represents the brittle fractured surface of unmodified silica microparticles, which are spherical with sharp boundaries and smooth surfaces, suggesting no chemical interaction between two boundaries. The silica particles seem to be out of their grooves, as there was no chemical interaction between the two phases i.e., organic, and inorganic. Wide gaps between polyimide matrix and silica microparticles expose the weak interfacial interaction between organic-inorganic components. This phase separation and immiscibility in the case of unmodified silica nanoparticles result in the stress amount defect instead of effective strengthening constituents. 10.1002/app.50646

This cover designed by Jingmiao Zhang and colleagues shows four kinds of agricultural waste particles such as (XS: OS/oilseed rape straw, RS/rice straw, WS/wheat straw and CS/corn stover). The image shows how they were used to reinforce agricultural waste liquefied polyol-based polyurethane foam (XSPU). RS particles show great promoting ability and OS particles reveal complex influence, while WS and CS particles display mild effect on the foaming process. With 1% of OS, 6% of RS, 3% of WS or 1% of CS incorporating in matrix materials, the reinforced foams display applicable density, better physical and mechanical property, more uniform cellular structure, higher thermal stability and more excellent water absorption ability. Doi: 10.1002/app.50583

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