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Have you heard about PET foam sheets and boards? Yes, that’s right; the same material used in PET plastic bottles are potential eco-friendly alternatives to wood, aluminum, copper, concrete materials, and other non-sustainable materials like polystyrene, PU foams, etc. But what exactly is PET foam? PET foam is a lightweight, rigid foam based on its primary polymeric material, polyethylene-teraphatlate (PET). These are the same polymers found in most of our plastic bottles today. Generally, PET foam boards and sheets are manufactured usually closed-cell type, which attributes to high density and aspect ratios, thus owing to its remarkable mechanical properties. As known for their excellent strength, durability, and easy workability, they became a popular commodity material to meet indoor and outdoor applications.
PET resins are heated and mixed with additives such as foaming agents, stabilizers, fillers, etc., to make the raw material of PET foam. This material is cooled and then extruded using heat, foaming agent, friction, and shear to form foam. After entering the mold, the material is adjusted, and sheet edges are cut and sawn to form PET foam boards. The used additives and manufacturing process significantly affect the end product's quality and performance. At APM, we commit to the sustainability and highest quality of the end product and its performance. All the required raw materials are locally sourced, and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and production facility ensures the highest standard and sustainability. The PET resins we use to manufacture the PET foam boards and sheets come from recycled plastic bottles- this is our commitment and contribution to the circular economy.
There are hundreds of commercial applications of various PET foam sheets and boards. Sandwich composite panel manufacturing is one of PET foam’s most common applications, used for thermal and noise insulation and even water-proofing panels, roofing, ceilings, and windows for private houses, commercial buildings, and industrial building construction. In addition to that, they can also be self-extinguishing or fire-retardant, which ensures safety and standard. Other important applications of PET foam boards in laminated structures, which are commonly found in automotive roofing, doors, ceiling panels, partitions, sidewalls, and seat bottoms for vehicles such as cars, buses, trucks, trains, yachts, and cruise ships. Due to its excellent durability, PET foam boards are also used to manufacture indoor and outdoor furniture, such as tables, benches, chairs, walk-in closets, drawers, etc. Various grade PET foam materials are also used in marine applications such as hulls, decking, interior superstructures, etc. Moreover, it is also used for wind turbine construction, specifically its rotor blades and nacelles. Other notable applications of PET foam boards and sheets are covers, containers, local reinforcements, and even consumer articles such as sporting goods, including surf and ski boards, to name a few. And the list goes on and on!
What kind of processing techniques are employed to turn our PET foam boards into useful items? Well, these include:
Lamination is a way to make a composite system that improves stability, appearance, and strength by sandwiching PET foam board and sheet. It can be done manually with adhesive bonding (hand lamination) or by spraying resin (spray-up) and chopped fiber using a handgun. Our PET foam board is a great candidate for this because of its great compatibility with other resins, initiating a full sandwich panel construction commonly used for noise, thermal insulation, and even fire-retardant panels, ceilings, and roofing.
Because of the excellent thermoplastic properties of our PET foam board, they can be easily manipulated and shaped by heating and pressure, and this technique is called thermoforming. The sheet is then stretched across, pressed under pressure, and cooled to maintain shape.
This processing is another way to make a structural composite panel to improve the core material’s mechanical and thermal properties. Pre-preg is a term for composite materials that are “pre-impregnated” with resins and then hardened. This pre-impregnation can be done via heat, solvent, or resin filming.
PET foam boards offer many advantages compared to their substitutes like wood, aluminum, concrete polystyrene, and PU foam. They have superior mechanical properties, such as exceptional strength and excellent durability, and are lightweight. They are widely known for their thermal stability and insulation, thus used as insulation panels. In case of fire, no toxic chemicals are produced, so it is safe for your health and the environment. Ultimately, they are halogen-free! They are robust materials known for outdoor applications because of their excellent corrosion, weather, UV, and chemical resistance properties.
Moreover, unlike wood and other metallic and nonmetallic substitutes, they have a super low water absorption rate, do not rot, mold, or mildew, and are very easy to install and operate. Due to their easy workability and compatibility, they can be painted, laminated, or coated with thermoset resins and adhesives. Our material can handle high temperatures up to 150 (302 ). They can be used as a replacement for aluminum honeycomb and other non-sustainable foams. Moreover, they are eco-friendly and 100% recyclable.
At APM, we have a large selection of high-quality PET foam boards and sheets exclusively manufactured in the USA and Italy. Our raw materials and additives are sourced locally; therefore, we guarantee ultimate quality. Our products are 100% recyclable and reusable. Our PET foam boards and sheets are produced from recycled plastic bottles, and we do not use any toxic additives or blowing agents, which is our strong commitment to sustainability.
We are strongly committed to the absolute quality and performance of our PET foam and sheet materials. Our materials processing is guaranteed 100% sustainable (raw materials from recycled plastic bottles), modern, and state-of-the-art in alignment with international regulatory compliance certifications, including ISO, EPD, and REACH compliant. We offer super competitive pricing and other benefits over other suppliers, including replacement of material supply at no extra cost, free shipping on qualified order volume, on-time delivery to meet target demand, and free technical support and consultancy. Moreover, we offer custom production and processing based on your manufacturing needs. Our products are exclusively manufactured in the USA and Italy, with our raw materials and additive sourced locally. We commit to our responsibility to sustainable manufacturing with no toxic chemicals used in our products or released during the lifecycle, which can be harmful to other human and living organisms, and we continue to reduce our CO2 and carbon emissions in the process.
For sample requests, product TDS, and any other info, get in touch via our website, email, or phone.
Jay Mondal (CEO/CTO), PhD
Email: jay@advancedmaterialsus.com
Phone: +1 929 476 3870
