Optimization of LDPE/UHMWPE Blend Foaming Process by Experimental Design Overall Evaluation Criteria (OEC) Method

Cellular materials are two-phase materials in which a gas is dispersed in a continuous solid phase [1]. Researchers have investigated the effect of foaming parameters such as crosslinkingagent and blowing agent contents and foaming temperature and time on the microstructure, mechanical properties and thermalconductivity of different foams [2]. This study has focused on crosslinked low density polyethylene/ultra high molecular weightpolyethylene (LDPE/UHMWPE) blend foams prepared by compression moulding process. The optimization of Taguchi experimental design objective function was carried out to find theoptimum conditions. Since the optimum conditions for each individual response (density, cell size, cell density, compressivestrength and thermal conductivity) may differ, an overall evaluation criteria (OEC) was defined according to Taguchi method, to obtain the best conditions at which all responses are close to their optimum values