Polymer Foams Used in Sport and the Health Service

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Polymer foams used in sport and the health service

Awarded to: Nigel Mills and Adam Gilchrist

Institution: University of Birmingham

Funded in: 2002

Students need to understand the design of foam products, and where particular polymer foam types are appropriate. Nigel Mills and Adam Gilchrist have used Teaching Development Grant funding to develop a website that provides interactive case studies, which complement lectures, and can be used for student group activities. The areas covered are:-

1. Flexible foams, that cushion falls (onto sport crash mats, etc). The mechanics of compression and indentation of open-cell polyurethane (PU) foams are explained; these concepts are needed in the third case study. Mat thickness and foam density determine the resistance to indentation. There is interactive computation of the mat thickness to cushion the fall of a spherical ball. Experimental drops, of golf balls or eggs onto PU foam mats, are linked to videos from high-speed photography and Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
2. Closed-cell polystyrene and polypropylene foams for packaging. Packaging is designed to absorb a certain level of impact energy safely. The shape of ribs on mouldings affects the compression force. The latest research is used in an interactive calculation of the force vs deflection curve.
3. Foam cushions for wheelchairs. Sustained high pressures can lead to the formation of pressure sores. Several materials can be used to distribute the patient's weight evenly across the seat. Open cell foams are compared with polymer gels in flexible bags, and rubber bladders with connected air-chambers. There is a link to an international design competition for low cost seating for the disabled.

Each area contains background information, videos, design programmes, laboratory experiments, links to other web sites, and interactive tests. Videos from high speed photography, or from FEA computation, illustrate the complex geometry changes. The understanding of foam mechanics, and structure (density, polymer, open or closed cells) - property relationships of foams, are tested. Simple experiments can be performed to validate the materials design process.

The website is novel as it allows students to design products, using interactive programs downloaded to their computer. The interdisciplinary nature of materials science is emphasised. There are more undergraduates on Sport/Materials and Biomedical Materials Science degrees than on the Metallurgy and Materials degree at Birmingham University, and the situation is comparable elsewhere. The website has been trialled with undergraduates on the Biomaterials course, but Nigel and Adam are keen to gather more feedback from other lecturers so that they can continue to develop and improve the site..

For further details about the project, please Contact the Centre.