High-Strength Rigid Foam: SunForce™

Features of Rigid Foam SunForce™

SunForce™ is a rigid bead foam made mainly from modified polyphenylene ether (m-PPE) resin, which is a type of engineering plastic. Thanks to its engineering plastic origin, it boasts superior mechanical properties and high strength. Leveraging these characteristics, Sunforce™ offers a lineup with low expansion ratios ranging from 3.5 to 15 times.

General-purpose foamed plastics like expanded polystyrene (EPS) and expanded polypropylene (EPP), which have high expansion ratios, are widely used for cushioning materials in home appliances and precision equipment, as well as for insulation panels, due to their lightness and thermal insulation properties. In contrast,SunForce™’s relatively low expansion ratio (3 to 15 times) rigid bead foam is used in applications that require not only lightness but also greater rigidity, dimensional accuracy, and repeated durability, such as automotive materials where energy absorption is needed.

Comparison: Rigid Foam SunForce™ vs. Expanded Polypropylene (EPP)

Compared to expanded polypropylene (EPP), SunForce™  has more than twice the compressive strength at the same expansion ratio. When designing materials for equivalent compressive strength, Sunforce™ can achieve lower density, enabling lighter designs with the same shape.

SunForce™ excels not only in compressive strength but also in bending strength and modulus of elasticity, contributing to thinner and smaller designs compared to conventional shapes. Additionally, its small bead size makes it well-suited for creating intricate shapes.

Heat Resistance of Rigid Foam SunForce™

SunForce™ is made from engineering plastic materials with high heat resistance, making it highly durable under heat.

Application Examples of Rigid Foam SunForce™

Leveraging its strength,SunForce™ is used in fixed-wing drone bodies. Fixed-wing drones are used for tasks such as surveying and infrastructure inspection, flying at high speeds in the sky.

In the air, the drone body is subjected to significant drag due to air resistance, so the material must be lightweight and strong, and also able to withstand temperature increases from direct sunlight. SunForce™ is resistant to extreme heat and rain, making it an optimal material for drone bodies.

Other examples of SunForce™’s consideration and adoption are available. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

About the Author