MuCell® materials

A MuCell® material is a gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, that is used in conjunction with the thermoplastics material in the Microcellular Injection Molding process.

The gas is heated and pressurized to a supercritical state, which has characteristics similar to a fluid and produces a foaming agent. Once this process has taken place within the barrel, the foaming agent is then injected into the plastic melt. The injection of the tiny uniform cell structure allows molding of thin, light-weight parts that are not brittle. The reduced amount of resin in the parts helps reduce cycle times, and the lower viscosity of the foamed resin also reduces clamp force requirements.

Autodesk Simulation Moldflow provides a MuCell® material properties database from which you can select a gas material for simulating the Microcellular Injection Molding process.