SYNTACTIC FOAM

Syntactic composites are materials created by mixing a solid with minute spheres of glass, ceramic, or polymer.  When the spheres are hollow, the materials are considered syntactic foams. Derived from the Greek word syntaktikos, the word syntactic means to arrange together.

The key ingredient of syntactic foam is the microsphere, or microballoon.  Commercially produced microballoons range in size from 10 to 300 microns in diameter with a wall thickness of approximately one micron.  While ordinary foams are visibly porous, syntactic foams can have cells so small that the material looks like a homogeneous solid. 

The resins used to bind the microballoons in syntactic foams are dependent upon the end use of the foam.  Epoxy resins are typically used for manned and unmanned submersibles, and for deep submergence applications.  Some epoxy grades are resistant to hydraulic fluids and to diesel fuels. Tertiary butyl styrene resin is used for ultrasonic transducer and mine neutralization applications, due to zero magnetic and acoustic signatures.

The syntactic foam materials described above are considered high performance syntactic foams.  These high performance foams are available in densities ranging from approximately 24 lbs/ft³, to over 40 lbs/ft³.

Mica-Tron Products Corp. routinely machines all grades of high performance syntactic foams producing components that range in size, anywhere from small ¼” diameter buttons to large assemblies requiring the bonding of multiple blocks of material.

Mica-Tron Products Corp. has the capability of CNC milling, CNC turning, and CNC grinding of syntactic foams into close tolerance, complex geometry components.  Our milling and turning machines are fully equipped and connected to our central dust collection system.  Our grinding machines use a water-based coolant specifically formulated for grinding glass-based materials, and the coolant does not contain dyes because dyes could alter the acoustic/electrical properties of the syntactic foams.

Mica-Tron Products Corp. stocks and machines all grades of Trelleborg Offshore Syntactic foams.

The following is a partial list of Trelleborg Offshore Syntactic Foams in stock, including Eccofloat® and Syntac® grades:

Eccofloat® TG Series: TG-24A, TG-24AE, TG-28
Eccofloat® EL Series: EL-30A, EL-34A, EL-36A
Eccofloat® DS Series: DS-33, DS-38
Syntac® Series: Syntac 350, MK-48

Applications:

Eccofloat® and Syntac® are tradenames of Trelleborg Offshore