POE Foam ESD
Grade
also Engage/Infuse POE
ESD = antistatic / carbon-loaded conductive POE foam
For electronics packaging and cleanroom cushioning where static dissipation is required.
Values for the ESD condition
Other POE Foam grades and fills
POE Foam is listed in 8 conditions; see the grade overview at POE Foam.
Compare all 8 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ultra-low-density supercritical POE foam, 0.08–0.11 g/cm³ | Pick when minimum weight matters (racing midsoles, lightweight padding); softer and less durable. | — | 1 | 200 | 25 Shore A |
Expanded POE bead foam, steam-chest molded | Choose for complex 3-D near-net shapes and the highest energy return (E-TPU-like bead structure) with tunable local density. | — | 2 | 180 | 33 Shore A |
ESDThis page Antistatic / carbon-loaded conductive POE foam | For electronics packaging and cleanroom cushioning where static dissipation is required. | — | 2 | 150 | 45 Shore A |
Halogen-free flame-retardant POE foam | Specify for transport interiors, battery-pack padding and electronics gaskets needing UL 94 V-0 / low smoke. | — | 2 | 130 | 12 Shore D |
SCF-D15Default Supercritical CO₂/N₂ foamed POE, 0.15 g/cm³ | Standard physically-foamed (non-crosslinked) POE midsole/cushion sheet — best balance of resilience, weight and cost. | — | 2 | 220 | 35 Shore A |
Peroxide-crosslinked, chemically blown compression-molded POE foam | Conventional footwear-plant route (same tooling as EVA phylon); better set resistance and heat stability, slightly lower rebound than physical foaming. | — | 2 | 230 | 42 Shore A |
POE/EVA blend foam | Cost-down blend: keeps much of POE's rebound and cold flexibility while improving adhesion, dimensional stability and price. | — | 2 | 260 | 44 Shore A |
High-density supercritical POE foam, 0.20–0.28 g/cm³ | Use where load support, durability and low set matter more than weight (heavy-duty midsoles, industrial padding). | — | 3 | 250 | 48 Shore A |
What is POE Foam ESD?
POE Foam ESD is POE Foam in the ESD grade — for electronics packaging and cleanroom cushioning where static dissipation is required. POE Foam ESD has a tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.218 ksi), weaker than 85% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 150% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (0.002 Msi). POE Foam ESD has a density of 0.2 g/cm³ (0.0072 lb/in³), lighter than 85% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -52°C (-62 °F). SCF-D15 is the default condition FabDigit quotes; ESD is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Lightweight — 0.2 g/cm³ (0.0072 lb/in³), better than 85% of polymer grades
- Low embodied carbon — 3 kg CO₂/kg, better than 83% of polymer grades
Limitations
- High mold shrinkage — 2.4%, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Poor heat conductor — 0.06 W/m·K (0.0335 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 84% of polymer grades
- Low stiffness — 0.01 GPa (0.002 Msi), worse than 77% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 70°C (158 °F), worse than 77% of polymer grades
POE Foam ESD properties
Typical room-temperature values for POE Foam ESD; 22 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are POE Foam reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
POE Foam ESD has a density of 0.2 g/cm³ (0.0072 lb/in³), lighter than 85% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -52°C (-62 °F).
Mechanical9
POE Foam ESD has a tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.218 ksi), weaker than 85% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 150% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (0.002 Msi).
Thermal8
POE Foam ESD is rated for continuous service to 70°C (158 °F). It conducts heat at 0.06 W/m·K (0.0335 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 84% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 200 µm/m·K (111.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
POE Foam ESD has an electrical resistivity of 1,000,000 Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of POE Foam ESD takes about 88 MJ of energy and emits 3 kg of CO₂ — less than 76% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability7
POE Foam ESD's machinability is good (58/100, worse than 55% of polymer grades); weldability fair (45/100); formability very good (75/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with POE Foam ESD
Is POE Foam easy to machine?
Die-cut, water-jet, skive or CNC hot-wire; use sharp steel rule dies and light spray lubricant — routers smear the soft skin and buffing wheels load quickly.
Can POE Foam be welded?
Hot-air/hot-plate and impulse welding work on the skin; the non-polar surface is not RF weldable, so corona, plasma or UV-primer treatment is required before PU/water-based adhesive bonding.
Can POE Foam be formed, bent or molded?
Compression-mold at 160–175 °C then cold-set for XL-POE, steam-chest mold at 110–135 °C for bead foam, or extrude/inject with supercritical CO₂/N₂ (MuCell-type) at 150–200 °C melt; expect 1.5–5 % post-mold shrinkage over 24–48 h and design tooling oversize.
What surface finishes work on POE Foam?
Buff and wash before cementing; water-based PU primer plus corona treatment is standard for sole bonding. Foam takes solvent inks and pad printing poorly — use in-mold color masterbatch or foam-compatible screen inks.
POE Foam chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-octene (comonomer)controls density/crystallinity; 1-butene or 1-hexene used in some grades | 12 – 40 | 25 |
| physical blowing agent (CO₂/N₂)supercritical fluid, largely removed after expansion | 0.5 – 6 | 3 |
| chemical blowing agent (AC/OBSH)crosslinked XL-POE route only | 0 – 5 | 0 |
| peroxide crosslinker (DCP)XL-POE route only | 0 – 1.2 | 0 |
| talc / nucleating agentcell-size control | 0.2 – 2 | 0.8 |
| antioxidant / UV packagephenolic + phosphite, HALS in UV grades | 0.1 – 1 | 0.4 |
| ethylene (repeat unit)metallocene ethylene–α-olefin copolymer backbone | ≥ 60 (balance) | — |
POE Foam ESD — frequently asked
What is POE Foam ESD used for?
POE Foam ESD is typically used for performance running shoe midsoles, sports cushioning inserts, premium packaging cushioning and vibration damping pads. In short: higher rebound than EVA; low-density footwear foam; surface treatment needed for bonding.
What is the tensile strength of POE Foam ESD?
POE Foam ESD has a typical tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.218 ksi) — weaker than 85% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is POE Foam ESD easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (58/100, worse than 55% of polymer grades). Die-cut, water-jet, skive or CNC hot-wire; use sharp steel rule dies and light spray lubricant — routers smear the soft skin and buffing wheels load quickly.
Can POE Foam ESD be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (45/100). Hot-air/hot-plate and impulse welding work on the skin; the non-polar surface is not RF weldable, so corona, plasma or UV-primer treatment is required before PU/water-based adhesive bonding.
What surface finishes work on POE Foam ESD?
Buff and wash before cementing; water-based PU primer plus corona treatment is standard for sole bonding. Foam takes solvent inks and pad printing poorly — use in-mold color masterbatch or foam-compatible screen inks.
Can POE Foam ESD be formed, bent or molded?
Compression-mold at 160–175 °C then cold-set for XL-POE, steam-chest mold at 110–135 °C for bead foam, or extrude/inject with supercritical CO₂/N₂ (MuCell-type) at 150–200 °C melt; expect 1.5–5 % post-mold shrinkage over 24–48 h and design tooling oversize.
What is the maximum service temperature of POE Foam ESD?
POE Foam ESD is rated for continuous use to about 70°C (158 °F), and briefly to 90°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- ASTM D3575 — Flexible Cellular Materials Made from Olefin Polymers — ASTM International (2020)
- ENGAGE / INFUSE Polyolefin Elastomer resin datasheets — Dow (2023)
- Handbook of Polymeric Foams and Foam Technology — Hanser (2004)
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2 — Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector polyolefin elastomer entries — CWFG / UL (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.