POE Foam FR
Flame-retardant grade
also Engage/Infuse POE
FR = halogen-free flame-retardant POE foam
Specify for transport interiors, battery-pack padding and electronics gaskets needing UL 94 V-0 / low smoke.
Values for the FR 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 |
Antistatic / carbon-loaded conductive POE foam | For electronics packaging and cleanroom cushioning where static dissipation is required. | — | 2 | 150 | 45 Shore A |
FRThis page 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 FR?
POE Foam FR is POE Foam in the FR grade — specify for transport interiors, battery-pack padding and electronics gaskets needing UL 94 V-0 / low smoke. POE Foam FR has a tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.232 ksi), weaker than 85% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 130% and the elastic modulus is 0.02 GPa (0.0026 Msi). POE Foam FR has a density of 0.22 g/cm³ (0.0079 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; FR is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Lightweight — 0.22 g/cm³ (0.0079 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 — 2.2%, worse than 87% of polymer grades
- Poor heat conductor — 0.06 W/m·K (0.0347 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 84% of polymer grades
- Low stiffness — 0.02 GPa (0.0026 Msi), worse than 76% of polymer grades
POE Foam FR properties
Typical room-temperature values for POE Foam FR; 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 FR has a density of 0.22 g/cm³ (0.0079 lb/in³), lighter than 85% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -52°C (-62 °F).
Mechanical9
POE Foam FR has a tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.232 ksi), weaker than 85% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 130% and the elastic modulus is 0.02 GPa (0.0026 Msi).
Thermal8
POE Foam FR is rated for continuous service to 75°C (167 °F). It conducts heat at 0.06 W/m·K (0.0347 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 FR has an electrical resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of POE Foam FR 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 FR's machinability is good (55/100, worse than 64% of polymer grades); weldability poor (30/100); formability very good (70/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with POE Foam FR
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 FR — frequently asked
What is POE Foam FR used for?
POE Foam FR 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 FR?
POE Foam FR has a typical tensile strength of 2 MPa (0.232 ksi) — weaker than 85% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is POE Foam FR easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, worse than 64% 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 FR be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (30/100). 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 FR?
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 FR 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 FR?
POE Foam FR is rated for continuous use to about 75°C (167 °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.