REFRIGERATOR APPLIANCES AND MULLIONS THEREFOR
Refrigerator appliances and mullions therefor are provided. A mullion includes a body formed from an unfoamed thermopolymer material. The body includes an outer non-porous barrier and an inner porous media, the inner porous media including a matrix and one or more voids defined in the matrix.
1 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber;
a fresh food door rotatably hinged to the cabinet for accessing the fresh food chamber, the door comprising an inner surface, an outer surface and a side surface extending between the inner surface and the outer surface; and
a mullion having a body formed from an unfoamed thermopolymer material, the body comprising an outer non-porous barrier and an inner porous media, the inner porous media comprising a matrix and one or more voids defined in the matrix.
2 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the unfoamed thermopolymer material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
3 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the one or more voids is a plurality of voids, and wherein voids of the plurality of voids are in fluid communication with each other.
4 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the inner porous media is hermetically sealed.
5 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the one or more voids of the porous media have a vacuum pressure level lower than an ambient pressure level outside of mullion.
6 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a non-air fluid within the one or more voids.
7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , wherein the non-air fluid is an inert gas.
8 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the outer non-porous barrier and inner porous media are integral with each other.
9 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body is formed through additive manufacturing.
10 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mullion is connected to the fresh food door.
11 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet further defines a freezer chamber, and further comprising a freezer door connected to the cabinet for accessing the freezer chamber.
12 . A mullion for use in a refrigerator appliance, the mullion comprising:
a body formed from a unfoamed thermopolymer material, the body comprising:
an outer non-porous barrier; and
an inner porous media, the inner porous media comprising a matrix and one or more voids defined in the matrix.
13 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the unfoamed thermopolymer material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.
14 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the one or more voids is a plurality of voids, and wherein voids of the plurality of voids are in fluid communication with each other.
15 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the inner porous media is hermetically sealed.
16 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the one or more voids of the porous media have a vacuum pressure level lower than an ambient pressure level outside of mullion.
17 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the body further comprises a non-air fluid within the one or more voids.
18 . The mullion of claim 17 , wherein the non-air fluid is an inert gas.
19 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the outer non-porous barrier and inner porous media are integral with each other.
20 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the body is formed through additive manufacturing.