Preparation, structure, and properties of flexible polyurethane foams filled with fumed silica

Eco-conscious upcycling of sugarcane bagasse into flexible polyurethane foam for mechanical & acoustic relevance

This study explores the use of sugarcane bagasse (SCB), a byproduct of sugarcane processing, as a bio-filler in the production of flexible polyurethane foam (FPU), focusing on its benefits for both the environment and the economy. By varying the inclusion of SCB waste from 1 to 6 wt%, the research aims to enhance the FPU's mechanical and acoustic characteristics. Techniques such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were utilized to analyze the chemical structure and surface characteristics of both SCB and the FPU/SCB composites. Additionally, tests on gel fraction, density, and mechanical properties were conducted. The results indicate that adding 4 wt% SCB to FPU considerably improved the foam's properties. This modification resulted in a 148.63% increase in apparent density, a 228.47% rise in compressive strength, and a 116.24% boost in tensile strength. Furthermore, sound absorption across various frequency ranges was enhanced compared to the control foam. Additionally, the findings show that SCB effectively shifts sound absorption characteristics to lower frequencies. Specifically, at a low frequency of 500 Hz, the sound absorption coefficient increased to 0.4 with a foam thickness of 20 mm. This demonstrates that SCB can significantly improve FPU's performance, making it an attractive option for applications requiring noise mitigation, such as in the automotive and construction industries, thereby offering a sustainable solution to waste management and materials innovation.

New Composite Materials Made from Rigid/Flexible Polyurethane Foams with Fir Sawdust: Acoustic and Thermal Behavior

The aim of this work is to obtain new materials with improved sound absorbing and thermal properties, using rigid or flexible polyurethane foam reinforced with recycled fir sawdust from wood processing as well as by optimizing their mixing ratio. In this respect, we prepared and characterized samples by mixing rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF)/flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF) with 0, 35, 40, 45, and 50 wt% fir sawdust (FS) with grains size larger than 2 mm. The samples were evaluated by cell morphology analysis, sound absorption, and thermal insulation performance. The obtained composite materials containing 50% sawdust have superior acoustic properties compared to those with 100% FPUF in the range of 420-1250 Hz. The addition of 35% and 50% FS in the FPUF matrix led to improved thermal insulation properties and decreased thermal insulation properties in the case of RPUF. The results show that the use of FS-based composites with the FPUF/RPUF matrix for sound absorption and thermal insulation applications is a desirable choice and could be applied as an alternative to conventional synthetic fiber-based materials and as a recycling method of waste wood.

Examining the influence of functionalized POSS on the structure and bioactivity of flexible polyurethane foams

This work reports for the first time on a new class of flexible polyurethane foam hybrids (PUFs) synthesized with the use of less toxic aliphatic hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), which have been chemically modified by POSS moieties. The flexible polyurethane foam hybrids (PUFs) chemically modified by functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes: octa(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyldimethylsiloxy)POSS (OCTA-POSS) and 1,2-propanediolizo-butylPOSS (PHI-POSS), was obtained. The resulting foams, which contain 0 to 15 wt % POSS, were characterized in terms of their structure, morphology, density and compressive strength. The FT-IR results indicate the chemical incorporation of both OCTAPOSS and PHIPOSS into the polyurethane matrix. SEM-EDS analysis showed that both OCTAPOSS and PHIPOSS nanoparticles are distributed homogeneously in the foam structure; at 15 wt % load PHIPOSS characteristic "crosses" are formed. With the increase of PHIPOSS content in the matrix, the formation of agglomerates is observed, as revealed by WAXD spectra. The introduction of POSS compounds reduces the porosity of the polyurethane, with the number of pores increasing as the amount of modifier increases. Mechanical tests - compressive strength - show that the hardness of modified materials (5 wt % POSS) increases compared to the reference material. An incubation was carried out in a simulated physiological fluid (SBF) to pre-assess the bioactivity of the materials obtained. The obtained results confirmed the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer on the PUF-POSS surface. Cytotoxicity, cell cycle and apoptosis of osteoblast cells and fibroblasts were assessed in the presence of the PUF-POSS materials. Test materials have a cytotoxic effect on both established cell lines. PUF-PHIPOSS samples showed better biocompatibility than reference and PUF-OCTAPOSS samples, as they caused lower mortality of the examined cells.

Preparation of Polyurethane Flexible Foam Nanocomposites by Incorporation of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Modified by Reaction Product of GPTS and APTS

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic flexible polyurethane foam (PUF) nanocomposites is reported. In order to improving dispersion and preventing aggregation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the polymer matrix, this material was modified by synthesized dipodal silane (ECA), the reaction product of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) and γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTS). The chemical structure of synthesized ECA was identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1HNMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), respectively. Magnetic flexible polyurethane foam nanocomposites prepared by the incorporation of ECA-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles and characterized by their apparent density, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), magnetic properties analysis (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and FT-IR spectra, respectively. The TEM and SEM images indicated that the nanoparticles were dispersed homogeneously in PUF matrix. Finally, it was confirmed that the thermal and magnetic properties of magnetic PUF nanocomposite depend on the amount of magnetic nanoparticles.

Nanomaterials in PU Foam for Enhanced Sound Absorption at Low Frequency Region

Lot of research is going on to develop materials suitable for absorbing sound and reducing noise. By virtue of their superior vibration damping capability and attractive characteristics such as visco elasticity, simple processing and commercial availability, polyurethane foams are extensively applied not only in automotive seats but also in various acoustical parts. However, the sound absorption coefficient of polyurethane foams is high (0.8 1.0) in high frequencies in the range 300 to 10000Hz while it is found to be low (0 to 0.5) at low frequencies (10 to 200 Hz). In this study new polyurethane based porous composites were synthesized by in situ foam rising polymerization of polyol and diisocyanate in the presence of fillers such as nanosilica (NS) and nanoclay (NC). The effect of these fillers at various concentrations up to 2% was studied for sound absorption characteristics in the frequency range 100-200Hz. Sound absorption coefficient was determined using standing wave impedance tube method. The sound absorption coefficient of filled PU foams increases from 0.5 to 0.8 with frequency increase from 100 to 200 Hz at higher content of the nanofillers employed. This research work is further extended to study the sound absorption capacity of unfilled PU foam with varying thickness and also hybrid foams with woven glass (GFC) and polyester cloth (PEC). The unfilled foam with 60mm of thickness gives sound absorption value same as that of 15mm of filled foam. Further enhanced absorption value is achieved with PU/NS-GFC hybrid. The results obtained are explained based on the porosity of composite structure and foam cell size.Key words Polyurethane foam, sound absorption coefficient, nanosilica, nanoclay, low frequency sound.