Evaluation of Airflow Test Methods and their Influence on Performance of Polyurethane Foams

摘要

The airflow of polyurethane foams is an important characteristic as it is intimately linked to many physical characteristics of foams: such as porosity, fatigue characteristics, resilience and thermal insulation. The airflow value is associated with porosity of the samples that depends on the ratio of open vs. closed cells of the foam. Thus, determination of airflow characteristics is significant for the evaluation of flexible foams and rigid foams as they are affected by the nature of their cellular structure. In this project, a comparison between airflow data from BASF portable airflow test apparatus, the modified Frazier~(TM) airflow tester and the ASTM D 3574 method were accomplished. Furthermore, the effects of hardness, density and other mechanical properties on airflow are evaluated within various flexible foam samples. This enables a better understanding of the relationship between cellular structure and mechanical properties of the foam sample.