Characteristics of developed flexible polyurethane foams reinforced with coconut coir fibres and recycled tyres
Flexible Polyurethane (PU) foam is generally used in seat cushions of automotive seating for comfort and supporting the occupants. However, due to the demand for more comfortable compartment; seat cushions are now designed for better riding comfort and acoustic absorption which linked to the d...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/1892/1/24p%20CHAN%20WEN%20SHAN.pdf http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/1892/2/CHAN%20WEN%20SHAN%20COPYRIGHT%20DECLARATION.pdf http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/1892/3/CHAN%20WEN%20SHAN%20WATERMARK.pdf |
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| Summary: | Flexible Polyurethane (PU) foam is generally used in seat cushions of automotive
seating for comfort and supporting the occupants. However, due to the demand for
more comfortable compartment; seat cushions are now designed for better riding
comfort and acoustic absorption which linked to the damping of foam. Incorporated
treated coir fibres (F) and tyre particles (P) into polymeric material had improved the
damping and strength of the material. In this research, flexible PU foams were
reinforced with two fillers for the purpose of higher damping property and improve
the mechanical strength. Five samples with 2.5wt% of filler loading were developed.
The damping of samples was measured on sound absorption and vibration
transmissibility test that generated at 1mm, 1.5mm, 0.1g, and 0.15g base excitation
while their mechanical properties were examined through compression, tear
resistance, and compression set. The morphology of samples was also observed by
SEM in this research. The results showed that the foam composites produced have
smaller cell size, in which the smallest was 840µm compared to 1290µm obtained in
pure PU foam. The mechanical properties revealed that the strength of flexible PU
foam increased with added treated coir fibres and recycled tyres. The best properties
were shown in PU+2.5wt%(50F50P) which increased by 10.78% on the compressive
modulus, 9.33% on the compressive strength, 14.49% on the static energy absorption,
and 3.76% on the tear strength compared to pure PU foam. The sound absorption
and vibration damping of the developed foams showed that more energy were
absorbed and dissipated by these foams after fillers added. The PU+2.5wt%(80P20F)
and PU+2.5wt%F presented an excellent sound absorption characteristics at 20mm
and 40mm thickness, respectively, whereas PU+2.5wt%P, PU+2.5wt%(80P20F), and
PU+2.5wt%(80F20P) showed higher vibration damping from the transmissibility test. |
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