Polyurethane foam aging study

Samples of plasticised PVC coatings backed with a thin polyamide fibre cloth used for arm and head rests of trains were analysed after both normal use in service and artificial ageing at 100 C. Two parameters were studied the effects of temperature inside the train and the influence of the polyurethane foam inside the rests. Plasticiser loss due to migration during ageing led to hardening of the... 

Not only are rigid polyurethane insulating foams energy efficient, they are durable as well. Du Pont recently completed an accelerated aging study to determine the length of time that the fluorocarbon remains in the insulation. The study found that one-half of the fluorocarbon remained in a one-inch thick piece of rigid polyurethane insulation after more than 80 years, and the half-life of fluorocarbon in a two-inch slab of polystyrene insulation is estimated at 75 years. 

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