Mechanical properties of marine polymer foams in the arctic environment

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to characterize the mechanical behavior of Divinycell H100 and HCP 30 foams operating in the Arctic, where winter temperatures fall below −50 °C. It was found that the modulus and yield strength of both foams increased as the temperature decreased from 23 to −60 °C. The increase in the compression and shear modulus could be as high as 100%. While foam yield strengths increased as the temperature cooled, no significant increase in their tensile and shear strengths were found. Instead, the foams experienced a substantial reduction in ductility and toughness as the temperature cooled. Ductility and toughness of both foams were 3–5 times lower at −60 °C compared to 23 °C. Izod impact tests indicated that the ductile-to-brittle transition temperatures of Divinycell H100 and HCP30 foams were −50 and −60 °C, respectively. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) testing revealed thatβrelaxation transition temperatures, which are associated with nil ductility, existed at −66 and −74 °C, for the Divinycell H100 and HCP 30 foams, respectively.