Use Of Polyurethane Foam Research Articles

Performance of the polyurethane foam injection technique for road maintenance applications

Road infrastructure plays an important role in strengthening transportation and driving the economic advancement of countries. However, the increasing traffic volume has accelerated road deterioration, particularly at critical points like bridge-road junctions. Traditional repair methods involving demolition and reconstruction lead to extended closures and high costs. This study explores the polyurethane (PU) foam injection technique as an alternative solution, which can reduce both repair time and costs. The research evaluates the application of PU foam in various road projects across Thailand, highlighting its ability to repair pavement surfaces and structures, even in severely damaged areas. Despite its advantages, the use of PU foam faces challenges due to a lack of standardized quality control. This paper proposes a set of working guidelines for PU foam injection, aimed at key stakeholders such as the Department of Highways, the Department of Rural Roads, and the Department of Local Administration. The findings underline the importance of establishing standardized methods to ensure the long-term effectiveness of PU foam in road maintenance. Future research should focus on refining these guidelines for diverse road conditions to support the sustainable development of national transportation infrastructure.

Polyrethane Foams Combined with Vaseline Prevents 1st Degree Pressure Injuries in Neurosurgical Surgery Patients: Literature Review

Introduction: In the world of healthcare, the prevention of pressure injuries in neurosurgical patients in the operating room is an important aspect to prevent serious complications, such as infection and impaired circulation. Grade 1 pressure injuries, although often considered minor, can have a serious impact on patients' recovery and quality of life. Therefore, effective prevention strategies are urgently needed. Objective: This literature review aims to evaluate the use of Polyurethane Foams combined with Vaseline as a method of preventing 1st degree pressure injuries in neurosurgical patients in the operating room. Methods: The method of writing this literature review article uses a narrative review approach. The data used is secondary data obtained from several databases such as Google Schoolar, PubMed, Science Direct, and Research Gate. The literature search in the preparation of the article uses a period of publication years ranging from 2016 to 2024. Results: Preliminary results show that this combination can significantly reduce the risk of 1st degree pressure injuries. Conclusion: Polyurethane Foams and Vaseline were selected based on their specific properties which were considered to support healing and provide protection. The Munro Scale measurement tool was used as a reference for interventions carried out in moderate and high-risk patients.

Fire resistance of gypsum drywall partitions with polyurethane foam filling

AbstractGypsum drywall systems have gained their popularity, among other reasons, due to the excellent fire‐resistant properties. The use of different variants of the structures filled with insulating material (most often mineral wool) makes it possible to shape the parameters of fire resistance according to the requirements. The use of polyurethane foam for filling spaces inside drywall systems has become increasingly popular. This is especially applicable to the performance of thermal insulation of wooden roof slopes. The advantages of polyurethane foams over mineral wool include good adhesion to the substrate, lower specific weight, lower thermal conductivity and shorter time to make a tight filling layer. Its undoubted disadvantage is lower fire resistance. The paper presents a research on the fire resistance of gypsum drywall systems with self‐extinguishing polyurethane foam filling. The fire resistance time of the structures was measured in accordance with EN1363‐1 using a standard temperature‐time curve. The tests simulated a fire on the outside of a service shaft with a layer of polyurethane foam on its interior side, and a fire in an attic room with self‐extinguishing polyurethane foam thermal insulation between wooden rafters, and an interior enclosure made of two layers of gypsum board on a steel frame. The tests made it possible to determine the times of meeting the fire resistance criteria of partitions with polyurethane filling.

Comparative analysis of thermal performance for precast panel systems with conventional and innovative insulation materials

ABSTRACT Precast facades are one of the most popular technology solutions featuring high-quality implementation and installation. They consist of three layers, both the external and internal layers are concrete composite, where the core is a thermal insulation material. This study explores the thermal performance improvement of these locally manufactured panels and evaluates their effectiveness in supporting building sustainability and energy saving. The study is performed experimentally. Leca and Addipor aggregates were used as a replacement of mix aggregate to produce lightweight heat-insulating concrete. Compressive strength equals 15MPa were taken for both Leca and Addipor replacement ratio. The study simulates several sections of precast concrete panels using ANSYS. Proposed concrete models with traditional and innovative thermal insulation materials, which are Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPS), Extruded Polystyrene Foam (XPS), Rigid polyurethane foam (PU) and Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs), were analyzed. In addition, a virtual room space was simulated thermally using the previous sections to perform thermal simulations, as rate of heat transfer and amount of energy savings. The use of polyurethane foam (PU) as a new thermal insulation material and vacuum insulation panels (VIP) as an innovative thermal insulation material helps to reduce energy consumption by a rate of 143% and 700% of conventional insulation materials (EPS), respectively. It achieves internal thermal comfort and supports building sustainability.

Experimental study on the availability of polyurethane foam used as compressible layers in subsea tunnels

AbstractThe yielding support comprising a compressive layer is considered as a solution to the time‐dependent damage of the lining in squeezing tunnels. The feasibility of the use of polyurethane foam (PUF) as the compressible layers in subsea tunnels was investigated in this study. Confined compression tests were conducted to investigate the compression performance degradation of PUF immersed in artificial seawater for 400 days. The yield strength and elastic modulus of PUF decreased within 180 days but then increased to over 80% of their initial values within the subsequent following 220 days, the degradation rate and strengthening rate of these parameters are of the same order of magnitude. The degradation rate of the yield strength and elastic modulus can be significantly inhibited by ions in artificial seawater, thus causing samples immersed in low‐salt‐concentration solutions to exhibit worse compression performance than those of samples immersed in a high‐salt‐concentration solution. The stress at the end of the yielding plateau and yielding plateau strain range were slightly affected by hydrolysis aging. The shape of the yielding plateau stage of the aged samples changed from a horizontal line to an inclined line owing to the variation in the yield strength. Even after immersion for 400 days, all the aged samples still exhibited compression failure and neither crumbled into pieces nor fractured into parts. The strengthening effect, unchanged failure mode, and almost constant yielding plateau strain range guarantee the safe utilization of PUF in marine environments.

Polyurethane Foam as a Novel Material for Ochratoxin A Removal in Tea and Herbal Infusions-A Quantitative Approach.

A novel solid-phase extraction methodology followed by UHPLC-MS/MS has been developed for Ochratoxin A (OTA) analysis in herbal infusions. For this purpose, a commercial polyurethane foam (PUF) was used as sorbent, and the experimental conditions were fully optimized. The strategy was satisfactory for reducing the matrix effect and allowed for OTA quantification in black tea and herbal infusions, with suitable recoveries and quantitation limits in agreement with those required by the maximum levels allowed by current regulations. The achieved results demonstrated the unprecedented use of polyurethane foam as an effective alternative for OTA retention and quantification in herbal infusions with the advantages of simple preparation, time saving, sustainability, and low cost for routine analysis.

Effect of thermal aging on the crashworthiness of foam-filled CFRP composite tubes under lateral compression

Through the design process of automotive composite structures, the designer needs to meet the mechanical characteristics and consider the sensitivity of the design to the environmental factors, which control its safety and feasibility. The current experimental study presents the effect of thermal aging on the crashworthiness of carbon/epoxy composite tubes under lateral crushing. Tubes were subjected to thermal aging at 70 and 100 °C for 14 days. Both empty and foam-filled tubes were studied. In addition, foam specimens were compressed under the same conditions to understand the behavior of the foam-filled tubes. The outcomes demonstrated that the addition of the foam improved the load carrying capacity and energy absorption. The matrix's thermal degradation and debonding were the primary factors in the reduction of crashworthiness. For the foam-filled composites, the reduction in the crashworthiness is lower because of having the foam inside the tube. The average crushing force increases by 14% and 29% for the specimens exposed to 70 and 100 °C for 14 days, respectively, which result in higher energy absorption. The improvement in the foam-filled structures by aging is governed by the higher strength and energy absorbed of the foam after thermal exposure, which supports the use of polyurethane foam as a filler in energy absorption devices.

A Comparative Investigation of the Impact of Two Different Charcoal Stove Configurations on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Particulate Matter Emissions

Due to dwindling income occasioned by inflation, vast numbers of Nigerians have reverted to charcoal stoves to meet or supplement their domestic energy need. Two brands of charcoal stoves (local and modernized) presently in use in Nigeria were investigated for their contributions to indoor level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The two stoves were loaded with equal quantity of wood charcoals and allowed to burn for 2-hours a day in separate rooms of equal sizes. Passive sampling involving the use of polyurethane foam (PUF) disks was adopted and the PUF disks were withdrawn after 3 and 7 days for laboratory analysis. Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) analytical procedures were used for the determination of the PAHs concentrated on the PUF disks. The total PAH concentrations after 3 days were 1.74 μg/m3 and 0.61 μg/m3 for local and modern charcoal stoves respectively while their corresponding total concentrations after 7 days were 2.91 μg/m3 and 2.01 μg/m3. The modern charcoal stove showed better performances over the two durations. However, the total PAHs concentrations from both stoves exceeded the ambient air recommended limits. Giving the carcinogenic tendencies of some of the PAHs, the study concluded that none of the two stoves is safe for indoor application.

Pressure Injury Risk Assessment and the Use of Intraoperative Polyurethane Foams to Prevent the Pressure Injuries

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing surgery are at risk of developing pressure sores up to 72 h after surgery. The incidence of pressure injury can affect patient outcomes and quality of care. Pressure injuries have many risk factors and causes. The Munro Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale for Perioperative Patients was used to assess risk factors for developing a pressure injury. One of the interventions to prevent pressure injuries during and after surgery is polyurethane foams. AIM: The study aimed to describe the risk of pre-operative pressure injury, the use of intraoperative polyurethane foams, and the incidence of post-operative pressure injury in a private hospital in western Indonesia. METHODS: A cross-sectional quantitative descriptive study was conducted among 81 patients undergoing surgery using purposive sampling. The pre-operative risk assessment was conducted with the Munro scale for the pre-operative phase. The use of polyurethane foams during surgery and pressure injury incidence was observed. RESULTS: The results showed that 62 (76.5%) respondents were at moderate risk for pressure injury. 42 (51.9%) respondents used polyurethane foams in the intraoperative phase. Based on observation 72 h postoperatively, there was no pressure injury incidence. CONCLUSION: Pressure injuries can be prevented by identifying risk factors before the surgery. Nurses and surgeons need to be aware of the risk of pressure ulcers in the pre-, inter-, and post-operative phases. The use of polyurethane foams during surgery can be considered an intervention to prevent pressure injury.

Consideraciones físicas y geométricas acerca del crecimiento de Pichia pastoris en tiras de espuma de poliuretano

This work introduces the use of polyurethane foam (PUF) slabs for solid-substrate fermentation. Attention is paid to the distribution and properties of the liquid broth within the slabs in relation to the growth parameters of Pichia pastoris. The experimental setup was made of thin slabs supported horizontally by screens within cylindrical chambers. This way, water loss due to compression or gravity drain was minimal and exposure to tangential air flow was maximal. The highest biomass was Xmax = 39.5±3.3 gL-1 with (So) of 150 gL-1 of glucose. Biomass yield, Yx/s followed the correlation, Yx/s = 0.525-0.0018S0 (R2 = 0.996), and the growth rate m = 0.24 h-1/(S0/34.6). The respiratory quotient, RQ, followed a biphasic pattern with a maximal RQ » 1 when S0 = 50 gL-1. PUF micrographs showed that liquid was not retained when the integrity of the polyurethane network was disrupted at cutting edges of the slabs with an approximate depth of 0.025 cm, but the fraction of disrupted PUF would be small for wide slabs and h = 0.7 cm. The use of horizontal PUF slabs with thickness of 0.7 cm seems to be a practical way to upscale solid state fermentation (SSF) since a squared meter of this material could produce 83 g of yeast.

Experimental and Analytical Investigation for Reduction in Cost of Polyurethane Waste Disposal at Adani Hazira Port Pvt. Ltd.

Abstract: Adani hazira Port handles all types of cargo including bulk, break-bulk, bulk liquid chemicals, petroleum products & edible oil, containers, automotive and crude. project includes to investigation and estimation of reduction in cost of pig foam by experimental data collection and analysis of the pig foam for manufacturing of foam squeezing machine. and study the property of same.Adani is facing issue of more use of polyurethane foam, high disposal cost of polyurethane, higher time of reutilization. pipeline clearance is done with pigging operation. work plan is to Reduction in cost of foam pig utilization per annum, reduction in cost of polyurethane foam disposal. Keyword: 1. Project Management , 2. Waste Management, 3. Pipeline management , 4. Mechanical Engineering.

A stepwise separation process for selective recovery of gallium from hydrochloric acid leach liquor of coal fly ash

The interest in gallium (Ga) recovery from coal fly ash has been driven by its rapidly growing demand for manufacturing and its extraction can facilitate the effective use of coal fly ash, which is conducive to reducing the soil degradation and environment danger. In this study, polyurethane foam (PUF) as an adsorbent for Ga(III) recovery was found to exhibit a good structural stability and a high selectivity in a strongly acidic solution. Adsorption measurements show that PUF has a good adsorption ability and its maximum adsorption capacity is 62.53 mg/g. Furthermore, its adsorption behavior can be described well by the pseudo-second-order model. The concentrations of Cl(I) played the key role in the adsorption. Meanwhile, the co-existed Fe(III) in the coal fly ash hydrochloric acid leach liquor (CFAHL) exhibits significant interference to the selective adsorption of Ga(III). Therefore, a stepwise process involving Fe(III) removal and Ga(III) adsorption is proposed for the recovery Ga from CFAHL. At an equilibrium pH of 0, the Fe(III) in the CFAHL can be removed by 1 mol/L P507. Then, the Ga(III) can be quantitatively adsorbed from the CFAHL using PUF with limited co-adsorption of Al(III), Mg(II), and Ca(II). The adsorption capacity of Ga(III) remains steady after PUF is used for more than 10 cycles. Based on the results of IR, XPS and DFT, it is speculated that the Ga(III) is probably coordinated in the form of GaCl3 with the donor O atoms of the urethane group (NHCOO) on the PUF surface. The overall results demonstrate the potential use of PUF for Ga recovery from acidic solutions.

The Effect of Core Shape on the Bending Response of Sandwich Panels with Filled and Unfilled Sine and Square Corrugated Cores

This paper aims to construct a lightweight and durable structure with different designs and construction methods using materials with low-weight characteristics and appropriate strength. In this regard, sandwich panels were made in filled and unfilled sine and square corrugated core, and for comparison of some mechanical behaviors of made specimens with each other, three-point bending tests were performed. Obtained results indicated that the use of polyurethane foam will significantly increase the energy absorption of the structure and extend the life of the structure. The amounts of absorbed energy of the foam-filled samples are 2 and 2.5 times of the foam-free ones for sine and square corrugated cores, respectively. Finally, a numerical analysis based on finite element solution using ABAQUS software by applying the properties of the samples was performed.

Design and calculation of the internal roof drain system structure in terms of thermal protection and moisture condensation

A field survey of roof structures of several administrative buildings in the temperate climatic zone showed the presence of condensate in the zone of the internal drain. The fact of overmoistening of the roof structure raises doubts about the operability of the roof aerators installed on these coatings, designed to remove condensate from the roof layers. The inefficiency of using roof aerators can be explained by the process of condensed moisture freezing in the structure during the cold season thus cannot be removed by aeration. Two types of structures of the internal roof drain system used in construction from the point of view of condensate formation are revealed. The difference between the types is the degree of water vapor permeability of the junction layer between the pipe and the coating plate. An impermeable solution can be made by mounting a steel flange at the junction of the pipe and the coating plate. The vapor-permeable solution is made in the form of a simple sealing of the gap with polyurethane foam or other permeable materials. A calculated analysis of the temperature fields and the humidity conditions of the two types of internal roof drain structures showed that the use of polyurethane foam or its analogs in the gap is not enough to protect the roof structure from condensation. This solution leads to condensation inside the structure at positive outside temperatures (less than 2 °C). The design with steel flange at the junction of the pipe and the coating plate is free from these drawbacks and can be used at lower outdoor temperatures.

The Use of Polyurethane Foam (PUF) Passive Air Samplers in Exposure Studies to PAHs in Swedish Seafarers

The aim of this study was to test the usefulness of polyurethane foam (PUF) passive air samplers as stationary, and, for the first time, as personal samplers for one week’s sampling period of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in occupational air. Routine monitoring of workplace exposure is commonly performed with active sampling. However, active samplers can sometimes be unsuitable; e.g., it is difficult to make time-integrated measurements, longer than one day, and they can be noisy and obstructive. Indoor air quality on ships is an important aspect of the environment which has not been studied extensively on ships. For seafarers, good indoor air quality becomes particularly important as the ship represents both a working and living environment. In this study, measurements were carried out on two occasions on two different ships, at different workplaces, and for various personnel categories. On each ship, measurements were performed before and after a change of the type of fuel that the ships were operating on. We found a considerable wide range of PAHs exposure levels for the various workplaces and personnel categories on the ships. The stationary measurements, sum 32 PAHs, ranged from 33-39,000 ng m−3 and the personal exposure measurements ranged from 61-8,400 ng m−3. The results point to that the content of PAHs in the fuel can affect the indoor air environment on the entire ship. Further, the results demonstrate that the PUF sampler can serve as a simple and usable screening tool for estimating and tracking point sources of PAHs in micro-environments. Moreover, this study contributes to increased knowledge of exposure to and sources of PAHs for seafarers.

Improving the Mechanical Behavior of a Helicopter Tail Rotor Blade Through the Use of Polyurethane Foams

The tail rotor blade represents a very important component in the structure of any helicopter, being subjected to many aerodynamic loads. The integrity of this component is essential for maintaining flight safety and improving its characteristics can increase the overall performance of the helicopter. Thus, in some cases, some improvements can be made to the structure, in order to reduce the weight of the component and to improve its mechanical properties and its reliability in flight. The current paper presents a comparative result analysis in the study of the tail rotor blade of the IAR 330 helicopter, where the honeycomb hexagonal core made of aluminum alloy is replaced with a full structural core made of polyurethane foam. The result of the analysis is of practical importance, because it shows the benefits of using polymers in the construction of helicopter rotor blades and similar structures.

Improving the Mechanical Behavior of a Helicopter Tail Rotor Blade Through the Use of Polyurethane Foams

The tail rotor blade represents a very important component in the structure of any helicopter, being subjected to many aerodynamic loads. The integrity of this component is essential for maintaining flight safety and improving its characteristics can increase the overall performance of the helicopter. Thus, in some cases, some improvements can be made to the structure, in order to reduce the weight of the component and to improve its mechanical properties and its reliability in flight. The current paper presents a comparative result analysis in the study of the tail rotor blade of the IAR 330 helicopter, where the honeycomb hexagonal core made of aluminum alloy is replaced with a full structural core made of polyurethane foam. The result of the analysis is of practical importance, because it shows the benefits of using polymers in the construction of helicopter rotor blades and similar structures. Keywords: helicopter tail rotor blade, honeycomb structure, polymers, polyurethane foam, finite element method

Experimental Study on Dynamics of Wooden House Wall Panels with Different Thermal Isolation

Wood frame buildings are very popular in regions that are exposed to different dynamic excitations including earthquakes. Therefore, their seismic resistance is really important in order to prevent structural damages and human losses. The aim of the present paper is to show the results of experimental tests focused on the dynamic response of wall panels of a wooden frame building with thermal isolation made of mineral wool and polyurethane foam. Firstly, the static and the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests were conducted so as to determine the basic thermomechanical properties of the analyzed isolation materials. Then, the elements of the exterior walls with two types of thermal insulation were tested under harmonic excitation for different amplitudes of displacement. The results of the static material tests indicate that the polyurethane foam behaves in a highly nonlinear way both during compression and tension. Moreover, the results of the DMA tests show that the storage and loss modulus of the polyurethane foam are significantly larger in relation to the values obtained for the mineral wool. The results of the dynamic tests on wall panels show that the use of polyurethane foam as thermal isolation leads to a substantial increase in stiffness and damping properties, as compared to the case when the mineral wood is used.

Forty-five Years of Foam: A Retrospective on Air Sampling with Polyurethane Foam.

This retrospective article reviews the history of the use of polyurethane foam for air sampling of semi-volatile organic compounds. The article covers the initial development of the technique, its successful application in active air sampling and overviews the breadth of its use. It also reviews the development of polyurethane foam passive air sampling, and its current application in global air sampling networks.

Automatic microfluidic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on CLOCK-controlled autonomous centrifugal microfluidics

This paper reports on the development of an autonomous centrifugal microfluidic device, which automatically executes an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on a steady rotational frequency. The device was designed on the principles of CLOCK (Control of Liquid Operation on Centrifugal hydroKinetics) to achieve autonomous centrifugal microfluidics. These demonstrations confirmed that the device achieves accurate flow control of an automated ELISA with fluctuations of the interval time for implementation of each unit (antigen-antibody reaction, wash and injection of detection substrate) being less than 5%. The most optimal method for the immobilization of primary antibodies was investigated for the developed platform. We compared three methods of antibody immobilization on the developed platform, by using polystyrene microbeads, a polyurethane foam structure, and direct immobilization to the reaction chamber. We chose the use of polyurethane foam as the best immobilization method based on reaction efficiency and the convenient handling of the immobilized antibody on the solid phase. Measurement of human albumin was demonstrated using the developed device, and a calibration curve of human albumin detection was successfully prepared with an overall assay operation time of 18 min. The limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to be 0.516 ng/ml, which is comparable with the LOD of 0.707 ng/ml obtained by the assay on a conventional titer plate assay platform.