• Effect of Density Variation on the Morphological Structure, Mechanical Properties, and Sound Absorption Characteristics of Flexible Polyurethane Foams

  • Joohwan Lee and Jung Hyeun Kim†

  • Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02504, Korea

  • 밀도 변화에 따른 연질 폴리우레탄 폼의 모폴로지 구조, 기계적 물성 및 흡음 특성

  • 이주환 · 김정현†

  • 서울시립대학교 화학공학과

  • Reproduction, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form of any part of this publication is permitted only by written permission from the Polymer Society of Korea.

References
  • 1. White, S. W.; Kim, S. K.; Bajaj, A. K.; Davies, P.; Showers, D. K.; Liedtke, P. E. Experimental Techniques and Identification of Nonlinear and Viscoelastic Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foam. Nonlinear Dyn. 2000, 22, 281-313.
  •  
  • 2. Deng, R.; Davies, P.; Bajaj, A. K. Flexible Polyurethane Foam Modelling and Identification of Viscoelastic Parameters for Automotive Seating Applications. J. Sound Vib. 2003, 262, 391-417.
  •  
  • 3. Lee, B. J.; Lee, S. H.; Choi, K. Y.; Kim, S. B. Effect of Change in Water Content and NCO Index on the Static Comfort of Polyurethane Seat Foam Pad for Automobiles. Appl. Chem. Eng. 2017, 28, 57-63.
  •  
  • 4. Choi, H. J.; Kim, J. H. Static and Dynamic Comfort Properties of Polyurethane Foams Including a Flexible Amine Crosslinker. J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 2020, 90, 260-265.
  •  
  • 5. Zhang, X.; Qiu, Y.; Griffin, M. J. Transmission of Vertical Vibration Through a Seat: Effect of Thickness of Foam Cushions at the Seat Pan and the Backrest. Int. J. Ind. Ergon. 2015, 48, 36-45.
  •  
  • 6. Álvarez-Láinez, M.; Rodríguez-Pérez, M. A.; De Saja, J. A. Acoustic Absorption Coefficient of Open-cell Polyolefin-based Foams. Mater. Lett. 2014, 121, 26-30.
  •  
  • 7. Lee, J.; Kim, J. H. Performance Evaluations of Flexible Polyurethane Foams Manufactured with Castor Oil-based Bio-polyol. Polym. Test. 2023, 124, 108069.
  •  
  • 8. Moon, J.; Sinha, T. K.; Kwak, S. B.; Ha, J. U.; Oh, J. S. Study on Seating Comfort of Polyurethane Multilayer Seat Cushions. Int. J. Automot. Technol. 2020, 21, 1089-1095.
  •  
  • 9. Moon, J.; Kwak, S. B.; Lee, J. Y.; Kim, D.; Ha, J. U.; Oh, J. S. Synthesis of Polyurethane Foam from Ultrasonically Decrosslinked Automotive Seat Cushions. Waste Manag. 2019, 85, 557-562.
  •  
  • 10. Scarfato, P.; Di Maio, L.; Incarnato, L. Structure and Physical-mechanical Properties Related to Comfort of Flexible Polyurethane Foams for Mattress and Effects of Artificial Weathering. Compos. B Eng. 2017, 109, 45-52.
  •  
  • 11. Wada, H.; Toyota, Y.; Horie, A.; Sasaki, T.; Suzuki, C.; Fukuda, H. Automotive Seating Foams with Excellent Riding Comfort Prepared by a Novel Polypropylene Glycol. Polym. J. 2008, 40, 842-845.
  •  
  • 12. Choi, H. J.; Kim, J. H. Acoustic Properties of Polyurethane Foams Including Low Molecular Weight Polyol. Polym. Korea 2021, 45, 143-149.
  •  
  • 13. Choe, H.; Kim, J. H. Reactivity of Isophorone Diisocyanate in Fabrications of Polyurethane Foams for Improved Acoustic and Mechanical Properties. J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 2019, 69, 153-160.
  •  
  • 14. Choi, H. J.; Choe, H.; Seo, W. J.; Kim, J. H. Physical Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foams Manufactured by Varying Toluene Diisocyanate Contents. Polym. Korea 2019, 43, 532-539.
  •  
  • 15. Dworakowska, S.; Bogdał, D.; Zaccheria, F.; Ravasio, N. The Role of Catalysis in the Synthesis of Polyurethane Foams Based on Renewable Raw Materials. Catal. Today 2014, 223, 148-156.
  •  
  • 16. Choe, H.; Lee, J. H.; Kim, J. H. Polyurethane Composite Foams Including CaCO₃ Fillers for Enhanced Sound Absorption and Compression Properties. Compos. Sci. Technol. 2020, 194, 108153.
  •  
  • 17. Yun, D.; Kim, J. H. Performance Enhancements of PU Composite Foams Reinforced with Starfish Particles Chemically Treated by Silane Derivatives. Adv. Powder Technol. 2024, 35, 104349.
  •  
  • 18. Choe, H.; Sung, G.; Kim, J. H. Chemical Treatment of Wood Fibers to Enhance the Sound Absorption Coefficient of Flexible Polyurethane Composite Foams. Compos. Sci. Technol. 2018, 156, 19-27.
  •  
  • 19. Choi, H. J.; Kim, J. H. Sound Absorption Improvement of Polyurethane Foam Through Sequential Arrangement of Its Cellular Morphology. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 2022, 39, 1072-1077.
  •  
  • 20. Lee, J.; Chang, J.; Kim, J. H. Comparative Analysis of Static and Dynamic Properties of Polyurethane Foams Fabricated Using Polycarbonate Diol and Isophorone Diisocyanate. Korean J. Chem. Eng. 2025, 42, 3293-3302.
  •  
  • 21. ASTM D3574-17, Standard Test Methods for Flexible Cellular Materials-Slab, Bonded, and Molded Urethane Foams; ASTM International: West Conshohocken, PA, 2017.
  •  
  • 22. Lan, Z.; Daga, R.; Whitehouse, R.; McCarthy, S.; Schmidt, D. Structure-properties Relations in Flexible Polyurethane Foams Containing a Novel Bio-based Crosslinker. Polymer 2014, 55, 2635-2644.
  •  
  • 23. Park, J. H.; Minn, K. S.; Lee, H. R.; Yang, S. H.; Yu, C. B.; Pak, S. Y.; Oh, C. S.; Song, Y. S.; Kang, Y. J.; Youn, J. R. Cell Openness Manipulation of Low Density Polyurethane Foam for Efficient Sound Absorption. J. Sound Vib. 2017, 406, 224-236.
  •  
  • 24. Zhang, C.; Li, J.; Hu, Z.; Zhu, F.; Huang, Y. Correlation Between the Acoustic and Porous Cell Morphology of Polyurethane Foam: Effect of Interconnected Porosity. Mater. Des. 2012, 41, 319-325.
  •  
  • 25. Mills, N. J.; Lyn, G. Modelling of Air Flow in Impacted Polyurethane Foam. Cell. Polym. 2002, 21, 343-368.
  •  
  • 26. Belsare, N.; Nandi, S. Sustainable Polyurethane Foam Formulation with Bio-polyol Blends for Automotive Seating Applications. Ind. Crops Prod. 2025, 226, 120672.
  •  
  • 27. Abdullah, M.; Ramtani, S.; Yagoubi, N. Mechanical Properties of Polyurethane Foam for Potential Application in the Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers. Results Eng. 2023, 19, 101237.
  •  
  • 28. Mills, N. J. Finite Element Models for the Viscoelasticity of Open-cell Polyurethane Foam. Cell. Polym. 2006, 25, 293-316.
  •  
  • 29. Mills, N. J. Polymer Foams Handbook: Engineering and Biomechanics Applications and Design Guide; Elsevier: Oxford, 2007.
  •  
  • 30. Prociak, A.; Malewska, E.; Kurańska, M.; Bąk, S.; Budny, P. Flexible Polyurethane Foams Synthesized with Palm Oil-based Bio-polyols Obtained with the Use of Different Oxirane Ring Opener. Ind. Crops Prod. 2018, 115, 69-77.
  •  
  • 31. Singh, V.; Gopalasamudram, M. N.; Maitra, J. Impact of Ambient and Vacuum Pressure on the Physico Mechanical Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foam Reinforced with CaCO3. Polym. Adv. Technol. 2024, 35, e6313.
  •  
  • 32. Prociak, A.; Malewska, E.; Bąk, S. Influence of Isocyanate Index on Selected Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foams Modified with Various Bio-components. J. Renew. Mater. 2016, 4, 78-85.
  •  
  • 33. Mahasaranon, S.; Horoshenkov, K. V.; Khan, A.; Benkreira, H. The Effect of Continuous Pore Stratification on the Acoustic Absorption in Open Cell Foams. J. Appl. Phys. 2012, 111, 084901.
  •  
  • 34. Ning, J.; Zhao, G.; He, X. Non-acoustical Parameters and Sound Absorption Characteristics of Porous Polyurethane Foams. Phys. Fluids 2019, 31, 032108.
  •  
  • 35. Trinh, V. H.; Nguyen, T. V.; Nguyen, T. H. N.; Nguyen, M. T. Design of Sound Absorbers Based on Open-cell Foams via Microstructure-based Modeling. Arch. Acoust. 2022, 47, 501-512.
  •  
  • 36. Mohammadi, B.; Ershad-Langroudi, A.; Moradi, G.; Safaiyan, A.; Habibi, P. Mechanical and Sound Absorption Properties of Open-cell Polyurethane Foams Modified with Rock Wool Fiber. J. Build. Eng. 2022, 48, 103872.
  •  
  • 37. Cops, M. J.; McDaniel, J. G.; Magliula, E. A.; Bamford, D. J. Analysis of Thermal and Viscous Boundary Layers in Acoustic Absorption by Metallic Foam. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 2019, 146, 649-655.
  •  
  • 38. Cops, M. J.; McDaniel, J. G.; Magliula, E. A.; Bamford, D. J.; Bliefnick, J. Measurement and Analysis of Sound Absorption by a Composite Foam. Appl. Acoust. 2020, 160, 107138.
  •  
  • 39. Sung, G.; Kim, J. S.; Kim, J. H. Sound Absorption Behavior of Flexible Polyurethane Foams Including High Molecular-weight Copolymer Polyol. Polym. Adv. Technol. 2018, 29, 852-859.
  •  
  • Polymer(Korea) 폴리머
  • Frequency : Bimonthly(odd)
    ISSN 2234-8077(Online)
    Abbr. Polym. Korea
  • 2025 Impact Factor : 1.0
  • Indexed in SCIE

This Article

  • 2026; 50(4): 600-606

    Published online Jul 25, 2026

  • 10.7317/pk.2026.50.4.600
  • Received on Apr 1, 2026
  • Revised on Apr 29, 2026
  • Accepted on Apr 29, 2026

Correspondence to

  • Jung Hyeun Kim

  • Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02504, Korea

  • E-mail: jhkimad@uos.ac.kr