Flexible Polyurethane Foams Filled with Coconut Coir Fibres and Recycled Tyre - Part II: Compression and Energy Absorption

Abstract

The mechanical properties of flexible PU foams filled with coconut coir fibres and recycled tyre were investigated. The densities of foam composites are slightly increase as 2.5 wt% filler loading to foams. Among all, the highest density value is 54.048 kg/m3as compared with pure foam which is 52.69kg/m3. In compression test, the compressive response of foam composites was presented in three different regions which are elastic, plateau, and densification. The compressive results show the foams filled with 2.5wt% (50F50P) offered the greatest properties. It shows an increment of 10.784% for compressive modulus whereas an increment of 9.329% for compressive strength as compared with pure PU foam. This result may attribute to its varying cellular structure. The compressive results also indicated that there was no any contribution from tyre particles to the foam’s compressive properties unless it is added as the composition described above. Nevertheless, the results of energy analysis show added fillers can enhanced the foam’s energy absorption characteristic. The energy absorbability is found increased on composite which having good compressive properties as well as having cellular structure of possess smaller cell size.