In order to gain a better understanding of the “hardness” of flexible polyurethane foams, it is necessary to take the knowledge of local compression characteristics of this materials, for the reason that the foams are compressed locally with the palm of the panel's hand in subjective handling. In the present report, the local compression tests within the range of elastic limits were carried out and on the basis of the above experimental results, the relations between local compression characteristics related to “hardness” and compressive modulus are discussed.
The results obtained are as follows:
1) When the boundary plane surface of foam was compressed locally by force of
P with the cylindric indenter having a radius of
a, the forced-in depth
hz of the indenter can be expressed as,
Where, δ
z is the body constant of foam related to
hz.
2) Relations between local compression characteristics δ
z, the gradient Vp of compressive stress in the first linear part of S-S curves and compressive modulus
Yz are as follows;
Where,
H is the thickness of specimen used for local compression test.
3) As for physical properties correlating closely to the subjective rating
Sh, of “hardness”, 1/δ
z,
Vp at
H/
a=const. and
Yz are equivalents.
4) Flexible polyurethane foams are transversely isotropic, but as for
hz, it's permissible to treat them isotropic.
5) On the compressibility
kp(=
dV/
dP) defined by K. Mihira et al
7), as the measure of “hardness” of isolated foam substances, the value of its reciprocal number is correlated closely with S
h in flexible polyurethane foam. (
V is the dent volume in local compression)
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