Physical and mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane foams modified with polystyrene beads

This study presents a method of obtaining porous materials based on the rigid polyurethane foam (RPURF) as the matrix and containing thermoplastic polystyrene beads (EPS) as the fillers. In RPURF-EPS composites, the compact EPS were expanded after heating above a glass transition temperature of the EPS and gas vapouring incorporated inside the EPS, by using heat of exothermic reaction of polyol with isocyanate. The thermal conductivity, compressive strength, core density and cell structure of the new materials were investigated.