Standardized Assessment of Compressive Behavior in Rigid Polyurethane Foams: Influence of Density, Crosslinking, and Aging

Rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs) are essential materials in structural applications due to their thermal insulation, lightweight properties, and mechanical strength. However, evaluating and comparing their compressive performance is complicated by differences in formulation parameters such as density, aging, and crosslink density. This study proposes a standardized normalization approach to evaluate compressive properties across diverse RPUF formulations by adjusting all data to a common reference density. Samples were subjected to controlled aging conditions and analyzed using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) to investigate the relationship between crosslinking behavior and mechanical performance. The results demonstrate that aging, formulation composition, and isocyanate index significantly influence the foam’s compressive strength and modulus, as well as its thermal transitions. The proposed method enables a more reliable and efficient comparison of RPUF performance, offering practical implications for optimizing formulation design in construction, automotive, and aerospace applications where mechanical integrity and durability are critical.