Novel Composite Planks Made of Shape Memory Polyurethane Foaming Material with Two-Step Foaming Process

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Composite Materials

Background:

• Shape memory polyurethane (SMP) is a versatile material with potential for protective applications.
• Developing advanced composite structures is crucial for improving material performance.
• Integrating functional components like carbon fiber can enhance protective properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate novel sandwich-structured composite planks using SMP and carbon fiber woven fabrics.
• To investigate the protection performances, including puncture resistance, buffer absorption, and electromagnetic wave shielding effectiveness.
• To explore the potential of SMP composites as protective materials with diverse functionalities.

Main Methods:

• A two-step foaming method was employed to create sandwich-structured composite planks.
• The composite planks consist of PU foam layers with an interlayer of carbon fiber woven fabric.
• PU foam was reinforced with carbon staple fibers and incorporated with an aluminized PET film for enhanced properties.

Main Results:

• The developed composite planks demonstrated excellent buffer absorption capabilities.
• High puncture resistance was achieved with the novel composite structure.
• Effective electromagnetic wave shielding effectiveness was observed in the proposed materials.
• The two-step foaming process proved simple, efficient, and adaptable to required compositions.

Conclusions:

• The proposed SMP composite planks offer a novel structural composition for protective applications.
• The materials exhibit superior buffer absorption, puncture resistance, and electromagnetic wave shielding.
• The incorporation of conductive materials broadens the functional diversity of SMP composites.
• These findings highlight the potential of SMP composites as advanced protective materials.