Polyurethane Resin

Polyurethane Resin, in its flexible foam form, is characterized by a standardized set of test methods. This page covers those test methods and a documented finding on how the polyol filler system affects performance.

What is it?

In its flexible cellular (foam) form — slab, bonded, or molded — Polyurethane Resin is characterized under ASTM D3574, a set of standardized test methods covering density, indentation force deflection, compression set, tensile strength, and tear resistance.

Why should I use it?

1. Its flexible foam properties are characterized by a single set of standardized test methods — see “What is it?” above.
2. The polyol filler system used in its formulation measurably affects performance — see Limitations.

How it’s used

In Plastics & Polymers, Polyurethane Resin in flexible foam form is characterized using the test methods covered by ASTM D3574.

Limitations — when it isn’t the right choice

• Polyol filler choice is a real, measured performance factor, not an interchangeable formulation detail. A 2021 peer-reviewed study compared flexible polyurethane foams made from polymer polyether polyols filled with polystyrene (PS) versus polystyrene-acrylonitrile (SAN). PS-filled foams showed greater thermal stability and mechanical resistance than commercial alternatives containing SAN. This was documented for two specific filled-polyol systems; it should not be assumed to apply to neat (unfilled) foam or to every commercial polyol formulation.