Flexible Polyurethane Foams Reinforced With Recycled Waste Tire Material

• Published in: Polymer engineering and science
• Main Authors: Nezili, Y., El Aboudi, I., He, D., Mdarhri, A., Brosseau, C., Zaghrioui, M., Mougin, K., Vaulot, C., Bai, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 09.08.2025
• ISSN: 0032-3888; 1548-2634
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.70081

We explore the use of ground tire rubber (GTR) powder obtained through water jet pulverization (WJP), referred to as WJP‐GTR, and reveal that its structural parameters play a significant role in controlling the reinforcing properties of flexible polyurethane (PU) foams. Specifically, to improve interfacial adhesion with the PU matrix, we consider chemically treated WJP‐GTR particles either with NaOH (WJP‐GTR NaOH ), KMnO 4 (), or H 2 O 2 (). A series of PU/WJP‐GTR composite foams with varying filler contents (5–20 wt.%) are fabricated via the free‐rising foam method. Here, we explore the influence of the content and chemical treatment of the WJP‐GTR on the mechanical, thermal, and acoustic properties of PU/WJP‐GTR composite foams. Compression tests indicate that significantly enhances the overall stiffness and ultimate compressive strength of the sample containing 15 wt.% WJP‐GTR. Analysis of the acoustic characterization reveals that WJP‐GTR NaOH foams exhibit the highest sound absorption, with a peak acoustic activity of 0.46 at 15 wt.% filler content and enhanced absorption in the low‐frequency range. These findings demonstrate the potential of chemically treated WJP‐GTR as a sustainable reinforcement for flexible PU foams, offering tunable mechanical and acoustic properties suitable for automotive, construction, and aerospace applications.