Unique Failure Patterns of High Strength PU Composites under Flexural Loadings

In this talk, we will introduce a facile and field-implementable flexible polyurethane (PU) foam sorting strategy - rebound resilience - to (i) facilitate depolymerization of post-consumer-use flexible polyurethane (PU) foams and (ii) inform their upcycling into high-strength composites. In addition to being a sorting strategy, the rebound resilience will be presented as a quantitative test to inform the development and optimization of depolymerization processes tailored to diverse foam types. Additionally, upcycling of depolymerized PU foam products into high-strength and lightweight composites with exceptional mechanical properties will be discussed. Covalent linkages between the inorganic and the organic phases in these composites will be posited to result in the high strength of these composites, comparable to Portland cement, and their distinct failure patterns under flexural loads. This sorting and upcycling approach will be argued to enable easier classification of polyols for chemical recycling, followed by their depolymerization and upcycling into higher-value products for structural and functional applications.