TPU Foam Composite Laminate for Lightweight Impact Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing impact-resistant materials, such as those made from thermosetting plastics or rigid foams, lack effective impact resistance and are not environmentally friendly, while sustainable alternatives do not adequately address impact resistance or resilience.
Innovation Solution
A thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) foam is produced through a foaming process using a dicarboxyphenyl polyester structural unit, which reduces impact force by up to 99% and is recyclable, with a density ranging from 0.15 to 1.10 g/cm³ and cell sizes from 1 to 100 μm, suitable for impact-resistant layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional hard materials (metals, rigid plastics) are used for grips and protective equipment, then impact resistance is improved, but vibration transmission to the user increases causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes foam material with a porous cellular structure to create the protective layer. The porous structure allows the material to compress and expand during impact, absorbing vibration energy while maintaining impact resistance. This resolves the contradiction by providing both protection and vibration damping through the inherent properties of porous foam structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite protective layer by combining foam material with fabric layers (woven or knitted). This composite structure integrates the impact absorption capabilities of the foam with the structural integrity and vibration damping properties of the fabric, achieving both high impact resistance and reduced vibration transmission to the user.
2Strength
If thermosetting materials are used for protective layers, then impact protection is achieved, but recyclability is lost as the material cannot be reshaped after curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thermoplastic foam material instead of thermosetting material. Thermoplastic materials can change their physical state with temperature - becoming soft and moldable when heated, and firm when cooled. This allows the protective layer to be reshaped and recycled multiple times, maintaining both impact protection and adaptability for different applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective layer is designed with dynamic properties through the use of thermoplastic foam that can transition between different states. The material can be heated to become pliable for reshaping into different protective equipment configurations, then cooled to maintain the new shape, enabling repeated recycling and adaptation to various uses.
3Strength
If dense solid materials are used for impact protection, then impact resistance is improved, but the weight of the protective equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses foam material with a porous cellular structure that provides high strength-to-weight ratio. The air-filled cells provide impact absorption capability while maintaining low density, allowing the protective equipment to be lightweight yet effective at resisting impact forces.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using solid dense materials to resist impact, the patent inverts the approach by using a cellular foam structure where the air-filled voids provide cushioning. The impact force is absorbed through compression of the cellular structure rather than rigid resistance, achieving protection with minimal weight.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The TPU foam effectively cushions external forces, reducing impact by 20-99% and is suitable for various protective products, achieving impact resistance levels up to EN1621-1: 2012 for motorcyclists' protective clothing.
Implementation Method 1
the TPU foam effectively cushions external forces, providing superior impact resistance
Implementation Method 2
featuring a density range of 0.15-1.10 g/cm3 and closed cell morphology
Implementation Method 3
industries, such as footwear, sports protection, instrument protection and medical protection, hope to develop protective products which can effectively dissipate vibrations
Implementation Method 4
allowing for flexible molding and re-shaping at body temperature
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a thermoplastic polyurethane foam and an impact resistant composite laminate. The thermoplastic polyurethane comprises a structural unit represented by Formula (I):wherein each R independently is an alkylene group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms or —CH2CH2OCH2CH2— or —CH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH2CH2—; n is a number from 2 to 13; and the structural unit has a Mn ranging from 700 g/mole to 2500 g/mole. The impact resistant composite laminate comprises a base layer and a first impact resistant layer formed by the thermoplastic polyurethane foam, and the first impact resistant layer overlaps the base layer.