The Thermo-Oxidative Degradation of Polyurethane Open-Cell Soft Foam Investigated Through Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry of Volatile Organic Compounds.

ABSTRACT: Polyurethane (PUR) soft foams release malodorous and potentially toxic compounds when exposed to oxidative conditions. Current chamber test methods cannot distinguish between pre-existing volatiles and those formed during oxidation, nor can they assess the formation rates of oxidation products. We subjected PUR soft foam to oxidative treatment in a continuous air flow at 120 °C. Emissions were convectively transferred from the foam to an exhaust port and analyzed using a thermodesorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) system, with external calibration employed for the quantification of selected analytes. The study identified hydroperoxide formation and degradation as key mechanisms in the breakdown of the polyether soft segments. This process predominantly produces volatil

SUBMITTER: Sandten CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11644683 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature