KIMflex® Sound Insulation Systems

KIMflex® Sound Insulation Systems for Superior Driving Comfort Flexible polyurethane (PUR) foams are open-cell copolymers produced through chemical or physical foaming, formed from diisocyanates containing two or more –NCO groups bonded with urethane linkages to diols containing two or more –OH groups. The synthesis of flexible polyurethane foam was first achieved in the laboratory in 1941, with serial production beginning in Germany in 1954. In the initial production of flexible PUR foam, aromatic isocyanates (TDI&MDI) and polyester polyols were used. However, the synthesized foams exhibited low resistance to temperature and humidity conditions, frequently resulting in crumbling and deterioration issues. In 1957, the transition to polyether polyol use enabled the production of higher-performance foams. The use of polyether polyol provided the foam with higher hydrolysis resistance, greater comfort, and extended service life. In 1958, the combined use of new-generation catalysts and surfactants with polyether polyols enabled both discontinuous production of flexible PUR foams and substantially improved their mechanical properties. These developments led to the emergence of "high resilient" (HR) PUR foams, meaning self-recovering. The high mechanical properties of HR PUR foams, along with the comfort and ergonomics they provide, made them unrivaled in many applications and led to their widespread use. They are particularly preferred for sound insulation in motorized vehicles. For today's consumer, interior noise is an important factor in automotive choice. This situation has intensified competition among automotive manufacturers and necessitated continuous development of insulation materials. HR PUR foams have succeeded in surpassing other insulation materials through their open-cell pore structure, light weight, and ease of application. The human hearing frequency range is 20-20,000 Hz. According to findings presented in a World Health Organization report on hearing loss resulting from exposure to high noise levels: • At 40 dB intensity at 2,000 Hz, • At 65 dB intensity at 4,000 Hz, sound characteristics cause hearing loss/damage. Users of equipment with high engine displacement and/or high rpm, resulting in high noise intensity, are regularly exposed to steady and rhythmic sound. Research has determined that polyurethane flexible foam structures absorb high-frequency sounds at high rates. Sound insulation layers are used in motor vehicles to protect human health and to take a leading role in the competitive environment. These materials, which can be manufactured in different morphologies according to the frequency diversity of sound, are used in commercial and high-tonnage vehicles as well as automobiles. These materials are expected to perform at high levels in accordance with specific performance criteria. As the Kimpur Research & Development Flexible team, we developed the KIMflex High-Density Sound Insulation System to provide comfortable driving pleasure and travel experience. Due to the open-cell surface structure of the system, the energy of sound waves entering the cells is reduced, providing excellent absorption properties. It has perfect processing characteristics even in large molds and high mechanical strength properties ensure long-term use. It also offers a smooth skin structure.

Graphene-Based High-Performance KIMflex® Sound Insulation System

Light vehicle design plays a very important role in the automotive sector to ensure energy savings. Composite parts used in new-generation vehicles provide significant fuel consumption savings by reducing vehicle weight. The use of polyurethane systems in vehicles provides weight reduction through their lightweight properties, resulting in lower energy consumption and consequently less emissions. Graphene, defined as the miracle material of recent years, has further enhanced this property of polyurethane foam. Graphene-based polyurethane foams, through their lightweight properties, increase sound insulation performance with virtually no impact on the vehicle's total weight. As a company that continuously improves our processes for a sustainable future, we take care to contribute to both nature and the circular economy by using sustainable resources in our production. In this direction, we sourced graphene material obtained from waste automotive tires from Nanografen, the world's first and only producer, and used it in our KIMflex sound insulation systems, examining how the graphene material affects the mechanical strength and sound insulation properties of our system. By applying the graphene-based flexible polyurethane foam system to the vehicle floor and around the vehicle engine, the aim is to insulate externally generated sounds. Graphene obtained from waste automotive tires was added to a two-component sound-insulating flexible polyurethane foam at a 100/64 ratio (A/B) and the mechanical properties and sound absorption coefficient values of samples molded at a density of 39 kg/m3 were compared with standard (non-graphene) sound-insulating flexible foam as indicated in the table below. *Sound absorption coefficient measurement was conducted according to ISO-10534-2 standard through external service. *The mechanical strength tests performed are specified below. • Compression Strength (ASTM D 3574 Test B1), • Tear Resistance (ASTM D 624), • Tensile-Elongation Resistance (ASTM D 3574 Test E), • Permanent Deformation (ASTM D 3574 Test D), *The code of our graphene-based system is KIMflex FC 052 + Izokim FC 017. A high-value-added product has been developed to meet industry needs with graphene obtained from waste tires and higher-performance sound insulation foam of the same molded density for the automotive sector. As a result of the studies conducted, it was determined that the graphene-based sound insulation system provided improvements of up to 65% in sound absorption compared to standard systems. Since the graphene-based system provides higher sound absorption than the reference sound insulation foam, a thinner sound insulation foam can be used. This enables achieving the same performance with less material use and results in lighter vehicles and reduced CO2 emissions. Notable improvements in mechanical strength properties increase the service life of the flexible polyurethane foam. Our Graphene-based sound insulation project, which contributes to enabling light vehicle design, reducing end-user fuel consumption, and achieving energy savings, was awarded first place in its category at the 11th Research & Development Project Marketplace held in 2022. As the Kimpur Research & Development team, we continue our work in our simulation center with high-pressure machines and necessary equipment, obtaining correct analyses and rapid results in line with our customers' needs. As a company followed in the Turkish and global market, we continue our efforts to produce innovative, sustainable, and extraordinary solutions that touch every aspect of life.   Kimpur Research & Development Flexible Team