Life-time determination for polyurethane foams in submarines

The goal of this research was to use mass spectrometry to create a fast, economic method to quickly determine the remaining life of polyurethane (PU) foams used for noise mitigation and shock absorption in submarines (in collaboration with Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division). This is important as PU foams can rapidly deteriorate under harsh environmental conditions. We developed quantitative mass spectrometry-based methodologies for the characterization and quantitation of degradation products of PU foams. Both high-resolution mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry were employed. In the future, this technology will be adapted to miniaturized mass spectrometers for the surveillance outside a laboratory.