Polymer foams are often used for impact mitigation and protection due to low weight and excellent energy absorbing capability. Depending on the application, different loading rates and environmental conditions can be expected, including various operating temperatures. In this paper, experimental results from mechanical testing of expanded polypropylene (EPP) are presented, focusing on temperature and rate dependence. The compressive and tensile responses of two EPP foams of similar nominal density (30 kg/m³) but different morphology are compared. Both foams were tested in compression at low to intermediate strain rates (${10}^{-3}$ to ${10}^0{\text{s}}^{-1}$) to determine the strain rate dependence. The temperature dependence of one foam type was quantified in both compression and tension for temperatures between $-30°\text{C}$ and $60°\text{C}$ in order to highlight the importance of operating temperature. It was found that both strain rate and temperature have a definitive effect on the mechanical properties. The morphology of the two EPP foams also seems to affect the response.

聚合物泡沫由于重量轻和出色的能量吸收能力而常被用于减轻冲击和提供保护。根据应用，可以预期不同的负载率和环境条件，包括各种工作温度。本文介绍了膨胀聚丙烯（EPP）的机械测试实验结果，重点是温度和速率依赖性。比较了两种公称密度（30 kg / m ³）但形态不同的EPP泡沫的压缩和拉伸响应。两种泡沫均在低至中等应变率下进行了压缩测试（${10}^{--3}$ 至 ${10}^0{\text{s}}^{--\mathrm{1个}}$）确定应变率依赖性。一种泡沫类型的温度相关性通过压缩和拉伸来量化，温度介于$--30°\text{C}$ 和 $60°\text{C}$为了突出工作温度的重要性。发现应变率和温度均对机械性能具有确定的影响。两种EPP泡沫的形态似乎也影响响应。