Are polyurethane casters suitable for use in low-temperature environments?

The suitability of polyurethane casters in low-temperature environments requires a temperature range.
Polyurethane casters have limited tolerance to low temperatures. Whether they are suitable for low-temperature environments depends primarily on the specific low-temperature range and duration of use. While they can function normally in short-term, mild low-temperature environments, they are prone to performance failure in long-term, severe cold environments. A specific compatibility analysis is as follows:

From a material perspective, polyurethane's molecular mobility decreases with decreasing temperature. When the ambient temperature is between -10°C and 0°C, its tread elasticity remains largely stable, and rolling resistance does not change significantly. This allows for normal use in indoor warehouses in winter and short-distance outdoor transportation in northern China during spring and autumn, such as in supermarket cold chain areas (0°C to -5°C). For example, the casters exhibit no significant performance fluctuations.

When the temperature drops to -10°C to -30°C, the tread gradually hardens, its elasticity decreases, and rolling resistance increases by approximately 20%-30%. However, for short-term use (e.g., 1-2 times daily), the tread will not be affected. After a few hours, the caster regains its elasticity when returned to normal temperature, making it suitable for short-term outdoor operations in northern winter (such as temporary loading and unloading at logistics stations). However, it should avoid prolonged exposure to low temperatures.

If the ambient temperature remains below -30°C for a prolonged period (such as in deep-freeze cold storage or in polar regions), the polyurethane molecules enter a "glassy state," completely losing their elasticity and becoming brittle. This can lead to tread cracks due to vibration during pushing, and even tread breakage under load, making the caster completely unsuitable for use. For example, in a biological sample cold storage at -40°C, polyurethane casters can experience tread fragmentation after only one to two weeks of use, causing carts to become stuck.

Therefore, when choosing polyurethane casters in low-temperature environments, you need to pay attention to two points: first, give priority to "cold-resistant modified polyurethane casters" (manufacturers will add cold-resistant additives to reduce the brittle temperature to below -40°C). This type of caster can still maintain a certain elasticity at around -30°C; second, if the temperature is lower than -40°C or it needs to be used in a cold environment for a long time, you need to abandon the polyurethane material and use cold-resistant rubber casters (such as neoprene), nylon casters or all-metal casters instead to avoid safety hazards caused by caster failure.