Foamed isocyanate-based polymer having improved hardness properties and process for production thereof

The invention relates to the surprising and unexpected discovery that a sub-group of phenolic resins (i.e., those which are substantially completely free of ether moieties) is particularly advantageous to confer load building properties to an isocyanate-based foam (e.g., a polyurethane foam). Indeed, its possible to utilize the sub-group of phenolic resins to partially or fully displace copolymer polyols conventionally used to confer load building characteristics to isocyanate-based polymer foams. Further, the invention relates to the surprising and unexpected discovery that a sub-group of phenolic resins (i.e., those which are substantially completely free of ether moieties) is particularly advantageous to confer energy absorption properties in an isocyanate-based foam.