Polyurethane Foams
Polyurethane Foams have outstanding characteristics as they are:
Incredibly resilient, flexible and durable.
They can take the place of paint, cotton, rubber, metal and wood.
They can be hard like fibreglass, squishy like upholstery foam, protective like varnish, bouncy like rubber wheels or sticky like glue.
Due to all these characteristics they are used in:
- Furniture
- Automotive foam pads and sheets
- Bedding
- Packaging
- Case inserts
- Ink rollers and pads
- Paint pads and rollers
- Toys
- Sponges
- Polishing foam pads
- Seals and gaskets
- Filters
The world of polyurethane foam is a vast and complicated one. Polyurethane is an umbrella term that covers two main groups, polyether and polyester, both of which encompass thousands of different grades and materials, all with their own unique properties. With our years of experience we can help guide you through all the ranges to make sure you have the correct product for your end result.
Polyether Foams
Polyether Foam is very versatile and plays a big role in our relationship with the environment that we live and work in.
Manufactured using a continuous process technology, polyether polyols are mixed with catalysts and blowing agents which results in the foam rising freely and forming it's light-weight cellular flexible structure.
Polyether Foams come in a range of densities and are denoted by pastel colours.
Advantages over polyester:
- High tear strength
- Oil resistance
- Comfort
- Hydrolysis resistance
- Abrasion resistance
- Fungicide and biocide resistance
- Thermal stability
- Flame retardant additives can be added during the foaming process
- Unique characteristics to inhibit dust and provide comfort e.g. the seal in goggles.
- An acoustic absorber e.g. a comfort pad in ear defenders
- Impact absorption, comfort and to help sizing in helmets.
- All waste products can be recycled into rebounded chip foam which leads to application in the packaging industry.
They can be used for:
due to their impact absorption combined with comfort they are ideal for helmets, goggles, elbow/knee protection.
- Water filtration
due to their higher resistance to hydrolysis, fungicides and biocides.
due to their high oil and abrasion resistance and higher level of thermal stability compared with polyester
due to their high tear strength,hydrolysis and abrasion resistance
Polyester
Polyester Foam was the first foam to be produced and manufactured commercially.
Advantages over Polyether:
- More regular cell structure
- High proportion of closed cell windows which leads to them being more suited to environments where sealing and low air permeability are required e.g. sealing gaskets
- More UV and light resistance
- Temperature resistance
- More resistance to ageing
- Weld ability
- Solvent resistance
- Can be supplied in convoluted or egg box profile
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High tensile strength so very resistant to tearing
Their hydrophilic properties provide a high level of absorbency
- Air and dust filters
As a result of their tensile strength and resistance to solvents, UV, temperature and ageing. Used in HVAC, medical and automotive applications where reticulated polyester grade foam characteristics are ideal.
Helps with noise reduction products, microphone windshields, due to their regular cell structure and acoustic transparency that provide extremely effective sound absorption across a multitude of applications such as engine and machinery, wall panel and ceiling acoustics and HVAC systems.
