What is foam made of?
Foam is a lightweight porous material widely used in daily life and industry. It is known for its good cushioning performance, sound absorption and thermal insulation properties. There are many types of foam, according to its different main components can be divided into polyethylene foam (PE), polyurethane foam (PU), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer foam (EVA) and other categories.
Features
- Polyethylene foam (PE)
- Definition: Made by foaming polyethylene particles in a high or low pressure process.
- Characteristics: excellent insulation and buoyancy; strong resistance to ultraviolet aging; widely used in packaging materials, building insulation panels, etc..
- polyurethane foam (PU)
- Definition: A kind of foam with open or closed cell structure generated by the reaction between polyol and isocyanate.
- Characteristics: Wide range of densities, from very soft to relatively hard; good resilience and impact resistance; suitable for the manufacture of furniture cushioning, automobile interiors, shoe materials and many other products.
- Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer foam (EVA)
- Definition: A thermoplastic resin synthesized from ethylene and vinyl acetate monomer.
- Characteristics: high chemical resistance and waterproof performance; soft texture and easy to process molding; commonly used in sports equipment such as yoga mats, children's toys and other fields.
Applications
Because of its unique physical properties, foam is widely used in the following areas:
- Packaging industry: as a protective padding or liner to prevent damage to items during transportation.
- Home decoration: to make carpet underlay, sofa cushion, etc. to increase comfort.
- Automobile industry: used for sound insulation and noise reduction, seat padding, etc.
- Sports and leisure goods: such as swimming rings, life jackets and other equipment for water activities.
- Healthcare: some types of foam can also be used as wound dressings or pressure relief mattresses.