Applications of polyurethane foam
Polyurethane foam has multiple uses in today's world, some of them are:
- In mattresses as a main padding or as part of the padding;
- In furniture, in sofas and chairs seats, stuffed with cushions, etc.
- In construction, as a thermal insulator or as a filler;
- In the automotive industry as the main element of defenses, seats, etc.
- In many items such as toys, clothing, sponges, shoes, pillows, cushions, packaging and in general all types of padding or fillers.
- In general, flexible polyurethane has applications such as cushioning in furniture, mattresses, under carpets and car interiors. It also offers good performance as a shock absorber with packaging and automotive applications.
Comfort & Relax Memory Foam Mattress with Gel-infused AirCell Tech, Bamboo Fabric Cover, 8 Inch FULL
Rigid polyurethane foam
The rigid spray polyurethane foam is the most effective way to simultaneously isolate and seal virtually any type of substrate, since it produces a monolithic layer without joints or thermal bridges, adhering by itself in a hermetic way. It is applied on any type of surface that is clean and dry.
The rigid foam has several applications such as:
- Insulation and waterproofing of ceilings, slabs, dividing and acoustic walls.
- Refrigerators and cellars
- Structural reinforcement, panels
- Insulation of hot water pipes, heating ducts.
- Bodywork of trucks and minibuses
- Bases of roofing surfaces as anti-noise and waterproofing
- The polyurethane foam has excellent resistance to water, salt water, oils, very diluted acids and alkaline solutions. It is not affected by fungi, bacteria and odors and eliminates excessive noise.
The thermal properties of polyurethane foam
Polyurethane foam is a resource increasingly used, not only for sealing doors, windows and sanitation or repair of walls to insulate from the cold, heat and noise pollution homes, but also as a decorative element.
Some of the characteristics of polyurethane foams that have made it an excellent insulating material are its good thermal properties, since it offers a great resistance to extreme temperatures, maintaining all its technical properties in a spectrum that goes from 50ºC below zero or at 110ºC.
The plates or panels that are made are easily adjustable to any need, since they can be cut, perforated, painted, polished and glued with precision. Other advantages of polyurethane foams are their reduced weight and their absence of dripping in case of fire.
When using it, we must know that these foams can increase from two to five times their volume since they are applied until they are completely hardened. When applying the foam, it adheres to everything that comes in contact with it, so it is advisable to protect those areas that are close with special adhesive bands.
In the market you can find sprays of polyurethane foam of two types, which are constituted exclusively by polyurethane or compounds that have another element (besides the polyurethane) with which they make the reaction.
The main difference is that single-component foams harden as a result of contact with air humidity, while composite foams react when the two components are mixed and harden more quickly than the first.