Open Cell Foam
Open cell foam is a lightweight, spongy, soft foam in which the cell walls or surfaces of the bubbles are broken and air fills all of the spaces in the material. This makes the foam soft and weak. Open cell foams are incredibly effective as sound barriers, having about twice the sound resistance as closed cell foam. Open cell foam is used for industries such as residential construction which uses this foam as an insulator and sound barrier. Open cell foam has become a popular residential insulator due to the fact that it is less dense than most foam pads and sheets. Open cell applications include water absorption, particulate filtering and thermal management and cushioning, high performance gasketing, automotive and aircraft seating and shock absorption. Open cell foam is more permeable to moisture vapor, making it an excellent material for products such as sponges, mops, absorbent packaging and linings, and sports padding.
Open cell foam contains pores that are connected to each other and form an interconnected network. The insulation value of this foam is related to the insulation value of the calm air inside the foam. The densities of open cell foam range from 0.4 to 1.2 pounds. Like closed cell foam, open cell foam is often mixed with other substances to create a product or application specific foam material. Different open cell materials include open cell polyurethane, open cell polyester, open cell polyamide and open cell melamine. Benefits of open cell foam include large cells which dry quickly after being wet, anti-static properties ideal for computers and microchips, and high permeability to moisture.