IQS Newsroom Articles on Polyurethane Foam
About Polyurethane Foam
Polyurethane
foam is a type of closed-cell polyurethane foam that can biodegrade in direct
and indirect sunlight. Flexible polyurethane foam (FPF) is polyurethane foam
that is used in furniture such as beds, couches and chairs because it molds
itself to the shape of the body, providing comfort and support. Flexible
polyurethane foam has many uses, such as carpet padding foam, upholstered
furniture padding foam, automotive padding foam, bedding padding foam, sponge
foam, toys, packaging foam, and sound deadening foam. FPF can be fabricated by
either a slabstock process, which produces large continuous buns of polyurethane
foam that are later converted into desired shapes, or a molding process.
Polyurethane foam and flexible polyurethane foam are different from polyethylene
foam in that they cannot be reheated; the polyurethane foam must be shaped into
the final product during the foaming process. Other types of polyurethane foam
include high resilience (HR) polyurethane foam, anti-static flexible
polyurethane foam, CFC-free polyurethane foams, acoustic foam, bonded foam, and
polyether foam.
Polyurethane foam in its many forms serves a wide range of applications in many
industries. Some of its typical applications include surgical scrubbers, x-ray
positioning pads, EKG pads, insulation foam, carpet cushioning, acoustics,
soundproofing, protective padding foam, custom insulated containers and the list
continues.