Polyurethane Foam

Properties and applications

Polyurethane foam is extremely soft and flexible. Because it is a foamed material, it consists of tiny cells arranged in an open cell structure. These open cells are easy to compress and readily spring back to their original shape afterwards, which makes the material very useful for applications where comfort is a priority. As a result, PU foam is most commonly used in mattresses and furniture items such as cushions. However, these aren’t the material’s only applications; it is recyclable, and therefore offers numerous possibilities. These are limited to indoor applications, however, as items made from this material for outdoor use will be likely to have a shorter life span. Polyurethane foam is also used to make backing rods for use with sealants and for sound insulation, for example in studios. PU pyramid sheets are often used for this. Other important applications include packaging foam for lightweight components, draught tape for simple seals with a large joint gradient, or in filter or sponge functions. As a seal, the foam is mainly useful for excluding dust and noise, but is not suitable for use against water, oil or other fluids.

Types and shapes of polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is a category of foam created by a polymerisation reaction between polyols, isocyanates and water. It is available in different degrees of hardness and density, and numerous different colours. At EKI, we mainly supply industrial customers, so we have chosen to make PU foam available in grey and white. The greater the density, the more durable and comfortable it is. For example, densities starting from 35 kg/m3 are frequently chosen for use in mattresses. It is possible to produce both hard and soft foams at the same density. At EKI, we can cut the foam from the large blocks in which it is produced into applicable formats such as sheets, rolls and a variety of shapes including rings, blocks, discs, frames and tapes. The material is easy to cut, which means that we can supply it in almost any shape desired.

Disadvantages of polyurethane foam

The only disadvantage of PU foam is that it has a shorter life span than other foams. It generally has a life span of around five to ten years, and will age more rapidly due to the effect of direct sunlight when used outdoors. After twenty to thirty years it loses its resilience and will begin to crumble. If you’re looking for a material that is more durable and can be exposed to direct sunlight, a good alternative is PVC foam. In the event of fire, the material can produce a considerable quantity of smoke.

How EKI delivers PU foam

Nijmegen-based manufacturer EKI can supply you with high-quality PU foam tape, blocks and PU foam sheets in both standard and custom sizes. Our polyurethane foam items can be delivered both in bulk and in small quantities. Regardless of the size of the purchase, we can deliver our products quickly throughout Europe. If you have specific requirements or questions about our products or their technical specifications, please contact us via +31(0)243773378 or info@eki.nl.