Flexible polyurethane foams represent a significant share of the Brazilian polyurethane market. These foams are produced through a chemical reaction between polyol and isocyanate, resulting in a material that offers comfort, flexibility, and durability. Features include open cells for air passage, resistance to tearing and fatigue, and superior durability compared to natural latex-based foams.
Flexible PU foams can be manufactured in various densities and hardness levels, making them the ideal choice for industries such as bedding, furniture, automotive, and footwear. They can be produced on a small or large scale using simple to highly sophisticated equipment.
Types of Flexible Foams
Conventional Foam: Widely used in furniture, mattresses, and other applications.
Soft Foam: Formulated to provide high levels of softness and comfort
Firm Foam: Adjusted formulations achieve the required firmness for specific applications.
High-Resilience Foam: Features quick recovery and a smooth touch, commonly used in furniture, mattresses, seating, sports, and orthopedic applications.
Hyper-Soft Foams: Extremely soft and sensitive to touch, used in pillows, mattresses, furniture, and pet beds.
Viscoelastic Foam: Known for low resilience and slow recovery, offering superior comfort. Used in furniture, orthopedic, and sports products.
Rebonded Foam: Composed of foam flakes bonded with polyurethane adhesive, providing firmness and high support for applications like furniture and mattresses.
Key Characteristics of Flexible PU Foam
- Density
- Elongation
- Tear Resistance
- Indentation
- Compression Resistance
- Flame Retardancy
- Comfort Factor
- UV Resistance
- Resilience
- Airflow
Compliance with regulatory standards ensures quality and optimal performance, with specific tests assessing properties like tear resistance and deformation.
Physical Properties
Density
Density impacts the touch, rebound, permanent deformation, and support of the foam. It also influences production yield and process losses.
Indentation Force Deflection (IFD)
Measures foam load-bearing capacity and hardness, expressed in Newtons (N). The test follows NBR 9176 standards.
Recovery
Assesses how quickly foam returns to its original shape after compression, measured in seconds using a digital timer.
Resilience
Indicates energy recovery after deformation, providing elastic behavior insights. For viscoelastic foams, resilience should be below 15%, measured by ball rebound tests (NBR 8619).
Permanent Deformation
This measures thickness loss after compression, tested per ABNT NBR 8797 standards.
Tear Resistance
Assesses foam’s ability to resist tearing under stress. Tested according to ABNT NBR 8516.
Glass Transition (Tg)
Indicates the temperature at which the material transitions from a glassy to a pliable state.
Skin Quality
The external layer (skin) of molded foam is analyzed for compactness and adherence, ensuring no peeling under proper conditions.
Manufacturing Processes
Batch (Discontinuous) Process
Used for small-scale or specialty foam production, including rectangular and cylindrical blocks.
Continuous Process
High-pressure or low-pressure systems deliver components to a moving conveyor for foam production, ideal for large-scale manufacturing.
Rebonded Foam
Foam scraps from production are combined with a polyurethane binder to create new blocks, promoting environmental sustainability.
Applications
Flexible PU foams are versatile and widely used in:
- Furniture: Mattresses, pillows, cushions, upholstery.
- Automotive: Seats, headrests, and fabric laminations.
- Footwear: Insoles, uppers.
- Cleaning Products: Cleaning sponges, bath sponges.
Amino Solutions for Flexible PU Foams
Amino provides comprehensive solutions, including additives, silicones, catalysts, pigments, and ready-to-use systems. Our expert team ensures optimal material quality and process efficiency.
Additives for Performance
- Surfactant Silicones
- Expansion and Gelation Catalysts
- Retarded Catalysts
- Low VOC Catalysts
- Tin Octoate
- Pigments (Liquid and Paste)
- Cell Openers
- Scorching Inhibitors
Ready-to-Use Systems
- Viscoelastic systems (MDI and TDI-based)
- Hyper-soft and high-resilience foams
Complementary Products
- Foam Adhesives
- Bonding Adhesives for Fiber and Foam
- Gel Layers
For more information, contact us at +55 11 4077-3777 or email vendas@amino.com.br.
