Memory Foams

Memory foams

Memory foam is a sophisticated product that consistently recovers its original shape following compression. Due to the fact that it is a polyurethane foam type, many will refer to it as a viscoelastic foam. Its ability to return to its original shape after you apply pressure means that it is a high viscosity foam. Therefore, it is usually regarded as a low-resilience polyurethane material.

The creators

Memory foam was in fact developed by NASA, under the brand name Confor foam in the 1980s. Looking for a way to improve the safety of their cushions for pilots and passengers, Ames Research Centre was contracted. They were to create a material to meet NASA’s requirements. Then, it was launched into the wider market in the 1990s, where it was known as visco-elastic foam.

How do you make memory foam?

The foam is mainly made up of polyurethane. In brief, it is made from the reaction of diisocyanates and polyols. When you combine the two chemicals, the compounds rise and create foam. However, you can modify the polyurethane foams in the manufacturing process in order to create different properties. For instance, in order to make memory foam, gas is pumped through it. As a result, the foam forms an open cellular structure. This allows a free flow of air to move through it resulting in a high viscosity foam.