Urethane foam is a versatile man-made material used in bedding, packaging, footwear, and insulation. It is made from polyurethane and can be manufactured to different densities. It is commonly used in mattresses and insulation due to its low lambda value. There are some health concerns associated with its use, but evidence is controversial.
Urethane foam is a man-made material with several uses. The manufacturing process can produce foams of varying density and flexibility, meaning they can perform functions as diverse as bedding, packaging and footwear. It’s important to note that urethane foam is most commonly used to refer to a material made from polyurethane. The reference to urethane in this name is to the type of links, also called carbamates, that join polyurethane units together. There is some potential for confusion as the word urethane by itself is often used for a specific carbamate also called ethyl carbamate, but despite the name, this substance does not appear in the foam.
Perhaps the best known use of urethane foam is in bedding, such as mattresses. Because it is man-made, foam can be manufactured to a particular density, meaning manufacturers can offer a range of mattresses with varying degrees of softness or firmness, and even produce a mattress to order. The foam itself lacks the heat sensitivity used in memory foam mattresses that conform to the user’s sleeping position, but many of these mattresses will use it for the base, with viscoelastic “memory foam” serving as the top. This is an effective way to get some of the benefits of memory foam while keeping the overall cost down
Urethane foam can also be used for insulation, such as in attic roofs. The substance’s biggest advantage for this use is that it has a very low lambda value, which is a measure of how much heat it transfers, meaning it is a very effective heat insulator. It is also particularly useful for insulation as it can be dispensed in the form of a spray, which then hardens. This means that the foam can be applied to any area and will fit perfectly into the space. This eliminates the problems resulting from the application of insulating panels that need to be scaled and can still leave spaces through which heat can escape.
There have been some medical questions raised about polyurethane foam. These include the respiratory health risks involved in applying the foam in uses such as insulation and the dangers associated with the fire treatment that must be applied to furniture made with it. Companies using the materials should follow industry guidelines established to ensure worker safety. While there are some claims that this foam can cause health risks for consumers, the evidence to support these claims is controversial and is not widely accepted.
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