ABSTRACT
The Low Resilience (LR) foam market is now rapidly expanding and has got attention over the past few years[1,2]. The shape conformance, pressure relaxation, vibration and sound dampening, and dynamic energy absorption are the key characteristics of LR foam. Those unique properties make the LR foam versatile in various applications: pillows, mattress pads, chair seats, etc.
In general, the LR foam is difficult to be manufactured; the cell opening is not an easy task. Moreover there is a critical issue, “temperature sensitivity”; the LR foam becomes glassy hard at low temperature.
Mitsui Takeda Chemicals, Inc. recently succeeded in developing a novel LR polyol based on the concept presented in the preceding paper[3]. The polyol developed provides a wider process latitude and a reduced temperature sensitivity of the foam hardness.
The resilience and the hardness of the LR foam can be designed by adjusting the formulations. A super soft foam and rigid foam like high-load-bearing LR foam can also be obtained.
