By Scott Chambers on Aug 8, 2022 7:27:27 AM

Polyurethanes are the largest class of polymers worldwide, with a global market of $79 Billion. As a class, it’s rapidly expanding.

Breakthroughs in materials science continue to add opportunities for innovation in materials science and global industries, and taking advantage of those opportunities yields a big reward.

Just ask the electric vehicle industry. Top EV companies increasingly use polymer foam as a thermal interface. This keeps powerful Li-ION batteries safe and prevents them from overheating in electric vehicles.

PORON foam is one such groundbreaking material.

Rogers Poron Foam 

What is PORON foam?

PORON foam is a microcellular urethane with high compression set resistance and high energy absorption. This foam has an open-cell design, which allows for greater resiliency and longevity, even after multiple impacts. 

Rogers Corporation, a global leader in materials development, has patented thirty-five PORON Industrial Polyurethanes. These open-cell polyurethane materials have solved unique engineering challenges, including filling gaps in the Hubble space telescope.

Each of their products utilizes PORON urethane foam’s distinct properties differently, to different ends. 

The following guide will unpack the utility of PORON foam’s open-cell design. Then, we will describe each of the eleven PORON foam products. Each entry will summarize the product’s fundamental properties, recommended usage, pros, and cons.

Open-Cell Design

Open-cell design is PORON foam’s defining trait.

PORON foam is meant to keep its shape, cushioning, and contouring precisely in response to pressure. These viscoelastic properties are derived from the foam’s microcellular design. 

Once the pressure is released, the cushioning foam will expand to its full size or until it meets a new obstacle. This is a method of creating physical memory.

Before the invention of PORON foam, the most popular type of memory foam used a closed-cell design. Closed-cell polyurethane foams use air to provide a cushion. These closed-cell foams are filled with tiny, closed air bubbles or pockets. 

Over time, repeated compression causes air to leak out of the closed cells. Because the cells shut it out, air cannot return to the foam. This process of exhalation deflates the foam.

SMALL SPRINGS

In contrast, open-cell design is more akin to microcellular springs.

Compression lets the polyurethane springs condense, and air moves freely from the space. Meanwhile, the remaining air can support the pressure point within the micro-coils. 

After the pressure eases, air can easily flow back into the open cells and -re-inflate the foam. The foam expands, and both air and polymer support the pressure point. 

Since open-cell design prevents deflation over time, PORON foam is frequently used in products designed to resist frequent, repeated impact. Running shoes and prosthetic limb interiors are good candidates for PORON foam and other open-cell polyurethane cushions. 

Each of the eleven PORON foam varieties uses the same open-cell design to different ends. Some PORON foam products are more thermal resistant and thus make high-quality battery insulators. Others are lightweight and are well-suited for absorbing sound waves. 

Here’s how the eleven types of PORON foam stack up. 

WWW.AIDEASTEP.COM/