Material Showcase: Reticulated Polyurethane Foam

Reticulated polyurethane foam is an extremely versatile material that can be used for numerous applications, spanning a wide range of markets from automotive to electronics.  Reticulated foam is of particular interest due to its ability to be used in a near-infinite amount of applications as well as its unique properties that cannot by achieved by other types of foam.

Reticulated polyurethane foam is an open-cell, porous foam that is most commonly of a low density and is available in polyether or polyester formulations.  It is renowned for its unique ability to filter air and water, along with its ability to reservoir and disperse liquid.  Depending on the particular pore size, reticulated foam regulates permeability, while offering flexibility in its structure.  For reticulated foams with fine porosities, of approximately 80 to 100 pores per inch, they are ideal to make products like sound absorption filters, microphone windscreens, wiping pads, liquid filtration and cosmetic applicators.  On the other hand, there are also a number of low porosity foams which are often used as sound attenuators, scrubber pads, furnace and air conditioner filters, and small engine air cleaners.

Along with its filtration properties, reticulated polyurethane foam also provides benefits with its high tensile, elongation, and tear characteristics as well its high resistance to chemicals.

Other benefits of this particular foam include:

All of these unique properties lend reticulated polyurethane foam as an ideal material to solve applications such as:

1) Seals & Gasketing

Seals and gaskets are typically used to manage vibration, temperature and liquids.  UFP Technologies has created custom gasket and seals for automotive manufacturing, medical devices, chemical processing and building and construction applications.

2) Acoustics

Reticulated foam can absorb sound effectively or can be completely acoustically transparent. We have extensive experience in designing and manufacturing sound control components including microphone windscreens for military components, acoustical enclosures for home speaker systems, and squeak and rattle pads for automotive manufacturing.

3) Fluid Management

Flexible reticulated polyurethane foam is commonly used when creating fluid management components. The cell structure helps transport fluids from a reservoir to an application surface. We have created custom fluid management solutions ranging from surgical skin preparation products, clean room wipes, industrial cleaning sponges, oil wicking components used in electric motors and media transport devices in ink cartridges.

Our ability to efficiently fabricate reticulated polyurethane foam and combine it with other specialty materials further expands its applicability.  We will work with you to decide what reticulated polyurethane foam, or other material, fits your application so that you can achieve your custom requirements.