Is harm from polyurethane foam a myth or a real threat to humans?

Good health directly depends on the quality of your sleep. To get a good night's sleep, you need to choose a mattress that will meet the requirements for a good sleeping place. Recently, products filled with polyurethane foam (PPU) have become popular among buyers. They are distinguished by a high degree of comfort and a budget price. It remains to be seen whether they are as safe for health as the manufacturers say.

What is polyurethane foam?

Polyurethane foam is a synthetic material with a cellular structure that belongs to the group of gas-filled plastics. In everyday life it is often called “foam rubber”, but this is not true. Polyurethane foam is of high quality, it is more elastic and durable.

Thanks to a unique production technology (plastics, being in a liquid state, foam and harden), the material acquires a porous structure that contains a large amount of air (up to 98%). Polyurethane foam layers are lightweight, which greatly simplifies their operation.

Structure

The PPU mattress consists of foamed plastic with small cells containing polyurethane inside.

New production technology allows modern mattresses to be more elastic, resilient, and at the same time not cause allergic reactions. Thanks to these properties, the orthopedic effect is achieved. The polyurethane foam mattress does not deform under the influence of human weight, it does not sag and remains stable. Such models, most often, have anatomical memory properties, which allows them to distribute the load evenly over the entire area of ​​the mattress, due to which the sleeper’s muscles relax. This is followed by a full, healthy sleep.

If there is a need to transport a PU foam mattress, it can easily be rolled up and placed, for example, in a car.

Areas of application of polyurethane foam

PPU or polyurethane foam, due to the presence of numerous pores, has high thermal insulation properties and a high degree of elasticity, which determined the scope of its application. The material is widely used in:

• construction as insulation;
• in the production of upholstered furniture and mattresses;
• as a filler for soft toys;
• for the production of sponges for cleaning needs;
• filters;
• rollers for painting work.

For upholstered furniture, mattresses, higher quality polyurethane foam is used. In other areas, lower grade material can be used.

Conclusion

The safety of polyurethane foam is determined by its properties in the solid state. It does not emit pungent odors, does not burn, does not rot, is not susceptible to mold, and does not attract rodents. A long service life allows you to save energy and avoid wasting natural resources. Other insulation materials (for example, polystyrene foam) release toxins into the atmosphere. And the particles contained in mineral wool have a detrimental effect on the human respiratory system.

The health safety of polyurethane foam is confirmed by relevant product certificates. When interacting with PPU components, you should be careful and work only in special clothing:

• gas mask brand BKF or B;
• safety glasses with side pads;
• impermeable synthetic rubber gloves;
• thick shoes and overalls.

When mixing the components, you need to follow the instructions, work together, control the temperature and direction of the spray jet. Employees will tell you how to prepare for spraying or pouring polyurethane foam and perform the work without health consequences.

Component composition of polyurethane foam

To make polyurethane foam, a mixture of two polymers is used:

• polyisocyanate;
• polyol.

The substances are mixed in a liquid state and undergo a foaming process. They are the main components of the solid part of the material, which accounts for a smaller part of the total composition. Additional elements are

• flame retardant additives;
• phenol;
• tertiary amine;
• toluene;
• phosphorus.

Most of the foam is made up of gaseous substances. This can be ordinary air or carbon dioxide, depending on the scope of application of polyurethane foam.

Flammability of polyurethane foam in a fire

According to GOST 30244–94, wood or polymer-based materials are flammable. Polyurethane foam is a material with a low flammability class. By type of flammability there are:

G1 - slightly flammable.

This type of polyurethane foam does not burn, is resistant to fire, but can lose weight when exposed to fire.

G2 - moderately flammable.

Does not support combustion, goes out on its own.

G3 - normally flammable.

In the absence of flame it goes out on its own.

G4 - highly flammable.

Burns quickly and may become a source of fire.

Numerous tests carried out confirm the fire safety of polyurethane foam. On the company’s website you can find components for polyurethane foam with different types of flammability: from G1 to G3. "Khimtrast SKN-30/141 G3" - normally flammable, used for seamless thermal insulation of walls, attics, and attics. Low-flammable materials include Khimtrust SKN-60 G1, which is used for insulation of pipelines, refrigerators, and buildings.

Mineral wool also does not burn, but releases formaldehyde into the atmosphere. Expanded polystyrene has a flammability class of G4: it is easily flammable, burns completely, and when smoldering it has a characteristic pungent odor. Polystyrene foam is inferior to polyurethane foam in terms of fire safety. Please note that combustion products of any material can be toxic. This depends on the composition, as well as how long it takes to fade.

Properties of polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam has both positive and negative properties. The latter are not critical when using the material in construction or in the production of cleaning, cleaning, and washing products. But we should not forget that they can be dangerous.

For upholstered furniture and mattresses, high-quality polyurethane foam is used, which has practically no negative properties.

Positive properties

• Low thermal conductivity.
• Waterproof.
• Vapor tightness.
• Thermal insulation characteristics.
• Waterproofing properties.
• Noise insulation.
• High adhesion.

Negative properties

• Does not tolerate direct sunlight.
• It's getting dark.
• It dries out and crumbles.

Impact of polyurethane foam on the environment

Due to the fact that polyurethane foam covers the surface with a dense layer of thermal insulation, energy losses become minimal. There are no drafts, noise, or condensation in the room. This reduces the environmental burden.

High-quality spraying and material features make it possible to make the insulation layer thin, but reliably protecting from the cold. This helps save on electricity. The long service life of polyurethane foam reduces repair costs. Insulation can be replaced less frequently, which means natural resources will remain untouched longer.

The environmental safety of polyurethane foam is confirmed by its low flammability class, as well as the absence of toxic emissions during operation. This makes the material one of the most environmentally friendly on the market and allows you to avoid spending money on air purification. Ultimately helps reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Is polyurethane foam in a mattress harmful?

Recently, a large number of rumors have appeared about the dangers of mattresses with polyurethane foam filling. They are explained by the composition. Anyone would be frightened by chemical dyes, phosphorus, formaldehyde and even arsenic.

But it must be taken into account that all these substances reacted during the foaming process and after the foam hardened they became completely harmless. They can only become active when the material is heated to 200 °C or during combustion. In an apartment it is impossible to obtain such a temperature, which means that substances hazardous to health will not be released.

It is better to pay attention to the positive characteristics of polyurethane foam mattresses:

• elasticity;
• anatomical;
• hypoallergenic;
• affordable price.

The last argument turns out to be the most effective. It is this that makes mattresses with polyurethane foam in demand among consumers.

Comparison

Pros and cons of a polyurethane foam mattress

Like all mattresses, models with polyurethane foam filling have their advantages and disadvantages. All that remains is to analyze and decide whether their advantages are important for the consumer and whether the disadvantages are so critical. To reduce the number of shortcomings, it is recommended to study information about the types of polyurethane foam and their properties.

Advantages

The main advantage of polyurethane foam mattresses is their price. With other positive characteristics, they turned out to be worthy competitors to expensive models with natural fillers or materials created using innovative technologies.

Polyurethane foam mattresses

• elastic;
• breathable;
• have excellent orthopedic characteristics;
• light weight, which simplifies operation.

By choosing a model with PU foam filling, you get a budget mattress that will delight its owners.

Flaws

There is only one drawback - the risk of exposure to direct sunlight. This is especially important to consider in mattresses with removable covers.

The opinion about the harmful vapors emitted by the material is controversial today. If the mattress is not a fake, then we can safely say that it is safe for the human body.

Polyurethane foam brands

The range of polyurethane foams is quite wide. PU foam grades range from extra-hard to soft, highly elastic and viscoelastic (shape memory foam).

• Extra-hard (HL) are perfect for people with a lot of weight.
• Reinforced (EL) are great all-around brands that will appeal to those who like moderate-to-firm support.
• Standard (ST) brands are a budget, less elastic, not very durable option.
• Soft (HS) are not suitable options.
• Viscoelastic (VE) and highly elastic (HR) belong to the expensive segment, with a pronounced anatomical and orthopedic effect. They are able to accurately follow the curves of the body and at the same time provide the necessary support.
• WATERLATTEX polyurethane foam (HR* 6030 LL) feels closest to natural latex.

Reference! For more information about the characteristics of different brands, read the article Do-it-yourself foam mattress - an interesting and exciting process.

Advantages

1. Elasticity and resilience: the product allows you to well support the body during sleep, which ensures comfortable, complete rest.
2. Affordable price - compared to analog mattresses, these pleasantly surprise with their cost combined with quality. The price of a PU foam mattress is quite acceptable for any category of the population, but in pursuit of cheapness the main thing is not to overdo it. Still, the cheapest model will be inferior in quality and durability, and as a result, instead of the expected 10 years, the mattress will last you only a third of this period. But at the same time, you shouldn’t overpay. For example, mattresses “filled” with bilaxilast and waterlatex will cost more than polyurethane foam, although their characteristics are exactly the same.
3. Viscosity – PU foam gives mattresses softness and makes them pleasant to the touch. In addition, it is optimal for people with excess body weight due to its ability to withstand strong pressure. Purchasing such a mattress easily solves the problem of spouses of different weight categories sleeping together. The fuller partner, due to its viscosity, does not press down the mattress so much that it is noticeable on the other side, and as a result, the lighter one does not slide down to the middle of the mattress.
4. Orthopedicity is ensured by the ability of products to repeat the anatomical curves of the human body. Resistant to deformation, they are suitable for people with impaired spinal function.
5. Air exchange is achieved due to the cellularity of polyurethane foam and guarantees the mattress excellent hygiene and ventilation.
6. Ease of transportation. Springless mattress models are convenient to roll, and when you buy them, you can immediately take them home by rolling them up, without waiting for them to be delivered to you. When you unfold the mattress, it will return to its original appearance without signs of deformation.

Types of polyurethane foam in relation to mattresses

• Ergolatex

The latest generation material, the result of the synthesis of high-tech polyurethane and latex based on synthetic rubber. Effective connection guarantees ergonomics, comfort and durability.

• Ormafoam

Its properties are as close as possible to natural latex, which is softer and more “velvety” than its artificial counterpart. “Foam” translated means foam. Dense elastic porous foam.

• Cellular ergo latex

The surfaces of the sides consist of open cells. The cells communicate in depth, along and across. Provide complete air and moisture permeability. They absorb sweat, which then successfully evaporates.

• Ergofoam

Approximately equal to ergolatex in composition, production technologies and proportions of components differ. And also a manufacturer.

• Memory foam fillers: Memorex, Memoryform

The main feature of these fillers is also an object of curiosity: the material remembers the shape of the imprinted body, then tends to return to its original state. The result is a counteracting effect. The mattress fills all natural curves, the contact surface increases, and the result is lightness. Almost weightlessness.

You may be interested in learning more about other fillers Mattress fillers: types, features, properties

Polyurethane foam or spring block? Which sofa filling is “best”?

Upholstered furniture based on an independent spring block

Enough time has passed since spring blocks were replaced by materials that are used as filler for upholstered furniture - latex, holofiber, polyurethane foam, padding polyester. But what is better - a spring block or polyurethane foam?

Filling the accordion sofa on a metal frame

Comfort This property is important for any furniture, no matter what function it performs. It is important when you lie down that pits do not appear, then there is definitely no time for rest, but instead of restful sleep you will look for a comfortable position

The load must be distributed equally over the entire base. What can you say about PPU? It holds its shape well, has excellent elasticity, and adapts to the contour of the human body. Withstands a lot of weight and instantly takes on its original appearance. If the material is of sufficient quality, it will serve for a long time. Spring blocks There are dependent and independent. In the first version, the springs are intertwined and have long gone out of use. It is simply unbearable to lie on such a foundation; if you press on one spring, it will pull all the others. The second option allows you to have a great rest; in such blocks, each individual spring is packed in a bag, the load in this case is distributed evenly. Thoroughness. Undoubtedly, polyurethane foam is a durable material. It does not accumulate dust, has excellent breathability, and is harmless. Furniture with such filling will last for many years if used for its intended purpose. But if you often jump on such a sofa, which children especially love to do, then it will quickly lose its elasticity.

The same applies to spring blocks; not all can withstand such loads, especially the inexpensive option. Economy class furniture will creak and springs will come out through the upholstery. In high quality sofas, a sufficient number of intermediate layers are placed between the spring block and the upholstery material, so the springs always remain in place.

Price. Furniture with spring blocks is more expensive than with polyurethane foam. But it all depends on the quality of the material. Therefore, think carefully before you buy a cheaper sofa, otherwise the joy of the purchase will turn into big problems. Be sure to ask the seller what kind of filler is inside and what quality it is. After all, it depends on how long the furniture can serve you, whether it will be comfortable, comfortable to sit on or sleep on, so that the original appearance remains the same for as long as possible.

No one will answer the question “What is better?” Each filler has advantages and disadvantages. It's up to you to decide what you prefer.

Polyurethane foam mattresses - benefit or harm

Foam mattresses are harmful to health. And the point here is not even the chemical properties of polyurethane foam. If we isolate foam rubber from the external environment, the mattress will still be dangerous. Let's figure out what its danger is.

Human health directly depends on the condition of the spine. By exercising, following a diet, watching your posture and your weight, we are doing a good deed and giving the spine health. But all efforts are often dashed by dangerous polyurethane foam mattresses. The thing is that orthopedists strongly recommend sleeping on fairly rigid bases - excellent orthopedic mattresses with coconut filling, independent spring blocks and other goodies are produced especially for this purpose.

As for foam mattresses, they cannot provide healthy conditions for our back. They bend greatly, and the spine bends along with them - over time, this leads to its curvature and the appearance of degenerative changes, which we can see on X-rays and tomograms.

Foam (polyurethane foam) mattresses are too soft. Many people find it very comfortable to sleep on a soft base. But the body itself does not think so - if by the morning you feel numbness, tingling in your muscles, stiffness in movements and a complete lack of mood, you should know that your foam mattress is to blame.

Production of foam rubber of various brands

Let's take a closer look at foam rubber. Markings in the form of letters of the Latin alphabet indicate properties. Properties are set when selecting mixture components. The technology involves the combination of two main substances - isocyanate and polyol. They can be basic, and then you get standard foam rubber. To produce other grades with specified characteristics, polyols and isocyanates other than the base ones are used. In addition to them, catalysts, stabilizers, blowing agents, dyes, etc. are used in the process.

Marking of foam rubber

ST – Standard. Manufactured from one standard polyol. EL – Increased hardness, made with the addition of a polyol polymer. HL - Hard, instead of the base one, exclusively polyol-polymer is used. HS – Super soft and soft, production requires a special polyol in pure form or as an additive to the base one. HR - Highly elastic foam is produced using a different technology by cold foaming special polyols, and a system of two or three polyols is required to obtain a wide range of highly elastic foam. The process of producing highly elastic foam includes an additional operation, mechanical rolling of the block to open the air cells. To obtain viscoelastic memory foam, not only special polyols are needed, but also special isocyanates. There is a separate article on our website about the properties of memory foam and its benefits and harms; we advise you to read it.

Foam rubber of various brands

Characteristics and quality indicators of foam rubber

Buying high-quality springless orthopedic mattresses in Moscow or in another city is not a problem. Get acquainted with the labeling of foamed polyurethane foam. Find out what type of filling the selected mattress is and make an informed choice. In addition to the letter designations on the foam rubber markings, for example ST35/45, there are numbers. The first two indicate density, the second - the rigidity of the material. Density and hardness are the main parameters of foam rubber that are important for the consumer. They should not be confused with each other. Some brands of foam foam (ST and HR) show an increase in rigidity with increasing density, but this is not true for all types of foam.

• Density indicates how much raw material by weight was used to make one cubic meter of foam rubber. The higher this indicator, the better. With an increase in the content of the polyurethane foam polymer base per unit volume, wear resistance increases and the ability to retain residual deformation decreases - in other words, the foam rubber will sag less. This is the most important characteristic of materials for springless mattresses. With a density of over 30 kg/m³, the mattress will support a sleeping person weighing up to 90 kg for 5 years. Of two foam mattresses of the same size and height, the one with the higher density will be heavier.
• The rigidity of foam rubber is not related to the quantity, but to the quality of its constituent polymers. According to the international standard (ISO 3386 DIN 5377), the rigidity of foam rubber is determined by the force that must be applied to a foam rubber sample in order to compress it by 40%.

The density of foam rubber cannot be determined by trying to compress it. To compare this characteristic, measurements of the mass and volume of the samples will be needed. Stiffness can be assessed with your hands. For use in mattresses, hard and soft foam rubbers are used. The use of low-density polyurethane foam is a sign of a cheap and short-lived product. The undoubted advantage of foam rubber is its breathability. The hygienic properties of PU foam mattresses largely depend on ventilation. Foam rubber cells are formed during the foaming process; their sizes and wall thickness can vary. Cell sizes affect characteristics such as elasticity and the ability to undergo permanent deformation.

Kinds

There are several main sizes of these products:

120×200

It is the most popular and purchased. Made from high density polyurethane. The thickness of the mattresses in this series varies, but this does not particularly affect their price. Very practical and suitable for long holidays.

Main characteristics:

• comfortable;
• quite elastic;
• Available in different colors.

140x200

Suitable for a single bed. It has the same characteristics as the previous model, but differs in size. Comfortable rest is ensured by density - from 18 to 40 kg/cub.m.

160x200

Produced specifically for double beds. May have different density on each side.

Also, for a double bed, it is possible to buy 2 polyurethane foam mattresses, with dimensions of 80x200 each, choose the density and elasticity of the model individually for each sleeper, and thereby solve the problem of resting two people of different weights.

Custom sizes

Beds with non-standard sizes are often found. For example, if the bed is from a European manufacturer 180x200, then the mattress needs to be the same. Fortunately, in the modern world this problem is easily solved: just order the model of the required size from the manufacturer.

Polyurethane foam mattresses - benefit or harm

Foam mattresses are harmful to health. And the point here is not even the chemical properties of polyurethane foam. If we isolate foam rubber from the external environment, the mattress will still be dangerous. Let's figure out what its danger is.

Human health directly depends on the condition of the spine. By exercising, following a diet, watching your posture and your weight, we are doing a good deed and giving the spine health. But all efforts are often dashed by dangerous polyurethane foam mattresses. The thing is that orthopedists strongly recommend sleeping on fairly rigid bases - excellent orthopedic mattresses with coconut filling, independent spring blocks and other goodies are produced especially for this purpose.

As for foam mattresses, they cannot provide healthy conditions for our back. They bend greatly, and the spine bends along with them - over time, this leads to its curvature and the appearance of degenerative changes, which we can see on X-rays and tomograms.

Foam (polyurethane foam) mattresses are too soft. Many people find it very comfortable to sleep on a soft base. But the body itself does not think so - if by the morning you feel numbness, tingling in your muscles, stiffness in movements and a complete lack of mood, you should know that your foam mattress is to blame.