What is the difference between Visco and memory foam?
Visco elastic foam is another term for memory foam. It is a blend of polyurethane foam that was developed for airplane cushions by a NASA contract in the 1970s. The difference between visco elastic foam and other types of polyurethane foam is its slow response and low resistance.
What is visco elastic foam?
Visco Elastic Foam. Visco elastic foam is another term for memory foam. It is a blend of polyurethane foam that was developed for airplane cushions by a NASA contract in the 1970s.
What is memory foam?
Memory foam consists mainly of polyurethane as well as additional chemicals increasing its viscosity and density. It is often referred to as " viscoelastic " polyurethane foam, or low-resilience polyurethane foam ( LRPu ). The foam bubbles or ‘cells’ are open, effectively creating a matrix through which air can move.
What is gel viscose memory foam mattress?
Gel visco or gel memory foam consists of gel particles fused with visco foam to reduce trapped body heat, speed up spring back time and help the mattress feel softer.
Is visco foam safe?
Is Visco Elastic Memory Foam toxic? Many people ask, "is Visco elastic memory foam safe?" This may come up simply because it's a man-made material or because they experience off-gassing. There can be a funny smell with new memory foam mattresses, but it should dissipate quickly and is not unsafe.
Is viscoelastic polyurethane foam toxic?
Is polyurethane foam toxic to consumers? It can be. Polyurethane foam, once formed, is a stable, non-irritant material (learn more about how PU foam is made here). The potential trouble it brings in consumer products is actually off-gassing, or when the products release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air.
What material is used in memory foam?
polyurethane foamMemory foam is what is known as “viscoelastic” polyurethane foam, or low-resistance polyurethane foam (LRPu). It is created by adding various compounds and additives to polyurethane, which change depending on the type of foam being created.
What is a visco mattress?
What is a visco elastic mattress? The viscoelastic mattress is made of elastic foam, also called memory foam. Viscoelastic foam compresses due to pressure and body heat, adapting optimally to body contours.
What is the difference between viscoelastic and memory foam?
Visco elastic foam is another term for memory foam. It is a blend of polyurethane foam that was developed for airplane cushions by a NASA contract in the 1970s. The difference between visco elastic foam and other types of polyurethane foam is its slow response and low resistance.
Can memory foam cause health problems?
Memory foam may contain isocyanates, which, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. Exposure to isocyanates can also lead to chest tightness and asthma.
What is the difference between foam and memory foam?
Memory foam is usually denser and more expensive than regular polyurethane foam. Memory foam does provide much a more pinpointed feel than polyurethane foam. While it provides a pinpointed feel, it is not as supportive as latex foam.
Does memory foam give off toxic gas?
Is off-gassing from memory foam toxic or dangerous? The short answer is no. While the odor from mattress off-gassing is unpleasant, it's not harmful to most people. A small percentage of owners report difficulty breathing, headaches, nausea, eye and throat irritation, and asthma.
Is memory foam good for your body?
"When you lie on the memory foam, the heat from your body softens it in appropriate points," Arand says, "so this helps to support your body along the curves and natural lines of the body." Memory foam manufacturers claim this helps relieve pain and thereby promotes more restful sleep.
Is all memory foam viscoelastic?
There's one clear difference between memory foam and viscoelastic foam: the name. Other than that, there's no difference between the substances. It's not a matter of them being highly similar but differently named foams. Viscoelastic foam is simply a lesser-used version of the popular foam you know and probably love.
What is the best memory foam mattress thickness?
10 to 14-inch thickWhat thickness memory foam mattress is best? High-quality memory foam mattresses 10 to 14-inch thick are good enough to provide body-conforming support. They are durable and can last around 10 to 15 years.
How long do gel memory foam mattresses last?
between five to eight yearsHow Long Do Gel Mattresses Usually Last? Memory foam and gel foam mattresses have a very limited lifespan when compared to other mattress options on the market. On average, memory foam and gel foam mattresses only last between five to eight years – depending on how well you take care of the mattress.
Is polyurethane foam toxic to humans?
Polyurethane is the result of the chemical reaction between a polyol and a diisocyanate. Once the chemical reaction of its components has taken place, the result is a polyurethane foam that is completely inert and harmless to humans.
Is polyurethane memory foam toxic?
Types of Mattress Foams But polyurethane is made from petroleum chemicals that can emit VOCs—harmful chemicals that can cause respiratory irritation or other health problems.
Is polyurethane foam hazardous?
Rigid polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams will, when ignited, burn rapidly and produce intense heat, dense smoke and gases which are irritating, flammable and/or toxic. As with other organic materials the most significant gas is usually carbon monoxide.
Is polyurethane foam safe to breathe?
Just like almost every other substance on the planet, polyurethane foam off-gasses, or releases compounds into the air. Yes, you breathe in these compounds when you sleep on these mattresses. But no, they're not going to hurt you.
What is the unique feature of Visco Elastic Memory Foam?
The unique characteristic of Visco Elastic Memory Foam materials to reshape around your body and mainly due to its heat sensitive nature to equalize pressure around the body therefore removing any pressure points became a groundbreaking technology that after being declassified took so many new forms and uses.
When did memory foam become popular?
In early 1998 , the Memory Foam became a big hit especially after Visco Elastic Tempur-Pedic foam was awarded the Certificate for “Certified Technology Seal” by NASA granting its long known name as Top-Level-Space-Technology derived by United States’ efforts and experiments in Space. At that point numerous other companies started producing their own types of Memory Foam which featured similar characteristics as Visco Elastic Foam, and that intensive competition dropped the prices even more. Nowadays we have so many different memory foam brands that its virtually impossible to list them here, but still all of them are based on the Tempir-Pedic Visco-Elastic Memory Foam.
What was the first use of NASA foam?
The first thing NASA foam was first used for was as pads and toppers for ER hospital beds where patients who couldn’t move in their beds and therefore experienced “bed injuries”. Bed injury is when one person stays stationary in it bed for weeks even months and the contact/pressure points on the body get irritated and infected. The Visco foam was the perfect answer as it equalizes pressure points and therefore patients did not get any irritation or injuries by staying for long periods of time in static position. That made Visco/Nasa foam extremely popular for hospitality use, but at that point in time it was extremely expensive due to its limited presence.
What is a viscoelastic mattress?
The Visco-Elastic Memory Foam Mattress is made from 5lb density SENSUS Memory Foam, a temperature-sensitive visco-elastic material that was originally developed 20 years ago by the NASA Space Program. This material provides equally dispersed support with no specific pressure points or sagging of the spine. The technology in Memory Foam Mattresses and Pillows has been clinically proven to reduce pressure and relieve pain during sleep. Memory Foam facilitates a healthier and more comfortable night’s sleep. If you suffer from sleeplessness or pain like millions of other Americans, then trying this mattress is a must. It is guaranteed to change your sleep and your life.
Is foam a new invention?
Visco memory foam is not a new invention, on the contrary its quite old. Originally Visco-Elastic Polyurethane Foam was known NASA Foam because it was developed in 1960 as a secret space-age project for NASA. The whole thing was that when a spaceship/shuttle takes off, the human body is pressed with very high Gravity pressure (I’m not sure but about 5 to 10 times the gravity force that we experience here on the ground) that is quite uncomfortable using hard materials as seats and therefore NASA needed something really gentle that is able to keep the astronauts from being smashed.
When was the first memory foam invented?
Memory Foam Developed by NASA. The very first memory foam material was developed by NASA in the 1970s. Their intention was to try to improve seat cushioning and crash protection for airline pilots and passengers. Memory foam has widespread commercial applications, in addition to the popular mattresses and pillows you are familiar with today.
When did memory foam start being made?
Major production of memory foam did not begin until NASA released it into the public domain in the 1980s . Fagerdala World Foams took up the challenge of producing this somewhat difficult product, and in 1991 produced the “Tempur-Pedic Swedish Mattress.”.
How to tell if memory foam is firm?
The firmness of memory foam is rated by the IFD (Indention Force Deflection), also known as ILD (Indentation Load Deflection) measuring the force in pounds required to make a 25% indentation in a 4 inch thick foam square. Also important in measuring the “softness” of a foam is the density. Foam densities range from 1-7 lbs, but a good-quality foam will usually be at least 4 and usually 5 lbs. A foam with a high density, but low ILD may still feel firm when compressed, especially in a lower room temperature. The density together with the IFD/ILD and the resilience will determine the softness, firmness, and life-span of the foam. Foam that is lower density will more readily conform to pressure, whereas higher density foam (usually 5-lb. or above) molds itself to contours when warmed by body heat.
When did NASA start making memory foam?
In the 1960s , NASA did work on materials that would serve as better cushions, and would also keep astronauts comfortable and protected from the extreme g-forces of lift off. It was then that memory foam as we know it came into being.
Is memory foam a commercial product?
Memory foam has widespread commercial applications, in addition to the popular mattresses and pillows you are familiar with today. Anybody who has gone shopping for a bed, a new pillow, or even a new bicycle seat or mouse pad wrist rest in the last two decades will have encountered memory foam.
Is memory foam made equal?
Not all memory foam is made equal, as many of the overseas manufacturers work at reducing the cost of memory foam by adding in other “filler” type ingredients that reduce the quality and potentially add toxicity to the formulation.
What is memory foam?
Memory foam. Memory foam consists mainly of polyurethane as well as additional chemicals increasing its viscosity and density. It is often referred to as " viscoelastic " polyurethane foam, or low-resilience polyurethane foam ( LRPu ).
When was memory foam invented?
Memory foam was developed in 1966 under a contract by NASA 's Ames Research Center to improve the safety of aircraft cushions. The temperature-sensitive memory foam was initially referred to as "slow spring back foam"; most called it "temper foam".
How does memory foam work?
Memory foam derives its viscoelastic properties from several effects, due to the internal structure of the material. The network effect is the force working to restore the structure of the foam when it is deformed. This effect is generated by the deformed porous material pushing outwards to restore its structure against an applied pressure. There are three effects which work against the network effect: the pneumatic effect, the adhesive effect, and the relaxation effect. These, combined, effectively slow the regeneration of the original structure of the foam, and allow for applications like memory foam mattresses. The pneumatic effect is caused by the time it takes for air to flow into the porous structure of the foam. The adhesive effect, or adhesion, is caused by the stickiness of the surfaces within the memory foam, which work against decompression, as the internal pores within the memory foam are pressed together by an applied pressure. The relaxation effect is the largest magnitude of the three forces working against expansion, and is caused by the memory foam’s material being near its glass transition temperature. This limits the mobility of the foam’s material, forcing any change to be gradual, slowing the expansion of the foam once the applied pressure has been removed. Since this is temperature-dependent, the temperature at which a memory foam retains its properties is limited. If it is too cold, the memory foam will harden. If it is too hot, the memory foam will act like conventional foams, easily springing back to its original shape. The underlying physics of this process can be described by polymeric creep.
Why is memory foam used in medical settings?
For example, it was commonly used in cases where the patient was required to lie immobile in their bed on a firm mattress for an unhealthy period of time . The pressure on some of their body regions impaired the blood flow to the region, causing pressure sores or gangrene. Memory foam mattresses significantly decreased such events.
What is a Rayon mattress cover?
Rayon has been used in woven mattress covers over memory foam beds to wick moisture away from the body to increase comfort. Phase-change materials (PCMs) have also been used in the covers that are used on memory foam pillows, beds, and mattress pads.
How to measure memory foam firmness?
The property of firmness (hard to soft) of memory foam is used in determining comfort. Firmness is measured by a foam's indentation force deflection (IFD) rating. However, it is not a complete measurement of a "soft" or "firm" feel. A foam of higher IFD but lower density can feel soft when compressed.
When did NASA release memory foam?
When NASA released memory foam to the public domain in the early 1980s, Fagerdala World Foams was one of the few companies willing to work with the foam, as the manufacturing process remained difficult and unreliable. Their 1991 product, the " Tempur-Pedic Swedish Mattress" eventually led to the mattress and cushion company, Tempur World.
What Is Viscoelastic Foam?
Viscoelastic is also a term used for memory foam. The only difference is it is made of adding several other substances along with polyurethane foam.
Top Features of Viscoelastic Foam
One of the best features of viscoelastic foam is that its low resilience helps the foam to sink and rise slowly with some pressure. Thus, these are more often used in bedding.
Memory Foam in Comparison to Viscoelastic
Memory foam products were invented in the later stages to promote sleep and blood circulation. Once again, these are also used in mattresses, toppers, bedding craze, hybrid mattresses, etc.,
Viscoelastic Vs Memory Foam
Foams can be of various types: memory foam, latex foams, and polyurethane. Memory foam is a type of polyurethane that is resistant to hear and possesses lower resistance. These are generally used on the surface layers of mattresses.
Why is Memory foam better in comparison with Viscoelastic?
Memory foam is known for its dense layers. If you have to compare with polyurethane foam, memory foam has more resilience. To add more, these are perfect for those looking for warm and cozy mattresses in chilly winters.
What is memory foam made of?
Memory foam, also called viscoelastic polyurethane foam, combines some chemicals compounds and additives to polyurethane polymer. When added to the polymer, the compounds increase their elasticity and density, and that factor allows the foam to contour to your body. It’s also called low- resilience foam. Let’s understand the terminology in simpler terms:
When Was Memory Foam Invented?
The viscoelastic foam was initially being Invented in the mid-1960s for NASA airplane seats. This highly energy absorbent and soft viscoelastic memory foam was not only comfortable, but its use in padded seatbelts and harnesses protected the astronauts against impacts and turbulence. As soon as it was developed and used by NASA, the memory foam entered into different areas.
How Does Memory Foam Work?
As discussed earlier, the most outstanding feature of memory foam material is its ability to molds (viscoelasticity). When exposed to pressure, it becomes soft and contours to the body by evenly distributing body weight.
Why is memory foam so expensive?
Memory foam is comfortable as well as durable. One may find the pricing on the higher side in comparison to other bedding material. The high price can be justified for the following reasons:
What is the difference between Pure Foam and Memory Foam?
Pure Foam or polyurethane foam is mainly made from petrochemical compounds, is less expensive than memory foam. On the other hand, Memory foam is a variation of poly-foam where is processed with chemicals that help it retort to pressure and heat.
How is memory foam density measured?
The density of memory foam is measured by dividing the weight of the material by its length, width, and height. It is measured in cubic feet and ranges from 1.5 to 8.
What is open cell memory foam?
Open-cell memory foam has internal pockets and is used on the sleeping surface.
What is visco elastic foam?
Visco elastic foam is another term for memory foam. It is a blend of polyurethane foam that was developed for airplane cushions by a NASA contract in the 1970s.#N#The difference between visco elastic foam and other types of polyurethane foam is its slow response and low resistance. Its soft surface allows for contouring and its slow response lowers bounce.#N#Visco elastic foam, like all polyurethane foam, is made from a blend of substances and has a tendency to off-gas. Those with lung sensitivities should do additional research about the quality of foam to ensure that it won't aggravate them.#N#Pros: Contouring comfort, competitive pricepoints, and widespread options.#N#Cons: Sagging and off-gassing problems with lower quality foams.
What makes memory foam contour?
In plain English, what makes memory foam is its ability to contour to pressure and return to its original shape slowly after pressure is released. This process allows for it to react to pressure differently across its surface and provide a contoured, but aligned feeling for sleepers.
Why does memory foam sag?
In mattresses, older or lower quality memory foam may sag from the repetitive pressure of laying or sitting. For this reason, those that are heavier should do additional research about soft memory foam bedding as they will sink more than alternatives and could lead to discomfort for some body types.
Does visco elastic foam have a tendency to off gas?
Its soft surface allows for contouring and its slow response lowers bounce. Visco elastic foam, like all polyurethane foam, is made from a blend of substances and has a tendency to off-gas. Those with lung sensitivities should do additional research about the quality of foam to ensure that it won't aggravate them.
Is MyFoamMattress.net affiliated with any mattress manufacturer?
MyFoamMattress.net is an independent buyers guide and is notaffiliated with any mattress manufacturer or retailer. Different mattress manufacturers and retailers may advertise on this website but we are not affiliated with them in any way, we do not act as agents on their behalf nor are we their employees.
Did NASA use a mattress in the 1960s?
NASA never did use that basic material in the 1960s. NASA mattress or space mattress technology simply does not exist as such.
