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Is memory foam really space-age material?

By Grubb Young

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 11Mar2010 Word count: 402 Viewed: 455 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Memory foam is often called a "space-age" material, especially by people who are trying to explain just what the dense substance is. Being that the later 1900's is generally referred to as the age of space exploration, or "space age", and being that memory foam was in fact invented by the NASA Ames Research Center in 1966, it is not a misnomer to call it "space age" material. Many people might find it surprising that the substance we now call "memory foam" was invented back in the 1960's. Compared to much of our modern technology, that might seem long ago. When it was first invented, memory foam was expensive to manufacture, and therefore cost-prohibitive in consumer items. Only more recently has it become less cost-prohibitive and the number of consumer products made with it has risen.

Upon touching memory foam, many people wonder what it is actually made of. It is simultaneously soft and spongy, yet dense and heavy. Memory foam, also often called temperature-responsive foam, is a polyurethane polymer based foam rubber that has been chemically enhanced to improve the material's density and viscosity. This combination of viscosity and density has also given the material the name "visco-elastic" foam. In a manufacturing environment, it is often referred to as polyurethane foam or polyurethane foam cushioning.

Memory foam is not a naturally occurring substance. Scientists invented it, and scientists continue to manufacture it. Because it is a human- manufactured item, many consumers report new polyurethane foam mattresses and bedding items to have a distinct "chemical" smell. This odor often recedes with thorough airing of the item, or with use over time. One contributing factor to the often experienced chemical odor is the federally regulated fire retardant treatment that all memory foam bedding items must undergo in order to be sold to consumers. Because memory foam is chemically made of polyurethane, which is combustible in an unaltered form, the use of combustion modifying additives is an important step in the manufacture of foam mattresses, pillows, mattress toppers, and other furniture cushions. An odor that dissipates over time is generally a small inconvenience for a serious safety precaution.

Safety is the reason scientists invented memory foam in the first place. NASA wanted energy absorbing cushions for astronauts so that G force would put less strain on their bodies during takeoff. From space to the suburbs, this space age material is more popular now than ever.

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