How to Make a Memory Foam Mattress
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Memory Foam is the technological brainchild of NASA’s space program. It was initially developed to help shield astronauts from the harmful G-forces experienced on shuttle flights at take-off and landing.
It was not until the 1980s that visco-elastic polyurethane foam came onto the consumer market and it was another decade before technological advances brought prices down and made it obtainable for the average consumer.
That brief history is important in understanding that a memory foam mattress is a radical departure from traditional inner-spring mattress products.
The foundation of Memory Foam is polyurethane, a viscous material that is the product of a complex chemical reaction. When the materials are combined, a reaction occurs that forms bubble-like cells that expand to form flexible foam. Each manufacturer has its own recipe for making polyurethane and the exact formulas vary.
Manufacturers pour the mixture into a mold or similar apparatus to create a form and allow it to sit and cure. The polyurethane takes only a few minutes to solidify to the point where it can be cut to size for specific applications such as mattresses.
Most memory foam mattresses are composed of two or more stacked layers. Typically, a thick bottom layer that forms a firm base and a more viscous top layer that provides the much-sought-after body contouring properties that makes Memory Foam famous.
The density and layer thickness of the foam greatly determines the comfort level and durability of the mattress. The cell structure of Memory Foam can vary from mostly open to nearly closed. The more-closed the cell structure, the less air flows through the foam causing a “warmer” sleep. Conversely, “breathable” foams will have a more open cell structure which also makes for quicker recovery.
