Foam latex

Image of the bubbles in a foamed plastic.
Not to be confused with Foam rubber.

Foam latex or latex foam rubber is a lightweight form of latex containing bubbles known as cells, created from liquid latex. The foam is generally created though the Dunlop or Talalay process in which a liquid latex is foamed and then cured in a mold to extract the foam.[1]

Structural enhancements are applied to a foam by making different choices of polymers used for the foam or through the use of fillers in the foam. Historically, natural rubber latex is used for the foam, but a similar commercial contender is styrene-butadiene latex, which is especially designed for use in latex foams.[2] Mineral fillers may also be used for the enhancement of properties like stability, load bearing, or flame resistance, but these fillers often come at the cost of lowered tensile strength and extension at break, which are generally desirable properties in the product.[3]

Latex foam has properties of energy absorption, thermal conductivity, and compression that make them suitable for many commercial applications like upholstery, soundproofing,[4] thermal insulation (especially in construction), and transportation of goods.[5][6]

Foam latex is also used in masks and facial prosthetics to change a person's outward appearance. The Wizard of Oz was one of the first films to make extensive use of foam latex prosthetics in the 1930s.[7] Since then, it has been a staple of film, television, and stage productions, in addition to use in a number of other fields.

Single use plastics and polymer foams are often disposed of in landfills, and there is a growing concern about the amount of space this waste takes up.[8] In an effort to make the foams more environmentally friendly, research is being done into fillers than can achieve the same enhancements as mineral while also increasing biodegradability of the product. Examples of such fillers include eggshell powders[9] and rice husk powders.[8]

  1. ^ Eaves, David (2004). "Dunlop Process". Handbook of polymer foams. Rapra Technology Limited. Shrewsbury, U.K.: Rapra Technology Ltd. ISBN 1-84735-054-2. OCLC 290563345.
  2. ^ Blackley, D. C. (1997). "Choice of Polymer". Polymer Latices : Science and Technology Volume 3: Applications of latices (Second ed.). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. ISBN 978-94-011-5848-0. OCLC 840311458.
  3. ^ Blackley, D. C. (1997). "Fillers and Softeners". Polymer Latices : Science and Technology Volume 3: Applications of latices (Second ed.). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. ISBN 978-94-011-5848-0. OCLC 840311458.
  4. ^ Denisova, L V; Klyuchnikova, N V; Emelyanov, S V (2020-10-27). "Soundproofing materials in construction using polymer composites". IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 945 (1): 012010. Bibcode:2020MS&E..945a2010D. doi:10.1088/1757-899x/945/1/012010. ISSN 1757-899X.
  5. ^ Blackley, D. C. (1997). "Physical properties of latex foam rubber". Polymer Latices : Science and Technology Volume 3: Applications of latices (Second ed.). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. ISBN 978-94-011-5848-0. OCLC 840311458.
  6. ^ Eaves, David (2004). "Important Uses of Polymer Foams". Handbook of polymer foams. Rapra Technology Limited. Shrewsbury, U.K.: Rapra Technology Ltd. ISBN 1-84735-054-2. OCLC 290563345.
  7. ^ Miller, Ron. Special Effects: An Introduction to Movie Magic. Twenty-First Century Books, 2006.
  8. ^ a b Ramasamy, Shamala; Ismail, Hanafi; Munusamy, Yamuna (2015). "Soil burial, tensile properties, morphology, and biodegradability of (rice husk powder)-filled natural rubber latex foam". Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology. 21 (2): 128–133. doi:10.1002/vnl.21389. ISSN 1548-0585. S2CID 138552102.
  9. ^ Bashir, Amal S. M.; Manusamy, Yamuna; Chew, Thiam Leng; Ismail, Hanafi; Ramasamy, Shamala (2017). "Mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of (eggshell powder)-filled natural rubber latex foam". Journal of Vinyl and Additive Technology. 23 (1): 3–12. doi:10.1002/vnl.21458. ISSN 1548-0585. S2CID 135619011.