PU Foam vs EPE Foam: Difference and Comparison

When the pockets of gas are transformed into a liquid and then frozen, they take the form of foam. These foams can either be open-cell or closed-cell and soft to touch.

PU and EPE are the two types of foams used widely for making beddings, cushions, sheets for sofa and other furniture and packaging.

Key Takeaways

1. PU foam is more flexible and soft, while EPE foam exhibits high impact resistance and durability.
2. PU foam provides better insulation and soundproofing qualities than EPE foam.
3. EPE foam is water-resistant and more environmentally friendly than PU foam.

PU Foam vs EPE Foam

PU foam is a closed-cell foam that is dense and strong, making it ideal for protecting heavy or fragile items during transport. EPE foam is a lightweight, flexible foam that is great for cushioning and wrapping objects of different shapes and sizes with good moisture control and recycling nature.

PU foam is considered to be one of the most common types of mattress foam that are shortened from polyurethane foam. Some denote PU foam as polyfoam.

PU foam is more springy and bouncy than other types of mattress foam. PU foam can have various types of external appearance depending on the material used.

EPE foam is a short-term used for Expanded polyethylene that is made of polyethylene. EPE foam is semi-rigid closed cell foam which makes it capable of absorbing shock waves and vibration.

EPE foam is used in packaging, Gym equipment, mats, etc. The type of material used to produce EPE foam is known as expanded pellets.

Comparison Table

Parameters Of Comparison	PU Foam	EPE Foam
Scientific name	The scientific name used to denote PU foam is Polyurethane.	The scientific name used to denote EPE foam is Polyethylene.
Invention	The year in which PU foam aka Polyurethane was manufactured and introduced is 1937 in Germany.	The year in which EPE foam aka Polyethylene was manufactured and introduced to the world is 1970.
Type of cells	PU foam is considered to be open-cell foam.	EPE foam is considered to be closed-cell foam.
Colour	PU foam is available in the market in many colors, for example, yellow, brown, black green, red, etc.	EPE foam is originally comes in pure white color and desired colors can be added to it.
Uses	PU foam is used a lot in different sectors of industry such rest are, automotive, furniture, construction sectors, etc.	The prime uses of EPE foam are in packaging due to its high efficiency of shock resistance.

What is PU Foam?

PU or polyurethane foam can have many uses but one of the most common use of PU foam is as a mattress. Although it is inferior to latex mattress yet PU foam mattresses are preferred by people since it is less expensive and durable.

Except for the mattress, PU foam is also used in sofa cushions, pillows, mattress toppers, etc.

The material used to make PU foam is known to be petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are derived from the procedure of reacting polyols and di-isocyanates that are abstracted from crude oils.

Other essential chemicals responsible for the production of PU foam are complex alcohol, petroleum by-products, diisocyanate, polyol, etc.

PU foam is mostly used as the upper layer of mattresses while a person can also use a single block of PU foam as a mattress. PU foam is not expensive and it offers the best quality.

But in given prizes, it is used widely on a high scale. In recent decades, mattress retailers have replaced spring coils with PU foam because it is low in density and can be compressed easily.

PU foam is one of the greatest mediums of reducing shipping charges since it is very light in weight. But this lightweight characteristic is also liable for the short life span of the product made of PU foam.

What is EPE Foam?

EPE foam is a very common type of plastic or foam that is used to make multiple things for domestic uses.

EPE foam is also known to be a thermoplastic resin that tends to melt at high temperatures and can be molded into different shapes, for example, foam, tubes, sheets, etc. Hence, it can be said that it is plastic which comes with no smell and odors.

EPE foam is very flexible and lightweight and for this feature, it is widely used in packaging. Because it gives better protection for fragile and tender objects by observing shocks.

EPE foam is also thermal resistant. EPE foam can be recycled quite easily by melting it down.

EPE foam is waterproof and oil resistant which makes it great insulating material. The density and weight of EPE foam can vary depending on many factors. EPE foam comes in pure white color hence it can adopt any color by mixing relative dye or colors.

These colors are added to the EPE foam during the melting process. The methods are used to process EPE foam are known as laminating, cutting, hot forming, trimming, etc. Because it is recyclable, EPE foam is considered environmentally friendly.

Main Differences Between PU Foam and EPE Foam

1. PU foam is purchased in big blocks, hence, it can be more expensive than EPE. While EPE foam is purchased in small blocks so it doesn’t need a large sum to be spent.
2. When a person wants to compare weight, PU foam wins the race by being heavier. On the other hand, EPE foam is lighter than PU foam.
3. Due to its structure, PU foam is commonly used to make mattresses. On the other hand, EPE foam is used to make sofa cushions.
4. When it comes to colors, PU foam has a wide range to offer its consumers. While EPE foam comes in white color only.
5. PU foam is also known as Polyurethane because of its production procedure. On the other hand, EPE foam is also known as Polyethylene.

References

1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0021955X10392200
2. https://academic.oup.com/tse/article-abstract/1/2/154/5567260

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023