- 24/05/2023
- Flexible polyurethane foam
Pelma, which has always been aware of the importance of care and respect for the environment, has developed Natura®, a medium/high density polyurethane foam, in conventional, high resilience (HR) and viscoelastic variants, containing renewable raw materials based on vegetable oils.
The right combination of technology and natural elements
Pelma's Research and Development Laboratory, which is constantly engaged in the search for new high-performance products, in collaboration with leading companies, has created a family of expanded polyurethanes based on exclusive, state-of-the-art technology.
Specially designed for the mattress and upholstery market, Natura®, a registered trademark of Pelma, offers the right combination of technology and natural elements in one high quality solution.
Using renewable resources for polyurethane foam
The decision to use vegetable oils for the production of Natura® is to be found in the company's desire to introduce the use of renewable resources in the polyurethane foam market, combining high quality production, with high physical and mechanical properties, with the benefits brought by the presence of these natural products.
Vegetable oils were already used for their therapeutic properties by ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians or the Chinese, for the manufacture of ointments, perfumes and creams, and are still used in the food and pharmaceutical industry today in the production of cosmetics and personal care products.
A totally eco-friendly and recyclable material
Natura® polyurethane foam is produced using the innovative VPF - Variable Pressure Foaming Technology, which avoids the use of uncontrollable and environmentally damaging blowing agents such as CFC/HCFC, methylene chloride, CO2, resulting in a material that is truly expanded with water only, and is totally eco-friendly and recyclable.
Pelma is the only company in Italy to employ this new technology, which provides significant advantages during the production process: higher quality and constant verification of the characteristics of the finished product.
VPF technology - Variable Pressure Foaming
The fundamental principle on which VPF technology is based is the use of vacuum and pressure as process variables during foaming. The chambers of the VPF system can be considered as closed reactors where pressure can be fixed and maintained over time.
This process allows a larger processing range and, of course, leads to new foams with excellent properties.
The VPF method has a high degree of environmental compatibility: the entire tunnel, within which the various production phases take place, is completely enclosed and all gases generated during the polyurethane foam formation reaction are contained within the plant, cleaned through the use of activated carbon filters and only then released into the atmosphere.