Melamine foam

Melamine foam is a foam-like material consisting of a formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer. The foam is manufactured by several manufacturers worldwide, most notably by Germany-based BASF under the name Basotect. It has been used for over twenty years as insulation for pipes and ductwork, and has a long history as a soundproofing material for studios, sound stages, auditoriums, and the like. The low smoke and flame properties of melamine foam prevent it from being a fire hazard.

Melamine foam is the active component of a number of abrasive cleaner sponges. It is also used as the main sound and thermal insulation material for bullet trains, due to its high sound absorption, excellent thermal insulation performance and light weight.

Formaldehyde-melamine-bisulfite copolymers have been used for over twenty years as thermal insulation for pipes and ductwork.

The material also has been used for many years as a soundproofing material, where its low smoke and flame properties make it suitable from a fire safety perspective. Applications include in recording studio, sound stage, auditorium, and related contexts.

Melamine foam materials are also used in applications that combine the thermal and sound insulating properties. For instance, some bullet trains make use of these properties and its light weight, to perform these insulating tasks.

In the early 21st century it was discovered that melamine foam is an effective abrasive cleaner. The open-cell foam is microporous and its polymeric substance is very hard, so that when used for cleaning it works like extremely fine sandpaper, getting into tiny grooves and pits in the object being cleaned. On a larger scale the material feels soft. Because the reticulated foam bubbles interconnect, its structure is a 3D network of very hard strands, when compared to the array of separate bubbles in a material such as styrofoam.

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