Traditional innerspring and foam mattresses have been there for a long time. However, advancement in bedding technology has led to the creation of new products like gel memory foam mattress that offer pressure point relief and exceptional contouring. Here we take a look at techniques used to deliver the best gel memory foam mattress.
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What is Gel Memory Foam?
Memory foam is a product of polyurethane which is treated with chemicals and additives. Due to its spring and conforming properties, memory foam is also known as viscoelastic foam. However, memory foam cradles body contours more than its spring action.
Since memory foam spring action is slower than latex, manufacturers infuse gel in the memory foam. The gel-infused in the memory foam generally forms the top layer of the gel memory foam mattress.
Different Gel Infusion Technologies
Manufacturers use different technologies to fill gel in the memory foam. The comfort level and experience change with the gel infusion technologies and the type of construction.
The most common gel infusion technology uses gel beads that are filled with gel. Other gel infusing techniques used are mixing the gel with foam ingredients and swirling liquid gel into foam, which is not set. The newest gel infusing technology adds gel on the top portion of the foam, which is nothing but a stratified foam layer.
Gel Bead Technology
The developments of gel beads added to memory foam add another dimension to comfort cushioning. The gel has high-temperature viscosities and a wide range of softness. It turns into beads, and the process parameters control the size of the gel beads.
The gel beads are added to the memory foam to improve comfort characteristics. Manufacturers use open or closed-cell foams to manufacture gel memory foam mattresses.
The gel bead size depends on the independent foam cell size, and the gel beads are distributed throughout the memory foam material. In this type of gel memory foam mattress, a barrier layer is not used, and the gel beads are in direct contact with the memory foam structure. The concentration of the gel beads varies, and the gel beads infusion during foam manufacturing.
Gel Layers Inufsion
The manufacturers also infuse gel in the form of layers in the memory foam. In this type of gel memory foam mattress, gel-infused materials are infused in the memory foam layers. They place gel-infused components in laminated layers with gel beads. The surface of the foam layer is more suitable for use in such cases, and two foam layer cushion embodiment is used in mattress construction.
Gel Pad Layer
The gel pad layer is also one of the conventional manufacturing technologies used in gel memory foam mattresses. These mattresses incorporate a gel pad either on the top or bottom. In some cases, the gel pad layer exists in the middle between two layers of memory foam. The gel pad layer is poured on the top into the foam mold as it sets or evenly placed within layers of memory foam.
The gel memory foam mattress gives the best cushioning experience, and the combination of the memory foam and gel prevents the sinking of the mattress too far.
