Week 5

 For week 5, we were tasked to find a material that appeals to the group and discuss on this material can be replaced with something in an existing product and how changing the design will enhance the functionality of the product. Here is what our team discussed. 

Class:	DCHE/FT/2A/02	Group:	3
Name of material	PORON®
Chemical Name	NA (Mixture of Polyurethane Foam, Alumina Trihydrate, Titanium Oxide, Carbon Black, Fused Silica and PET)
General Description	PORON® foam is a cellular urethane which offers long lasting cushioning in a material for the first use and throughout the life of a product. Lightweight, flexible and with a breathable layer that draws water vapour and perspiration away this high density the material has been used in a wide variety of applications from insoles and sock liners to bag strap padding and many others. The material can be formulated in a wide variety of firmnesses and densities and is supplied in continuous rolls which can be easily fabricated: die-cut milled and laminated to other materials. In addition if the precise PORON® material doesn’t already exist, one can be custom formulated for the needs of a specific manufacturer’s physical and aesthetic requirements.
General Properties	– Long-lasting cushioning – Customisable  – Flexible  – Breathable
Opportunities	Consider using PORON® foam to provide in any applications that require protective cushioning. The ability to customise the foams can open up for special effects for exclusive products.
Discuss among the group how this material can be used as a direct replacement to a material in an existing product without any significant changes in the design PORON can be used in sports knee pads instead of the conventional polyurethane foam. Conventional knee pads using polyurethane Foam would deform and lose its function after a few months of usage. PORON, however, offers long lasting cushioning in a material for the first use and throughout the life of a product making the knee pads less likely to deform and thus allowing the shoe insole to retain its function after a long time of usage. The flexibility of PORON will not restrict the athletes movement when wearing them and its high breathability prevents the knee area from getting too hot and sweaty, making the knee pads more comfortable for use.
Discuss among the group how this material can be used to enhance the functionality of an existing product through some changes in the design.  A thicker layer of PORON can be used inside sports knee pads to provide more protection for the user. With PORON being light-weighted, the weight of the knee pads would not increase significantly and PORON’s high flexibility will still allow the athlete to move with little restriction.