Shock Absorbing Foam

Why Sorbothane is a Great Solution for Shock Absorption

Sorbothane® is a one-of-a-kind viscoelastic polymer that was first introduced in 1982. Since its introduction, Sorbothane has been used in many varied energy absorbing product categories. It can be used in many different applications from The Liberty Bell to the Air Force Memorial to Race Cars to the Space Shuttle. But Sorbothane is different than other shock absorbing materials like foam and rubber and we’d like to explain why.

Sorbothane is a proprietary, viscoelastic polymer which has special properties that go far beyond the norm. Viscoelastic means that a material exhibits properties of both liquids (viscous solutions) and solids (elastic materials) so it will deform under load and transmit forces in all directions and then return to its original shape when the load is removed.

How Does Sorbothane Work?

Sorbothane combines good memory, shock absorption, vibration isolation and vibration damping characteristics. In addition, Sorbothane is an effective acoustic damper and absorber. While many materials exhibit one of these characteristics, Sorbothane combines all of them in a stable material with a long fatigue life.

While neoprene foam, polyethylene foam and other materials have been used in many shock absorption applications, Sorbothane has a low creep rate compared to other polymers (rubber, neoprene, silicone, etc.) and unlike other materials, Sorbothane absorbs shocks efficiently for millions of cycles.

Additional Sorbothane Benefits

Sorbothane can be purchased with a fire retardant that allows it to meet the Underwriters Laboratory 94 V2 standard so applications with potential fire and heat problems (like with foam), are no longer a concern.

If you’re looking for a solution for your shock absorption problem, consider Sorbothane over other shock absorbing foams, rubber and polymers. Sorbothane is a custom molder of our proprietary material and we also offer a line of standard products and sheet stock that are described in our Standard Products Guide.

Sorbothane’s manufacturing process results in ultra-low cost tooling, short lead times and cost-effective production for custom prototypes, high volume needs and everything in-between. Sorbothane is an excellent solution when shock absorption is a top concern.

Want to learn more about how Sorbothane’s shock absorbing foam can be a great solution for your product? Contact us today or request a quote.