SOFTLON is made

Softlon is closed cell physically cross-linked polyolefin foam products. 

  • Invented and commercialised by the Sekisui Chemical group, Physical crosslinking technology avoids harsh chemicals to crosslink
       the polyolefin polymers. 
 
  • This clean and unique technology produces material with superfine cell structure resulting in far superior physical and thermal properties.
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Extrusion
Extruding Polyolefin
Polyolefin resin is blended with foaming agents and auxiliary materials, then shaped through a high-precision extrusion process. This advanced technique ensures our products feature a fine cell structure and highly accurate thickness tolerances
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Cross-linking
Physically Cross-vlinking
Extruded polyolefin thermoplastic sheets undergo physical cross-linking through high-energy electron beam irradiation, which induces molecular cross- linking within the polymer matrix. This electron irradiation process represents a specialized application of industrial radiation technology and has been recognized with the Award of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan, for its innovation and contribution to polymer processing.
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Foaming
Foaming
Physically cross-linked polyolefin sheets are subjected to thermal expansion in a controlled oven environment, where they are foamed to achieve volumetric expansion ratios ranging from 5 to 40 times their original size. The resulting fine, closed-cell structure exhibits excellent resistance to water and chemicals, contributing to the consistent high quality and performance reliability of SOFTLON foam materials.
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Winding
Winding into sheets
Softlon foamed sheets are wound into continuous roll- form configurations to facilitate streamlined logistics and integration into internal downstream processing operations, including lamination, embossing, and tube forming.
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List of SOFTLON Grades

Softlon S

Standard Grade - Suitable for general applications

Softlon FR-ND

Flame Retardant to UL94HF-1 , RoHS Compliant - Designed for fire safety requirements.

Softlon IF

Excellent Elongation - High Heat Resistant Foam, Suitable for vacuum forming applications

Softlon NF

High Temperature Resistance – Suitable for Heat Molding

Softlon ES

Improved Softness — Enhanced softness foam

Softlon XL-IF

Thin Foam Range - Foam used as a tape backing material

Softlon OPC

Softness & Acoustic — Soft foam with sound absorption properties

Xlim

Ultra Thin — Extra thin foam for applications requiring minimal thickness

Softlon SP / Eplion QV

Superior Heat Resistance — Foam with exceptional heat resistance

Key Features of Softlon

SOFTLON is made from polyolefin polymer

Chemical resistance

Polyolefin polymers have good resistance to acids, alkalis and solvents.

Thermoplastic

Polyolefin is thermoplastic. Thermoplastic softens with heat and can be thermoformed, making Softlon an ideal foam material for thermoforming applications.

Ease of fabrication

A variety of methods can fabricate Softlon.

Water resistance

Polyolefin polymers do not corrode by water.

Elasticity/cushioning

Polyolefin polymers provide good elasticity and cushioning performance.

SOFTLON is made by physically cross-linking polyolefin

Thermal performance

Physically cross-linking produces fine and even cell structures. Fine and even foam cells contribute to lower thermal conductivity. Physically cross-linked polyolefin foam is ideal for energy saving and preventing condensation

Aesthetically better

Physically cross-linking produces smooth, aesthetically better, and intact skin on foam surface

Physical property

Superior tensile strength, tear strength and other physical properties.

 

Key Features of Softlon

SOFTLON is with closed cell foam structure

Thermal performance

Air trapped in closed-cell foam contributes to lower thermal conductivity and superior thermal insulation performance.

Buoyancy

Closed cell foam does not absorb water and floats on water.

Lightweight

Foamed materials are lightweight alternatives to solid (non- foamed) materials. Closed-cell and physically cross-linked polyolefin foam maintains good physical strength.

Sealing performance

Closed-cell foam has a very low water absorption ratio and is airtight, making it a good sealing material.

Surface Treatments

Printing

Softlon can be printed

Embossing

Softlon can be embossed with and without PE film

Corona Treatment

Corona treatment of Softlon improve adhesion of adhesive

Adhesive Coating

Adhesive tape can be laminated on SOFTLON Transfer adhesive can be coated on SOFTLON surface

Lamination

SOFTLON and other materials can be laminated by flame and wet glue. Extrusion lamination can be done on SOFTLON surface

Fabrications
of
SOFTLON

Shaping

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Thermoforming
Softlon can be vacuum formed and press moulded
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Slitting
Softlon can be slit by a slitter and a band knife
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Tube forming
Softlon can be formed in tubular shape
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Routering
Softlon can be fabricated by routering
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Die-cutting
Softlon can be cut by press die-cutting
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Vacuum Forming

Softlon is made from foamed thermoplastic. Thermoplastic can be softened by applying heat and hardened after cooling. Softlon performs excellently in tensile strength, elongation, and tear strength since it is made from physically cross-linked polyolefin foam. Softlon IF series and SP series are developed for thermoforming applications enhancing thermo-formability. These characteristics make Softlon an ideal solution for thermoforming applications.

NEW GENERATION OPENCELL FOAM

Key Features of Softlon® OPC

Unique Technology.

Softlon® OPC is a partially open cell foam made from Sekisui’s unique physically crosslinked foam technology. Unlike conventional open cell PE foams, Softlon® OPC is made without crushing the cell structure and skiving the surface. This allows Softlon® OPC to provide superior physical properties associated with a uniform cell structure whilst maintaining a smooth skin to enhance aesthetic value.

Outstanding features

  • Extremely soft and flexible
  • Excellent sound absorption
  • Available in continuous rolls for easy lamination & fabrication
  • Easily compressible with excellent recovery
  • Outstanding thermal conductivity
  • Durable and chemically resistant
  • Compresses to form an airtight seal
  • Wide operating temperature range
  • Fire resistant grade available
  • Available in a range of thicknesses and densities