FREMGANGSMAATE FOR FREMSTILLING AV ELASTISKE SKUMSTOFFER

1. A process for the preparation of a resilient foam based on a melamine/formaldehyde condensate by foaming an aqueous solution or dispersion, which contains a melamine/formaldehyde precondensate, an emulsifier, a volatile blowing agent and a curing agent, with or without conventional additives, and then curing the foam, wherein a) the concentration of the precondensate in the mixture of precondensate and water (without additives) is selected to be above the salient point of the 1st derivative of the curve which is obtained when, keeping all other conditions constant, the amount of water in the mixture of precondensate and water is varied and the viscosity of the mixture (measured at the boiling point of the blowing agent under the conditions prevailing at the start of foaming) is plotted against the concentration of the precondensate, which concentration must however not be higher than the value which in the curve described corresponds to a viscosity of 5,000 dPas, b) during the foaming process, up to the time at which the foam has reached 80% of the maximum attainable rise height, the viscosity of the aqueous solution or dispersion must not fall below the value which, in the curve described under a, corresponds to the minimum concentration defined there, but must not exceed 6,000 dPas, and c) after reaching the time defined under b, the viscosity exceeds a value of 10,000 dPas, due to curing of the precondensate, within 8 min, the viscosities referred to in b and c being measured, in each case, on a parallel system which is free from blowing agent.