Final answer:
Solid cushions can be made of viscoelastic foam, polyurethane foam, or polystyrene foam, with each type offering unique properties like conformability, insulation, and versatility in a variety of industrial and commercial applications.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are different types of solid cushions that provide comfort, support, and thermal insulation. Among them, viscoelastic foam, often known as memory foam, is well-regarded for its ability to conform to the shape of an object, thereby offering tailored support. Another type, polyurethane foam, is highly versatile and used in a wide array of products such as high-resilience seating, tires, and adhesives. This foam is manufactured as a result of reactions between polyols and diisocyanates.
Polystyrene foam, also known as Styrofoam, is a lightweight, rigid, and insulative material suitable for packaging and building insulation. It's made from pre-expanded polystyrene beads and has a structure that includes many small air pockets, making it a poor thermal conductor and, hence, an effective insulator. Lastly, variations such as polyethylene (consisting of 86% carbon and 14% hydrogen) and polystyrene (composed of 92.3% carbon and 7.7% hydrogen) provide options for different applications ranging from the creation of containers to insulating materials.