Foam compositions with enhanced sound attenuation

A foam earpiece for a sound control device which can be placed in close proximity to the ear canal of a user to attenuate sound, the foam earpiece comprising:

• a polyurethane foam material formed of a polymer mixture of a diisocyanate mixture reacted with a polyol mixture in the presence of a catalyst mixture;
• the polyurethane foam material having a plurality of open cells defined by interconnected cellular walls of the polyurethane foam material and a plurality of pores extending through the cellular walls between adjacent open cells to interconnect adjacent open cells of the polyurethane foam material;
• the polyurethane foam material having a percent of open cells of 80% or more;
• wherein the average volume of the open cells of the polyurethane foam material is between about 8,000 microns3 to about 8,000,000 microns3;
• and
• wherein the average diameter of the pores of the polyurethane foam material is between about 5 microns to about 50 microns.

A method of forming an earpiece member for placement in close proximity to an ear canal of a user for attenuating sound, the method comprising:

• reacting a diisocyanate with a polyol mixture in the presence of a catalyst mixture to form a polyurethane foam material having a plurality of cells defined by interconnected cellular walls;
• crushing the polyurethane foam material to rupture the cellular walls between adjacent cells of the polyurethane foam material, wherein subsequent to crushing the polyurethane foam material, the polyurethane foam material has 80% or more open cells interconnected with adjacent open cells by pores extending through the cellular walls between adjacent open cells;
• wherein the average volume of the cells of the polyurethane foam material is between about 8,000 microns3 to about 8,000,000 microns3;
• and
• wherein the average diameter of the pores of the polyurethane foam material is between about 5 microns to about 50 microns;
• and
• forming an earpiece member from the polyurethane foam material.

A sound control device including an earpiece member for placement in close proximity to an ear canal of a user for attenuating sound, the earpiece member comprising:

• a polymeric foam material having a plurality of cells defined by interconnected cellular walls of the polymeric foam material and a plurality of pores extending through the cellular walls between adjacent cells to interconnect adjacent cells of the polymeric foam material;
• wherein the mode volume of the cells of the polymeric foam material is between about 8,000 microns3 to about 8,000,000 microns3;
• and
• wherein the mode diameter of the pores of the polymeric foam material is between about 5 microns to about 50 microns.

A sound control device including an earpiece member for placement in close proximity to an ear canal of a user for attenuating sound, the earpiece member comprising:

• a polymeric foam material having a plurality of cells defined by interconnected cellular walls of the polymeric foam material and a plurality of pores extending through the cellular walls between adjacent cells to interconnect adjacent cells of the polymeric foam material;
• wherein the polymeric foam material is sufficiently flexible to conform to a contoured portion of a user's anatomy;
• and
• wherein the average diameter of the pores of the polymeric foam material is between about 5 microns to about 50 microns.