High-Temperature Melamine Foam: Heat-Resistant and Fire-Safe

High-temperature melamine foam is specified where a component has to stay stable, stay insulating and stay fire-safe through repeated thermal cycling. The material holds its structure from −240 °C up to +220 °C, resists flame without added flame retardants, and stays a thermal and acoustic insulator across the whole band rather than only at room temperature.

FoamTech produces this material on its own foaming lines in Yiwu and Zhengzhou, China, and supplies it as sheet, profile or die-cut part.

Key properties

• −240 to +220 °C service window
• ≤0.034 W/(m·K) thermal conductivity
• UL94 V-0 rated without added retardants
• ASTM E84 Class A surface burning
• Fibre-free and low-shedding
• Dimensionally stable under cycling

Thermal behaviour from −240 °C to +220 °C

The service window is wider than most polymer foams can cover, and it is the reason this material turns up in equipment that sees extremes rather than in ordinary comfort heating and cooling.

• Cold end. The material does not embrittle at cryogenic temperatures, so it stays intact where a lining is exposed to cold-soaked structure or cold process lines.
• Hot end. Up to +220 °C the foam keeps its shape and its insulating value instead of collapsing, softening or sagging out of position.
• Cycling. Repeated heating and cooling does not break down the polymer network in the way it degrades many thermoplastic foams, so the part stays where it was installed.
• Low conductivity. At ≤0.034 W/(m·K), a modest thickness delivers useful thermal resistance, which is what allows hot surfaces to be enclosed without a thick build-up.

The combination of a wide service window and a stable cell structure is what makes the material usable as a combined thermal, acoustic and fire barrier in the same part.

Where high-temperature grades are used

• Industrial process equipment — lining enclosures, ovens and heated machinery where the surface runs hot enough to rule out ordinary polymer foam.
• HVAC and process ducting — thermal and acoustic treatment of air paths, including those carrying warmed air.
• Automotive and heavy vehicle engine bays — acoustic absorption near heat sources, where a melting or dripping foam is not acceptable.
• Energy storage and power equipment — thermal and acoustic barriers inside cabinets and enclosures, alongside a fire rating.
• Solar and drying lines — insulation and sound control in equipment that cycles between hot and ambient conditions.
• CRRC and marine hot services — lining that has to meet a project fire requirement while sitting on a warm surface.

Related pages: pipe and duct insulation and BESS cabinet thermal and acoustic barriers.

High-temperature specification range

Fire performance above ambient temperature

Fire behaviour matters more at temperature than at room temperature, because a material that is only rated in the cold may behave differently once it has been running warm for months.

• UL94 V-0 rated — the material self-extinguishes and does not drip burning material onto what is below it.
• No halogenated additives — the flame resistance comes from the polymer network, not from additives that can migrate or decompose.
• ASTM E84 Class A surface burning characteristics, with a flame spread index of 10 and a smoke developed index of 25 on the tested section.
• Low smoke — a relevant property in confined equipment enclosures, where smoke output matters as much as flame spread.

Our management systems are certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, with IATF 16949 for automotive and AS9100D for aerospace. Test reports are available on request alongside the shareable certificates listed on our certificates page.

Frequently asked questions

How hot can melamine foam get before it fails?

The material is specified for continuous service from −240 °C up to +220 °C. It keeps its shape and insulating value across that range, which is wider than most polymer foams manage.

Does it still insulate when it is hot?

Yes. Thermal conductivity is ≤0.034 W/(m·K), and the low-conductivity structure does not collapse at temperature, so the part continues to do its job rather than failing progressively.

Will it catch fire in a hot enclosure?

The material is rated UL94 V-0: it self-extinguishes and does not drip. Flame resistance comes from the melamine polymer itself rather than from added halogenated flame retardants, and the tested section also holds ASTM E84 Class A surface burning characteristics.

How does it compare with silicone or ceramic insulation?

Silicone and ceramic materials tolerate higher peak temperatures, but they are generally heavier, more expensive, and poor acoustic absorbers. Melamine foam covers the mid-to-high range while adding sound absorption and low weight in the same part.

Can it be die-cut for a specific enclosure?

Yes. We supply sheet, profiled sections, die-cut parts and laminates faced with foil or film, so the insulation arrives in the shape the assembly needs.

Which industries use this grade most?

Industrial process equipment, HVAC and ducting, vehicle engine bays, energy storage enclosures, and CRRC and marine hot services — anywhere a lining has to handle heat, noise and a fire requirement at the same time.

Request high-temperature data

Tell us the operating temperature, the surface you are insulating and the fire requirement the project sets, and you will get a factory-direct recommendation with the grade and thickness that fit. If you would rather send a drawing and full brief, use the full inquiry form.