There is provided a multi-layered foamed article. The foam article has a
layer of foam material on either side of an inner peel layer disposed
roughly in the middle of the foam. The portion of the foam in closest
proximity to the peel layer is subjected to the greatest amount of heat
during extrusion forming mostly large open cell foam. The foam near the
surface of the multiplayer foam article is cooled by the atmosphere or
contact with cooling surfaces and comprises mostly small closed-cell
foam. There is also provided a method for making a multi-layer foamed
article by co-extruding an inner peel layer sandwiched between two
expanded layers of a foam material. Each of the expanded foam layers on
either side of the peel layer of the article is easily peeled or stripped
from the peel inner layer and the multi-layer article is converted into a
foamed article with absorbing characteristics on one side and
non-absorbing characteristics on the other side. Thus, the foam is
predominantly open-cell on one side of the structure and predominantly
closed-cell on the opposing side. The open-cell portion of the article is
highly absorbent and easily soaks up liquids. The closed cell portion of
the foam article acts as a waterproof layer preventing liquid from moving
all the way through the thickness of the foam. After blowing the polymer
melt, the extrusion product comprises a foam article with a peel layer
disposed roughly in the middle of the foam. A preferred embodiment of the
multi-layer article is polystyrene foam for the two outer layers and a
polyethylene film as the inner peel layer.