A method for making an impact-absorptive material is introduced. The method involves mixing silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) particles, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and an appropriate amount of an additive, allowing the mixture to settle until tiny bubbles in the mixture are evenly distributed, thereby forming a colloidal solution raw material, adding a crosslinking agent to the colloidal solution raw material to form a colloidal solution plastic material, filling a die with the colloidal solution plastic material, heating the colloidal solution plastic material in the die such that it takes shape and forms an effective impact absorbing material, quickly and at low costs, for use in physical education, medicine, transportation, and safety-enhancing equipment.

The invention relates to a process for producing a composite structure comprising a main structure and an external shell connected to the main structure, where the main structure comprises a molded foam obtainable from prefoamed foam particles and the external shell comprises a hollow structure open at one end or at two opposite ends, and where a frictional connection is formed between the molded foam and the hollow structure.

The invention relates to a method for producing a foam-backed molded component, the method comprising the following steps: a) introducing a cover material in a mold (100), the mold (100) having a negative-profiled surface (310); and b) generating and maintaining a vacuum and/or negative pressure on the side of the cover material facing the mold (100); and c) pouring a foam material in the mold (100); and d) closing the mold (100); and e) molding the foam material; and f) opening the mold (100) and removing a foam-backed molded component, the foam-backed molded component having a profiled surface.