Curable compositions are provided comprising:

(a) an isocyanate-functional prepolymer having a weight average molecular weight of 4000 to 15,000;

(b) a curing agent comprising a mixture of polyamines, wherein at least one polyamine has an amine equivalent weight of 125 to 250; and

(c) an abrasion resistant additive comprising organic and inorganic particles. The isocyanate-functional prepolymer is (i) a reaction product of a polyisocyanate and a polyamine having primary and/or secondary amino groups; and/or (ii) a reaction product of a polyisocyanate and a polyol. Upon application of the composition to a substrate as a coating and after curing to form a coated substrate, the coated substrate demonstrates a coating loss of less than 0.33 cm.sup.3 after being subjected to 1000 cycles of a TABER Abrasion Test using S-42 sandpaper strips and two 1000 gram weights. Coated substrates and footwear components prepared from the compositions are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a method for producing a biomass-resource-derived polyurethane, which comprises: reacting a dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic diol to produce a polyester polyol; and reacting the polyester polyol and a polyisocyanate compound, wherein the dicarboxylic acid contains at least one component derived from biomass resources, a content of an organic acid in the dicarboxylic acid is more than 0 ppm and not more than 1,000 ppm relative to the dicarboxylic acid, and a pKa value of the organic acid at 25? C. is not more than 3.7.

The invention is directed to a polymer composition comprising 60 to 85 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polyurethane; and 15 to 40 parts by weight of a polyolefin, where the parts by weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane and parts by weight of the polyolefin add up to 100 parts by weight; and further comprising 1 to 15 parts by weight of a hydrogenated block copolymer derived from a vinyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diene monomer, based on 100 parts by weight as a total amount of the thermoplastic polyurethane and polyolefin. The invention is further directed to a molded article based on the polymer composition.

A process for producing a shoe sole, having a hybrid material of a polyurethane foam as a matrix material and an inlay component of expanded particles of a thermoplastic polyurethane is provided. The process includes preparing an inlay form by joining the expanded particles of a thermoplastic polyurethane in an amount and size of the desired inlay; preparing the shoe sole by placing the prepared inlay form in a shoe sole mold such that an edge of the inlay component is 0.2 cm or more from an edge of the shoe sole mold; embedding the inlay form within a reaction mixture in the shoe sole mold; and reacting the reaction mixture to form the matrix in the shoe sole mold.

Expandable thermoplastic polyurethane comprising blowing agent, wherein the Shore hardness of the thermoplastic polyurethane is from A 44 to A 84.

The present invention relates, at least in part, to integral skin foam premix compositions, foams, and method of producing such foams. In certain aspects, the premix is storage stable and includes a hydrohaloolefin blowing agent, one or more polyols, one or more surfactants, and a catalyst.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a shoe sole comprising a hybrid material made of a polyurethane foam as matrix material and of foamed particles of thermoplastic polyurethane by preparing an inlay of joined expanded particles (c) of thermoplastic polyurethane and placing the joined expanded particles of thermoplastic polyurethane in a mould and embedding the inlay with a reaction mixture obtainable by mixing (a) polyisocyanates with (b) compounds having hydrogen atoms reactive toward isocyanates, and if appropriate, with (d) chain extenders and/or crosslinking agents, and with (e) catalysts, and with (f) blowing agents, and with (g) further additives and reacting the reaction mixture to give the shoe sole. The present invention further relates to shoe soles, obtainable by such a process.

Improved soles and insoles for shoes, in particular sports shoes, are described. In an aspect, a sole for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with at least a first and a second surface region is provided. The first surface region comprises expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The second surface region is free from expanded TPU.

The present invention aims to provide a polyester polyol having favorable reactivity and a favorable color tone, which can be used for obtaining a polyurethane having an excellent balance of flexibility, mechanical strength, and chemical resistance, and a method for producing the polyester polyol. The object can be achieved with a polyester polyol in which an aliphatic diol contains as a structural unit 1,10-decanediol derived from a biomass resource, and in which the aldehyde body content in the polyester polyol is 0.01 to 0.5% by weight, and a method for producing the polyester polyol.

Expandable thermoplastic polyurethane comprising blowing agent, wherein the Shore hardness of the thermoplastic polyurethane is from A 44 to A 84.