Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the disclosed methods comprise selectively depositing a binding material on foam particles in a target area such that the binding material coats at least a portion of defining surfaces of the foam particles with the binding material. The binding material is then cured to affix foam particles in the target area to one another. In various aspects, the disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that differential levels of affixing between the foam particles, and thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A section of (cured and non-liquid) textured foam includes at least a portion of an upper surface that substantially resembles a look of a human fingerprint for a purpose of providing enhanced grip traction between the at least the portion of the upper surface of the textured foam and a hand or a foot of a user of the textured foam. Disposed opposite of the upper surface of the textured foam may be an adhesive backing for attachment to a diverse variety of exterior surfaces where improved grip traction are desired. Systems and methods for making such textured foam that substantially resembles a look of a human fingerprint may utilize a heating means and a compression means.

Described are flame retardant, porous plastic flame arrestors. The flame retardant, porous plastic flame arrestor is formed by irradiating a flame retardant polymer resin to achieve a fractional melt index, grinding the flame retardant polymer resin into a powder, and sintering the flame retardant polymer resin to form a porous structure. Irradiating the flame retardant polymer resin increases the resin's molecular weight and reduces the resin's melt index through crosslinking.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a foam. A variety of foams and foam components and compositions for forming the foams are provided. In some aspects, the foams and components including the foams can have exceptionally high energy return while also having improved durability and softness. In particular, midsoles including the foams are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding or injection molding followed by compression molding.

A thermally expandable composition that comprises at least one organic compound having at least one cyclic carbonate group as a blowing agent, at least one catalyst for the blowing agent, at least one reactive binder and at least one hardener and/or accelerator. Also provided are molded bodies containing the composition, and a method for sealing and filling hollow spaces in components, in order to strengthen or stiffen components, in particular hollow components, and for adhering movable components through use of molded bodies of this type, as well as to the use of corresponding cyclic organic carbonates as a blowing agent in thermally expandable compositions.

A molded foam that can be easily taken out of split mold blocks is provided. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a molded foam is obtained by clamping, with split mold blocks, foamed resin obtained by melting and kneading a polyethylene-based resin, wherein the molded foam has a MFR (190° C., g/10 min) of less than 0.8, or the polyethylene-based resin has a MFR (190° C., g/10 min) of not more than 1.0.

The invention relates to a method in which a polyester melt containing one or more polyesters is produced, the polyester melt being foamed by a blowing agent and a foamed granulate is produced from the foamed polyester melt. The intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the polyester melt is reduced by the blowing agent about at least 0.05 dl/g, measured according to ASTM D4603, and the IV of the foamed granulate is then increased by means of a solid phase polycondensation (SSP).

A liquid resin composition may include a base resin (A) in an amount of 100 parts by weight, a chemical foaming agent (B) in an amount of 2 parts by weight or more and 100 parts by weight or less, and water (C) in an amount of 1 part by weight or more and 30 parts by weight or less. The base resin may be a polymer that includes a hydrolyzable group bonded to a silicon atom, at least one reactive silicon group that is capable of being crosslinked by forming a siloxane bond, and a main chain that is constituted by an oxyalkylene-based monomer unit. The chemical foaming agent (B) may include a bicarbonate (B-1) and an acidic compound (B-2) having an acid dissociation constant pKa of 3.0 or less.

The present disclosure relates to a shock pad for artificial turf systems, wherein said shock pad comprises low density expanded polyethylene (EPE). An object of the present disclosure is to provide a shock pad providing improved shock absorption and/or energy restitution characteristics to artificial turf systems. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide artificial turf systems having improved shock absorption and/or energy restitution characteristics, especially over a prolonged period of time.

The present invention relates to an expandable polymeric composition that comprises: a) from 60% to 88% by weight of a vinyl aromatic polymer and/or copolymer, calculated respect to (a)+(b); b) from 12% to 40% by weight of a block copolymer, containing at least one vinyl aromatic polymer and/or copolymer and at least one hydrogenated diene polymer, calculated respect to (a)+(b); c) from 3 parts to 10 parts by weight of a blowing agent, calculated on 100 parts of (a)+(b).