Described herein are physically crosslinked, closed cell continuous multilayer foam structures that includes a foam layer comprising polypropylene, polyethylene, or a combination of polypropylene and polyethylene and a polyamide cap layer. The multilayer foam structure can be obtained by coextruding a multilayer structure comprising at least one foam composition layer and at least one cap composition layer, irradiating the coextruded structure with ionizing radiation, and continuously foaming the irradiated structure.

An article comprising a polymeric foam, wherein the polymeric foam contains a continuous polymer matrix defining cells therein, the polymer matrix containing: (a) from 25 to 65 weight percent of one or more olefin block copolymer having a melt index of two grams per ten minutes or more, (b) from 65 to 25 weight percent of one or more chlorinated olefin polymer having a Mooney viscosity less than 60 (ML 1+4, 125° C.), and (c) from 5 to 30 weight parts of antimony trioxide relative to 100 weight parts of polymers in the polymeric foam, with weight percent values relative to total polymer weight in the polymeric foam; a process for preparing the article.

Disclosed are free-flowing mixtures comprising a granular material comprising a thermoplastic elastomer, a functionalized thermoplastic elastomer, at least one phase change material bound to the thermoplastic elastomers, and at least one binding agent capable of adsorbing and/or absorbing portions of the phase change material. The binding agent is substantially present between the granulate materials, and either: i) the proportion by weight of the phase change material in the granular material is 60% to 90% and the binding agent is a non-silicate binding agent, or ii) the proportion by weight of the phase change material in the granular material is more than 70% and up to 90%. Also described are various compositions comprising the mixture and methods for producing the mixture.

The present invention is related to a process for the production of a vinyl aromatic (co)polymer comprising the steps of: a) mixing a fraction (A) comprising one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, acrylonitrile, methyl (meth)acrylate, (meth)acrylic acid and butadiene with a fraction (B) comprising post-consumer recycled vinyl aromatic (co)polymer, wherein the weight ratio of fraction (B) to fraction (A) is comprised between 0.01/1 and 1/1, preferably between 0.05/1 and 0.5/1 b) subjecting the resulting mixture to a free-radical polymerization and polymerizing to a monomer conversion up to 90%, to obtain a polymerized mixture comprising vinyl aromatic (co)polymer; c) vacuum devolatizing the polymerized mixture and recovering vinyl aromatic (co)polymer characterized by a weight average molecular weight comprised between 100,000 and 400,000 g/mol;
wherein one or more bromine derivative capture agents are added before, and/or during and/or after at least one of the steps a) to c); and
wherein 100 parts of one or more bromine derivative capture agents comprises at least 50 parts by weight of hydrotalcite of the formula:

[Mg.sub.1-x Al.sub.x(OH).sub.2].sup.x+(CO.sub.3).sub.x/2.mH.sub.2O

wherein: 0<x≤0.5, and m is a positive number.

The present invention is also related to expandable and extruded expanded vinyl aromatic (co)polymer compositions obtained from vinyl aromatic (co)polymers comprising post-consumer and/or post-industrial vinyl aromatic (co)polymer and to a process for the production of said expandable and extruded expanded vinyl aromatic (co)polymer compositions.

A thermoplastic olefinic elastomer expanded bead, which is an expanded bead including a thermoplastic olefinic elastomer as a main component, wherein the expanded bead has an average particle diameter of 0.5 to 5 mm, the expanded bead has a heat of fusion of 60 to 80 J/g, and a difference [Tm−Tc] between a melting point (Tm) and a crystallization temperature (Tc) of the expanded bead is 20° C. or lower.

A polyolefin resin foam sheet includes a resin mixture as a base resin, the resin mixture including 0% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less of polyethylene resin, 30% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less of polypropylene resin, and 20% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less of a polyolefin elastomer, the polyolefin resin foam sheet fulfilling a range of −35% or more and 0% or less for dimensional changes in machine and transverse directions under heating for 10 minutes at a temperature 20° C. higher than a maximum melting point that is a highest melting peak in a differential scanning calorimetry.

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.

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.

Two part sole structures are provided having a first foam component containing a polyolefin resin with a polyurethane resin component adhered to a surface of the first foam component. For example, in some aspects, a sole structure or a portion thereof is provided having a first sole component containing a foam composition and a second sole component adhered to a surface of the first sole component, where the second sole component includes a polyurethane resin. The second sole component is in some aspects printed or extruded onto the surface of the foam. In particular, midsoles including the foams and having an outsole component on the ground facing portion are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the sole structures are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the sole structures.

A footwear article is provided. The footwear article includes a shoe sole. The shoe sole includes a crosslinked foam polyolefin elastomer having a density less than 0.88 g/cm.sup.3, the crosslinked foam polyolefin elastomer including: a silane-grafted polyolefin elastomer, a silane-grafted olefin block copolymer, a polyolefin elastomer (POE), an olefin block copolymer (OBC), or a combination thereof; an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer; a crosslinker; a condensation catalyst; and a foaming agent. The shoe sole exhibits a compression set of from about 1.0% to about 50.0%, as measured according to ASTM D 395 (48 hrs @ 50° C.).