An expandable thermoplastic resin particle including a polymer obtained by a process including polymerizing monomers including 60 to 80 parts by weight of α-methylstyrene and 40 to 20 parts by weight of acrylonitrile. A content of residual monomeric components in the expandable thermoplastic resin particle is not more than 0.5% by weight. When an expanded mold article is produced from the expandable thermoplastic resin particle at an expansion ratio of 10 times, foam cells in a cross section of the expanded mold article have an average chord length of from 20 μm to 60 μm.

An expandable poly methyl methacrylate particle including a polymer, which is obtained by a process including polymerizing monomers including 100 parts by weight of an acrylic monomer and from 0.05 to 0.15 parts by weight of a polyfunctional monomer. The acrylic monomer includes 90% to 98% by weight of methyl methacrylate and 2% to 10% by weight of an C.sub.2-8 alkyl acrylate, relative to a total weight of the methyl methacrylate and the C.sub.2-8 alkyl acrylate.

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.

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.

An expanded molded article comprising a fused body of expanded particles including a non-crosslinked olefin-based elastomer and not including a mineral oil, the expanded molded article having a density of 0.015 to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3 and a compression set of 25% or less.

Amide-based elastomer expanded particles comprising, as a base resin, a non-crosslinked amide-based elastomer having a Shore D hardness of 65 or less, and having an average cell diameter of 20 to 250 μm.

The present disclosure provides a foam bead. The foam bead contains at least one of the following components: (A) a block composite; and/or (B) a crystalline block composite. The present disclosure also provides a sintered foam structure formed from a composition comprising at least one of the following components: (A) a block composite; and/or (B) a crystalline block composite.

The present disclosure provides a foam bead. The foam bead contains at least one of the following components: (A) a block composite; and/or (B) a crystalline block composite. The present disclosure also provides a sintered foam structure formed from a composition comprising at least one of the following components: (A) a block composite; and/or (B) a crystalline block composite.

Expandable styrene composite polyolefin-based resin particles which comprise styrene composite polyolefin-based resin particles containing a polyolefin-based resin and 100 to 400 parts by mass of a styrene-based resin with respect to 100 parts by mass of the polyolefin-based resin and comprise butane/pentane in a mass ratio of 80/20 to 50/50 as a volatile blowing agent.

An expanded polypropylene resin particle includes a polypropylene resin composition that serves as a base material resin. The polypropylene resin composition includes a first polypropylene resin having a melting point of 140° C. or less, a second polypropylene resin having a melting point of 145° C. or more, and a polyethylene resin having a melting point of 120° C. to 135° C. The first polypropylene resin accounts for 50 to 75 weight %, the second polypropylene resin accounts for 25 to 50 weight %, and the polyethylene resin accounts for 1 to 10 weight %, wherein the weight % is based on a total amount of the first polypropylene resin, the second polypropylene resin, and the polyethylene resin.