A method of curing a composite part, including placing an uncured composite part on a mandrel, placing a plurality of expandable pellets on the uncured composite part, expanding the plurality of expandable pellets, applying a positive pressure to the uncured composite part, and curing the uncured composite part.

A method of producing a fibrous web, according to which method a fibrous web is formed of foamed fibre dispersion, by using foam forming. According to the present invention, the foamed fibre dispersion comprises recycled textile fibres and possibly natural fibres or synthetic fibres, or a mixture thereof, in which case, of the fibres in the fibre layer, at least 30% % by weight, in particular at least 50% by weight, is sourced from recycled textile fibres. The present invention generates a product with which it is possible to replace, for example, plastic in bag and package applications. The present product is also suitable, for example, for various textile and furniture applications.

A method of producing a fibrous web, according to which method a fibrous web is formed of foamed fibre dispersion, by using foam forming. According to the present invention, the foamed fibre dispersion comprises recycled textile fibres and possibly natural fibres or synthetic fibres, or a mixture thereof, in which case, of the fibres in the fibre layer, at least 30% % by weight, in particular at least 50% by weight, is sourced from recycled textile fibres. The present invention generates a product with which it is possible to replace, for example, plastic in bag and package applications. The present product is also suitable, for example, for various textile and furniture applications.

The present invention relates to a process for producing colored foamed particles consisting of an elastomer (E), at least comprising the providing of foamed particles made of at least one elastomer (E), and the contacting of the particles with a mixture (MF) comprising a dye (F) and a carrier fluid (TF) to obtain colored foamed particles, wherein the carrier fluid (TF) has a polarity suitable for sorption of the carrier fluid into the elastomer. The present invention further relates to cpspolored foamed particles obtained or obtainable by such a process, and to the use of the colored foamed particles of the invention for production of shaped bodies, especially of footwear soles, parts of a footwear sole, bicycle saddles, cushions, mattresses, underlays, handles, protective films, floor coverings, and components in the automotive interior and exterior sector.

A sponge for oil-water separation, which is prepared by reacting a polyol blend with a polyisocyanate and graphene, in the presence of a catalyst, a foaming agent and a foam stabilizer. The polyol blend includes: a first polyol component having a hydroxyl number of 33 to 60 mg KOH/g and an oxyethylene content of 50 to 80 mol %; a second polyol component having a hydroxyl number of 80 to 300 mg KOH/g and having an oxyethylene content of 50 to 80 mol %; a graft polyol component having a hydroxyl number of 20 to 40 mg KOH/g; a tetrafunctional polyol component having a hydroxyl number of 350 to 650 mg KOH/g; and glycerol.

A sponge for oil-water separation, which is prepared by reacting a polyol blend with a polyisocyanate and graphene, in the presence of a catalyst, a foaming agent and a foam stabilizer. The polyol blend includes: a first polyol component having a hydroxyl number of 33 to 60 mg KOH/g and an oxyethylene content of 50 to 80 mol %; a second polyol component having a hydroxyl number of 80 to 300 mg KOH/g and having an oxyethylene content of 50 to 80 mol %; a graft polyol component having a hydroxyl number of 20 to 40 mg KOH/g; a tetrafunctional polyol component having a hydroxyl number of 350 to 650 mg KOH/g; and glycerol.

A foamed, opacifying element useful as a light-blocking article has a substrate; an opacifying layer disposed on the substrate, and a functional composition disposed over the opacifying layer. The functional composition comprises: (i) inorganic or organic spacer particles having a mode particle size of at least 1 m and up to and including 100 m, and which inorganic or organic spacer particles resist melt flow at a pressure of up to and including 100 psi (689.5 kPa) and a temperature of up to and including 220 C.

A foamed, opacifying element useful as a light-blocking article has a substrate; an opacifying layer disposed on the substrate, and a functional composition disposed over the opacifying layer. The functional composition comprises: (i) inorganic or organic spacer particles having a mode particle size of at least 1 m and up to and including 100 m, and which inorganic or organic spacer particles resist melt flow at a pressure of up to and including 100 psi (689.5 kPa) and a temperature of up to and including 220 C.

The present invention relates to a polyurethane, in particular a thermoplastic polyurethane, obtainable or obtained by reacting at least the components (i) to (ii): (i) a polyisocyanate composition; (ii) a polyol composition, comprising (ii.1) at least one polyester diol or polyether diol having a number-average molecular weight in the range from 500 to 3000 g/mol, (ii.2) at least one polysiloxane having two terminal isocyanate-reactive functionalities selected from the group consisting of thio group, hydroxyl group and amino group.

The invention additionally relates to a process for preparing this polyurethane, to the use thereof, to a molded body comprising the polyurethane. Furthermore, the invention relates to foam beads based on polyurethane, obtained or obtainable from the polyurethane, to a process for producing foam beads and also to bead foams and to the use thereof.

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.