The current disclosure provides reinforced aerogel compositions that are durable and easy to handle, have favorable performance in aqueous environments, have favorable insulation properties, and have favorable, reaction to fire, combustion and flame-resistance properties. Also provided are methods of preparing or manufacturing such reinforced aerogel compositions. In certain embodiments, the composition has a silica-based aerogel framework, reinforced with an open-cell macroporous framework, and includes one or more fire-class additives, where the silica-based aerogel framework comprises at least one hydrophobic-bound silicon and the composition or each of its components has desired properties.

Heterophasic copolymers of propylene and an alpha olefin comonomer having a matrix phase and a fill phase, particularly, a heterophasic copolymer having a high fill phase content (greater than or equal to 50%), are provided herein. Polymerization methods and catalyst systems for producing such heterophasic copolymers are also provided.

A method for producing a foam body (10) having an internal structure (100, 200, 300), comprising the steps: I) selecting an internal structure (100, 200, 300) to be formed in the foam body (10), the structure comprising a first polymer material; II) providing a foam body (10), the foam body (10) comprising a second polymer material which is different to the first polymer material; III) injecting, by means of an injection means (20), a predefined amount of a melt of the first polymer material or a predefined amount of a reaction mixture (30, 31, 32) which reacts to form the first polymer material at a predefined location inside the foam body (10), corresponding to a volume element of the internal structure (100, 200, 300); IV) repeating step III) for further predefined locations inside the foam body (10), corresponding to further volume elements of the internal structure (10), until the internal structure (10) is formed. The invention also relates to a foam body (10) which has an internal structure (100, 200, 300) and is obtainable by the method according to the invention.

Combinations of gelatinous elastomer and polyurethane foam may be made by introducing a plasticized A-B-A triblock copolymer resin and/or an A-B diblock copolymer resin into a mixture of polyurethane foam forming components including a polyol and an isocyanate. The plasticized copolymer resin is polymerized to form the gelatinous elastomer in-situ while simultaneously polymerizing the polyol and the isocyanate to form polyurethane foam. The polyurethane reaction is exothermic and can generate sufficient temperature to melt the styrene-portion of the A-B-A triblock copolymer resin thereby extending the crosslinking and in some cases integrating the A-B-A triblock copolymer within the polyurethane polymer matrix. The combination has a marbled appearance. The gel component has higher heat capacity than polyurethane foam and thus has good thermal conductivity and acts as a heat sink. Another advantage of in situ gel-foam is that the gel component provides higher support factors compared to the base foam alone.

Combinations of open cell flexible foams with polyurethane gel particles, and methods of making the combinations are described using a variety of procedures. The open cell flexible foam may partially or wholly comprise polyurethane foam and latex foam.

The current disclosure provides reinforced aerogel compositions that are durable and easy to handle, have favorable performance in aqueous environments, have favorable insulation properties, and have favorable, reaction to fire, combustion and flame-resistance properties. Also provided are methods of preparing or manufacturing such reinforced aerogel compositions. In certain embodiments, the composition has a silica-based aerogel framework, reinforced with an open-cell macroporous framework, and includes one or more fire-class additives, where the silica-based aerogel framework comprises at least one hydrophobic-bound silicon and the composition or each of its components has desired properties.

Provided herein are novel foam composites comprising a chitosan-cellulose-MXene hydrogel that has been adsorbed into a foam. Hydrophilic surface-modified two-dimensional MXenes nanosheets integrated into one-dimensional activated cellulose microfibers and three-dimensional neutralized chitosan hydrogel are adsorbed into a foam, for example polyurethane foam, to create the foam composites. Also described herein are the use of the foam composites for the purification of water, including the removal of at least one heavy metal.

A method of forming a high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) foam is provided. A nitroxide-containing monomer can be used in combination with other monomers that can then be used to make a high internal phase emulsion foam upon curing. The nitroxide group can subsequently be used to control the radical polymerization of many monomers, which can be grafted from the surface of the high internal phase emulsion foam. The resulting foam can be useful in performing separations of radioactive species, metals, metal ions, multi-element ions, metal complexes, halides, and organic chemical species in chemical process streams, clean-up operations, etc.

Combinations of open cell flexible foams with polyurethane gel particles, and methods of making the combinations are described using a variety of procedures. The open cell flexible foam may partially or wholly comprise polyurethane foam and latex foam.

An air adsorbing and sound absorbing structure with a first portion comprising a first material comprising an open-celled foam with an air-adsorbing material coupled to the foam, where the first portion has a first air adsorption capacity and a first density. There is a second portion fixed to or integral with the first portion, wherein the second portion comprises one or more of: a different material than the first material, a second air adsorption capacity that is different than the first air adsorption capacity, and a second density that is different than the first density.