Open cell foam compositions are provided including a thermoplastic polymeric matrix and at least one filler. In some embodiments of the foam compositions, the filler includes nepheline syenite. Methods of making the foam compositions are described, the methods including (a) obtaining a composite materials containing a first thermoplastic polymer having a filler component and a blowing agent distributed therein; (b) coextruding the composite material with a second thermoplastic polymer and a third thermoplastic polymer to form a three-layer composition, wherein the three-layer composition includes a middle layer comprising an open cell foam formed from the foam composition, and the middle layer is disposed between the first and the second outer layers formed from the second and the third thermoplastic polymers, respectively; and (c) separating the middle layer from each of the first and the second outer layer. The first thermoplastic polymer is different from the second and the third thermoplastic polymers.

The rubber-plastic composite foamed material of the present invention is made by mixing and foaming a plurality of components including 100 parts by weight of rubber, 5-70 parts by weight of hollow glass microspheres, 1-50 parts by weight of carbon black, 5-50 parts by weight of soften oil, 1-50 parts by weight of sulfur ointment, 0.5-10 parts by weight of antioxidant, 0.5-15 parts by weight of crosslinking agent and 2-12 parts by weight of foaming agent. By including hollow glass microspheres into the composition, the rubber-plastic composite foamed material of the present invention exhibits better compression resistance and heat retention.

The present invention relates to self-foaming hot melt adhesive compositions and methods of making and using the same. Self-foaming hot melt adhesive compositions are formed by admixing a dispersion concentrate including a chemical blowing agent and a compatible carrier (liquid or molten) with a molten base hot melt adhesive composition at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the chemical blowing agent. The resolidified material is processed through a device that heats the material above the decomposition temperature of the chemical agent and cools it below such temperature before being dispensed. The device preferably includes sensors and a controller configured to prevent the material from accumulating an adverse thermal history during processing.

Presented are manufacturing systems, methods, and devices for forming footwear using scrap or waste plastic materials. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear, such as an athletic shoe, begins with receiving a batch of recycled plastic, which may include thermoplastic elastomers or ethylene-vinyl acetate, and grinding the batch of recycled plastic material. The ground recycled material is processed, for example, by adding a foaming agent that activates at elevated temperatures. The processed recycled material is placed into the internal cavity of a final mold that is shaped like a segment of the footwear, such as a unitary sole structure. To form the footwear segment, the processed recycled material is heated past the threshold activation temperature of the foaming agent such that the foaming agent causes the recycled material to expand and fill the internal cavity of the final mold. The formed footwear segment is then extracted from the mold.

The present invention provides a polyolefin resin foam sheet having an area density of 5 g/m.sup.2 or more and 400 g/m.sup.2 or less, and satisfying at least one of the following conditions (1) and (2) in thermogravimetric-mass spectrometry carried out at a heating rate of 10° C.min over an entire measurement temperature range of a 200 to 550° C. measurement temperature, condition (1): a combustion gas generation ratio X defined as a ratio of a peak area value of an amount of a combustion gas P having a mass-to-charge ratio m/z of 55 generated at a measurement temperature of 200 to 364° C. with respect to the peak area value of an amount of the combustion gas P generated over the entire measurement temperature range is 25% or less; and condition (2): a combustion gas generation ratio Y defined as a ratio of a peak area value of an amount of a combustion gas Q having a mass-to-charge ratio m/z of 69 generated at a measurement temperature of 200 to 364° C. with respect to the peak area value of an amount of the combustion gas Q generated over the entire measurement temperature range is 25% or less.

According to the present invention, a polyolefin resin foam sheet can be provided that has a high fire retardancy while maintaining a lightweight property.

Provided is a crosslinked polyolefin foam is made by crosslinking and foaming the composition, wherein a product of 25% compressive strength (kPa) and tensile strength (MPa) of the crosslinked polyolefin foam at normal temperature is 35 to 65.

The present invention provides an electret sheet that exhibits excellent piezoelectricity even by light stress. The electret sheet of the invention is characterized by including a charged porous sheet, in which the electret sheet has a compressive elastic modulus of 80 to 300 MPa when compressively deformed at 25° C. and a 50% compression stress of 120 to 300 kPa at 25° C., and thus has the excellent piezoelectricity for light stress and exhibits the excellent piezoelectricity even by light stress (0.5 N or less) caused by a pulse wave or a breathing.

Disclosed herein is a foam composition comprising an olefin copolymer that comprises ethylene and an α-olefin or propylene and an α-olefin; an unneutralized carboxylated olefin copolymer; a crosslinking agent; and a blowing agent; where the foam composition is substantially free from neutralized carboxylated ethylene copolymer. Disclosed herein too is a method of manufacturing a foam composition comprising blending together an olefin copolymer that comprises ethylene and an α-olefin or propylene and an α-olefin; an unneutralized carboxylated olefin copolymer; a crosslinking agent; and a blowing agent to form the foam composition; where the foam composition is substantially free from neutralized carboxylated ethylene copolymer; heating the foam composition to activate the blowing agent to form a foam; and crosslinking the foam.

A method of manufacturing a fluid control device includes extruding a polymer melt into a chamber defined by an outer surface of a support structure and a disintegrable metallic tubular member disposed at the support structure, the polymer melt comprising a high heat polymer and a foaming agent, the high heat polymer having a heat deflection temperature of about 100° C. to about 300° C. measured at 1.82 MPa in accordance with ASTM D648-18; sealing the chamber; and foaming the high heat polymer to produce a porous filtration medium in a compacted shape.

Disclosed herein are physically crosslinked, closed cell continuous multilayer foam structures that include a coextruded foam layer containing at least one of polypropylene and polyethylene and a crosslinked, coextruded cap layer containing at least one of polypropylene and polyethylene. 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.