Disclosed are compositions and methods for creating a textured or patterned surface on elastomeric extruded film.

The present invention relates to a thermoplastic polyurethane composition imparted with crosslinking sites, which comprise a thermoplastic polyurethane containing crosslinking sites incorporated into the molecule of a polyol and/or a chain extender. The thermoplastic polyurethane composition has an easy-to-process viscosity at a processing temperature of about 130 C. or below in a low-temperature foaming process that is performed using an existing EVA crosslinking/foaming system. Thus, the thermoplastic polyurethane composition may be easily mixed with a crosslinking agent, a foaming agent and various additives, and when it is press-molded or injection-molded to provide a crosslinked foam, foam cells are easily formed by the crosslinking sites incorporated into the molecule of the polyol and/or the chain extender. In addition, a foam produced using the thermoplastic polyurethane composition has excellent mechanical properties and also has varying specific gravities depending on the amount of the foaming agent used.

A thermally expandable composition, including at least one polymer P, cross-linkable by peroxide, at least one peroxide, preferably at least one acrylate, at least one blowing agent B, preferably at least one activator for the blowing agent, and at least one epoxide group terminated polymer of the formula (I),

##STR00001##

wherein Y represents a n-valent radical of a linear or branched polyurethane polymer terminated with isocyanate groups after the removal of the n terminal isocyanate groups, Z represents a (1+m)-valent radical of an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or araliphatic epoxide containing a primary or secondary hydroxyl group after the removal of the hydroxyl group and m epoxide groups, m represents an integer with a value of 1, 2, or 3, and n represents an integer with a value from 2 to 4.

A rubber includes 5 parts by mass to 45 parts by mass of an uncross-linked EPM relative to 100 parts by mass of a cross-linked rubber polymer (other than EPM), and an oil in an amount equal to or more than the amount of the EPM. The rubber is foamed and has a specific gravity of more than 0.3 and 0.8 or less. A weather strip 1 and a hose 2 are formed of the rubber.

A thermally curable composition having excellent vibration damping properties, and having a small decrease in strength even if heated at high temperature is provided. The thermally curable composition contains a component (a) comprising (a1) a solid rubber, (a2) an olefinic double bond-containing polymer which is liquid or pasty at 22 C., (a3) a hydrocarbon resin in an amount of 0 to 22% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, and (a4) a liquid polydiene; and a component (b) comprising (b1) sulfur in an amount of 1 to 3% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, and (b2) an organic vulcanizing agent in an amount of 0 to 0.2% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

A method of making personal protective equipment, such as a push-in earplug, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of covering a substrate with an outer layer that includes an unactivated foaming agent, positioning at least a portion of the outer layer in a mold, and activating the foaming agent such that a portion of the outer layer expands.

A thermally expandable rubber composition, including at least one solid rubber, at least one processing oil, at least one vulcanization system, at least one filler G, 0.25 and 0.55 wt-% of 4,4-oxybis(benzenesulfonyl hydrazide), 0.25 and 0.55 wt-% of p-toluenesulfonylhydrazide and 0.1 and 0.5 wt-% of azodicarbonic acid diamide.

A thermally expandable composition, including at least one polymer, cross-linkable by peroxide, at least one peroxide, preferably at least one antioxidant, at least one chemical blowing agent, and at least one activator, wherein the activator includes at least one compound selected from formula (I),

##STR00001##

wherein radicals R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 represent hydrogen atoms or monovalent alkyl radicals with 1 to 10 carbon atoms which optionally include oxygen atoms; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 represent hydrogen atoms or monovalent alkyl radicals with 1 to 10 carbon atoms which optionally include oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms, and/or aromatic moieties or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together form a divalent alkyl radical with 1 to 10 carbon atoms which optionally includes oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms or aromatic moieties. The composition shows excellent properties in terms of expansion stability over a wide temperature range, can be expanded at temperatures below 150 C. and is suitable for baffle and/or reinforcement elements.

An inventive electrically conductive rubber composition contains: a rubber component including SBR and/or NBR, and 20 to 30 parts by mass of epichlorohydrin rubber based on 100 parts by mass of the overall rubber component; a crosslinking component; a foaming component; and a potassium salt of an anion having a fluoro group and a sulfonyl group in its molecule, the potassium salt being present in a proportion of not less than 0.01 part by mass and not greater than 1 part by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the overall rubber component. An inventive transfer roller (1) includes a roller body (2) formed from the electrically conductive rubber composition.

A flexible material for thermal and acoustical insulation comprising an expanded polymer (blend) based on at least one elastomer, wherein expansion is achieved by decomposition of a mixture of at least two chemical blowing agents, comprising the exothermic chemical blowing agent 4,4-Oxybis(benzenesulfonyl hydrazide) (OBSH) and at least one endothermic blowing agent.