A molded body, comprising a resin and cells, the cells having an average diameter of from 0.03 mm to 0.13 mm, and a number per unit area of the cells at a cross-section of the molded body being no less than 20 cells/mm.sup.2.

An injection molding machine for foam molding includes: a heating cylinder; a screw disposed in the heating cylinder; and a plurality of inlet portions provided in the heating cylinder and configured to introduce inert gas. An inside of the heating cylinder includes a starvation section on an upstream side in which a pressure of the resin is decreased, and the inert gas from the plurality of inlet portions being to be supplied in the starvation section. Each of the plurality of inlet portions is provided with a check valve or an opening and closing mechanism. A product P×N of an interval P of the plurality of inlet portions and a number N of the inlet portions is 0.5H or more and 1.71H or less with respect to a length H of the starvation section.

This invention relates to chemical polymer compositions, methods of synthesis, and fabrication methods for devices regarding polymers capable of displaying shape memory behavior (SMPs) and which can first be polymerized to a linear or branched polymeric structure, having thermoplastic properties, subsequently processed into a device through processes typical of polymer melts, solutions, and dispersions and then crossed linked to a shape memory thermoset polymer retaining the processed shape.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a foamed thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer product, comprising the steps of: 1) coating a binder: coating the binder on the surfaces of expandable thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer particles; 2) curing and molding: adding the product obtained from step 1) to a mold and then placing it in a vulcanizing machine for curing and molding; and 3) cooling and setting: cooling the mold after the molding in step 2) to obtain the product of the present invention. By means of pre-coating the binder on the surfaces of expanded thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer particles according to the present invention, the weight of the binder can be reduced, and the properties of the expanded thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer particles can be utilized to the maximum extent.

A method of forming a polymeric foam material is provided and includes providing a precursor material having a first thickness, the precursor material being an open-cell foam material and applying a uniaxial compressive force to the precursor material to compress the precursor material to a second thickness, the compressive force causing a cell structure of the precursor material to collapse. The method also includes heating the precursor material at a molding temperature for a first time period while the compressive force is applied, the first time period being sufficient to heat the precursor material to a softening temperature, removing the compressive force from the precursor material, and maintaining the cell structure of the precursor material in a collapsed state.

A process for forming a biofilm carrier suitable for use in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) is presented. A blowing agent is mixed with a plastic material to form a blended material. The blended material is then heated to a temperature where the blowing agent liberates gas by decomposition. The heated blended material is extruded through a die to provide the extrudate with a profile of the biofilm carrier. Advantageously, biofilm carriers produced in this manner have increased effectiveness when compared to conventional biofilm carriers.

An absorbent article and method of making the absorbent article are disclosed. The absorbent article having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core structure having one or more layers wherein at least one layer is a heterogeneous mass layer, wherein the topsheet and the heterogeneous mass are integrated such that they reside in the same X-Y plane.

According to one implementation, a composite material structure includes a corrugated stringer and a panel. The corrugated stringer has a corrugated structure including portions each having hat-shaped cross section. The corrugated stringer is made of a composite material. The panel is integrated with the corrugated stringer. The panel is made of a composite material. Further, according to one implementation, a manufacturing method of a composite material structure includes: setting a textile on a laminated body of prepregs; and producing the composite material structure by covering the laminated body with a bagging film, forming a vacuum state in a space covered with the bagging film, impregnating the textile with the resin, and thermal curing of the laminated body of the prepregs. The laminated body is a panel before curing. The textile has a structure corresponding to a corrugated stringer.

A shoe sole member formed by a foam includes cells having a certain size and being excellent in transparency in order to provide a shoe sole member being lightweight and excellent cushioning properties while having transparency.

The present disclosure relates to an extrusion apparatus comprising: a) a planetary roller extruder; b) a melt pump arranged downstream of the extruder; c) optionally, a fluid feeding equipment; d) a static cooling mixer equipment arranged downstream of the melt pump; e) a foaming equipment arranged downstream of the static cooling mixer equipment. The present disclosure also relates to a process of manufacturing a foamed polymeric composition and uses thereof.