Composite materials having superior material properties useful as impact absorbing devices can be fabricated by embedding a lattice structure (e.g., polymer lattice structure) within a foam, so that the foam reinforces the lattice structure under impact. Materials and dimensions of the foam and the lattice structure may be selected to achieve composite materials having tailored impact absorbing elastic and/or viscoelastic responses over a wide range of temperatures.

A cover for an electronic device that transmits and receives radio waves in a high-frequency band, the cover comprising a resin and satisfying the relationship of the following formula:

(100?frontal transmittance X)?(100?oblique transmittance Y)<55

(where the frontal transmittance X (%) is a radio wave transmittance at an angle of incidence of 0? of the cover at a frequency f (Hz), and the oblique transmittance Y (%) is a radio wave transmittance of TE wave at an angle of incidence of 60? of the cover at the frequency f (Hz)).

A cooking vessel includes a base having a flat bottom and a sidewall connected to and surrounding the base, thereby defining an interior space configured for containing food. The base comprises a layered composite material that includes a first layer of the composite material has a positive Poisson's ratio (PPR) and a second layer of the composite material is disposed in contact with the first layer. The cooking vessel includes a material having a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR).

A door includes a rectangular panel having a first face, a second face, and two pairs of opposing edges, in which the edges of each pair of edges are parallel and in which a first pair of edges is longer than a second pair of edges. The rectangular panel includes a layered composite material, in which a first layer of the composite material has a positive Poisson's ratio (PPR) and a second layer of the composite material is disposed in contact with the first layer and that includes a material having a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR). The door includes a hinge including plates joined together by a joint, in which a first one of the plates is attached to a first one of the edges of the first pair of edges and in which a second one of the plates extends beyond the first one of the edges. The door also includes a handle opening defined through a thickness of the rectangular panel.

A roofing membrane and a method of making the same is provided. The roofing membrane includes a top layer having a flame retardant and a first silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer with a density less than 0.90 g/cm.sup.3; a scrim layer; and a bottom layer having a flame retardant and a second silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer with a density less than 0.90 g/cm.sup.3. The top and bottom layers of the roofing membrane both exhibit a compression set of from about 5.0% to about 35.0%, as measured according to ASTM D 395 (22 hrs @ 70 C.).

A shoe sole composition and method for making a shoe sole are provided. The shoe sole includes a composition comprising a foamed silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer having a density less than 0.50 g/cm.sup.3. The shoe sole exhibits a compression set of from about 5.0% to about 20.0%, as measured according to ASTM D 395 (6 hrs @ 50 C.). The foamed silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer can be produced from a blend including a first polyolefin having a density less than 0.86 g/cm.sup.3, a second polyolefin, having a crystallinity less than 40%, a silane crosslinker, a grafting initiator, a condensation catalyst, and a foaming agent.

A moulded trim part for a vehicle, comprising at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer and wherein the trim part further comprises at least one tape consisting of continuous mineral filaments aligned substantially unidirectional and extending longitudinal parallel to the main direction of the at least one tape and wherein the continuous filaments are embedded in a thermoplastic polymer matrix and wherein the at least one tape abuts against and is laminated to at least one surface of the at least one open cell polyurethane foam layer.

An elastomeric article is provided that includes a composition having a silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer with a density less than 0.90 g/cm.sup.3. The elastomeric article can exhibit a compression set of from about 5.0% to about 35.0%, as measured according to ASTM D 395 (22 hrs @ 70 C.). The silane-crosslinked polyolefin elastomer can include a first polyolefin having a density less than 0.86 g/cm.sup.3, a second polyolefin having a crystallinity less than 40%, a silane crosslinker, a grafting initiator, and a condensation catalyst.

Fire rated building construction framing members and related wall assemblies are disclosed that comprise a sheet metal framing member (all profiles) in combination with a new type of multi-layer fire safety/sound reduction tape. The multi-layer fire safety/sound reduction tape comprises a flexible thermal barrier layer attached to a flexible intumescent material layer. In combination, the thermal barrier layer comprises a thermoplastic material that is on a surface of the sheet metal framing member, whereas the thermal barrier layer is attached to the intumescent layer such that the thermal barrier layer is between the sheet metal framing member and the intumescent layer. The multi-layer fire safety/sound reduction tape slows and impedes the spread of fire and smoke (during a fire) and also reduces sound transmission between adjacent rooms in a building.

Disclosed, among other things, are ways to manufacture reduced density thermoplastics using rapid solid-state foaming and machines useful for the saturation of plastic. In one embodiment, a foaming process may involve saturating a semi-crystalline polymer such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) with high levels of gas, and then heating, which may produce a reduced density plastic having high levels of crystallinity. In another embodiment, a foaming process may produce layered structures in reduced density plastics with or without integral skins. In another embodiment, a foaming process may produce deep draw structures in reduced density plastics with or without integral skins. In yet another embodiment, a foaming process may utilize additives, blends, or fillers, for example. In yet another embodiment, a foaming process may involve saturating a semi-crystalline polymer such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) with high levels of gas, and then heating, which may produce a reduced density plastic having high levels of crystallinity.