A method for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.

A hollow article for use as a beverage cup, or as a container, the hollow article having an annular sidewall and a base wall defining a central hollow cavity, a top rim of the sidewall and a bottom end of the sidewall, wherein the annular sidewall has a plastics material composed of a sandwich structure of inner and outer skins and an integral expanded cellular foam layer therebetween, wherein at least a portion of the annular sidewall has an inner surface of the sandwich structure inclined at a first acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the hollow article and an opposite outer surface of the sandwich structure inclined at a second acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the hollow article, wherein the second acute angle is greater than the first acute angle.

A pervaporation membrane may be an acid-resistant polybenzidimazole (PBI) membrane. The acid-resistant PBI membrane may be a PBI membrane chemically modified by a process selected from the group consisting of sulfonation, phosphonation, cross-linking, N-substitution, and/or combinations thereof. The membrane may be thermally stabilized. A method for the dehydration of an acid material may include the steps of: contacting an acidic aqueous solution with a membrane of an acid-resistant polybenzidimazole; taking away a permeate stream rich in water; and taking away a concentrate steam rich in the acid material. The acidic aqueous solution may be acetic acid.

A process is provided for forming a foam product integral with a cover surface, which restricts emission of the carbon oxide during the step of preparing a carbon-oxide-mixed liquid by mixing carbon oxide into a first material containing polyol as a primary ingredient; under a pressure applied thereto. The process includes a first step wherein a carbon-oxide-mixed liquid material is prepared by mixing carbon oxide C into a first material containing polyol as a primary ingredient, under a pressure applied thereto, without effecting a forced stirring during said first step; a second step wherein said carbon-oxide-mixed liquid material and a second material containing isocyanate as a primary ingredient are impinged on and mixed with each other in a high-pressure foaming agent preparation device, thereby providing a resultant urethane material as a liquid urethane foaming agent; and a third step wherein said liquid urethane foaming agent produced at said second step is introduced toward an inside of a surface cover element under a pressure applied thereto.

A process is provided for forming a foam product integral with a cover surface, which restricts emission of the carbon oxide during the step of preparing a carbon-oxide-mixed liquid by mixing carbon oxide into a first material containing polyol as a primary ingredient; under a pressure applied thereto. The process includes a first step wherein a carbon-oxide-mixed liquid material is prepared by mixing carbon oxide C into a first material containing polyol as a primary ingredient, under a pressure applied thereto, without effecting a forced stirring during said first step; a second step wherein said carbon-oxide-mixed liquid material and a second material containing isocyanate as a primary ingredient are impinged on and mixed with each other in a high-pressure foaming agent preparation device, thereby providing a resultant urethane material as a liquid urethane foaming agent; and a third step wherein said liquid urethane foaming agent produced at said second step is introduced toward an inside of a surface cover element under a pressure applied thereto.

The present invention relates to a polymer foam laminate structure (1), comprising—a first solid layer (101) having a density of more than 1000 g/l, which is covered by at least one first functional layer (103), —a polymeric foam layer (105) provided on the at least one first functional layer (103), —a second solid layer (109) having a density of more than 1000 g/l, which is covered by at least one second functional layer (107), the at least one second functional layer (107) being in contact with the polymeric foam layer (103), wherein the polymeric foam layer (105) has a density of 20 g/l to less than 1000 g/l. The present invention further pertains a method for preparing a polymer foam laminate structure (1) and a composite component (1000) inter alia comprising the polymer foam laminate structure (1).

The present invention relates to a polymer foam laminate structure (1), comprising—a first solid layer (101) having a density of more than 1000 g/l, which is covered by at least one first functional layer (103), —a polymeric foam layer (105) provided on the at least one first functional layer (103), —a second solid layer (109) having a density of more than 1000 g/l, which is covered by at least one second functional layer (107), the at least one second functional layer (107) being in contact with the polymeric foam layer (103), wherein the polymeric foam layer (105) has a density of 20 g/l to less than 1000 g/l. The present invention further pertains a method for preparing a polymer foam laminate structure (1) and a composite component (1000) inter alia comprising the polymer foam laminate structure (1).

A method for producing a foam-molded product by using a plasticizing cylinder, includes: plasticizing and melting the thermoplastic resin to provide the molten resin in a plasticization zone of the plasticizing cylinder; introducing a pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent at a fixed pressure into a starvation zone of the plasticizing cylinder to retain the starvation zone at the fixed pressure; allowing the molten resin to be in the starved state in the starvation zone; bringing the molten resin in contact with the pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent at the fixed pressure, in the starvation zone in a state in which the starvation zone is retained at the fixed pressure; and molding the molten resin having been brought in contact with the pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent into the foam-molded product.

A ceramic separation membrane structure in which a zeolite separation membrane formed on a ceramic porous body is repaired, and a repair method thereof. In the ceramic separation membrane structure, a zeolite separation membrane is disposed on a ceramic porous body, and defects of the zeolite separation membrane are repaired by zeolite repaired portions containing zeolite of structure different from the structure of zeolite of the zeolite separation membrane. The zeolite separation membrane and the zeolite repaired portions are made of a hydrophobic zeolite having a ratio of SiO.sub.2/Al.sub.2O.sub.3=100 or more.

Laminar structures comprising a fiber reinforced layer bonded to an expandable filler containing layer to provide improved flexural stiffness to weight ratio at lower fiber loading; a process for the manufacture of the laminar structures in which the material are selected so that migration of the expandable filler into the fiber structure of the fiber reinforced layer as they expand is minimized or prevented.