A method of microcellular foam molding an article is provided with filling a mold with a polyolefin compound; forming crosslinks in the mold to obtain a crosslinked mold; dissolving a supercritical fluid into the crosslinked mold under a predetermined pressure and at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time to obtain a second mold configured to allow the supercritical fluid to effuse through; and heating the second mold at a second predetermine temperature for a predetermined foaming time until a foamed article is finished in the second mold. A second embodiment involves using elastomers as foaming materials is also provided.

Methods of manufacturing wall structures having high racking strength are described in this specification. The methods include spray applying a foam-forming composition into a cavity of a wall structure, wherein the wall structure is disposed in a climate-controlled spray application station and allowing the foam-forming material to expand within at least a portion of the cavity to form a foam layer deposited in the cavity. In the methods, the foam layer is formed in-situ during the manufacturing method, and the density of the foam layer is selected and the relative humidity and dew point of the air in the climate-controlled spray application station throughout the spray applying is selected so that the wall structure has a racking strength of at least 500 pounds per linear foot.

A method of making a foamed article, for example a foamed component for an article or footwear, comprises forming a structure of interconnected, unfoamed, thermoplastic polymeric members spaced to define openings between the thermoplastic polymeric members. The structure may be made by printing a thermoplastic polymeric material with a three-dimensional printer. The thermoplastic polymeric members are heated to a first temperature to soften the thermoplastic polymeric members and the softened thermoplastic polymeric members are infused with at least one inert gas at a first pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. The first pressure is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened thermoplastic polymeric members. After being infused with the inert gas, the pressure is reduced to at least partially foam the thermoplastic polymeric members.

A method for manufacturing a foamed fabric includes providing a fabric which includes at least one layer including a plurality of first foamable filaments made from a first foamable polymeric material, infusing the fabric with a supercritical fluid in a pressurized vessel, subjecting the infused fabric to a depressurizing process to permit the at least one layer to undergo an initial stage of foaming so as to obtain a pre-foamed fabric, placing the pre-foamed fabric in a mold cavity, and heating the mold cavity to obtain a molded foamed fabric.

Foamed articles including a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric material, methods of making the foamed articles, and methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment incorporating such foamed articles are provided. In one aspect, a method for making a foamed article comprises placing an article comprising a foamable material and carbon dioxide in a vessel, maintaining the vessel at a first pressure and first temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and carbon dioxide is soluble in the foamable material, optionally exposing the infused article to a second temperature and second pressure, and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third temperature at which the infused carbon dioxide phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article.

Novel cellular solids and foams from amorphous materials with a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) and methods of forming such materials are provided. In particular, foams are formed by expanding or compressing hollow spheres made of a high strength amorphous material, which is defined as a material having high strength characteristics, but also possessing a glass transition within a confined space. Using such a method, it has been unexpectedly found that it is possible to make cellular structures, including both open and closed cell foams, with customizable properties from materials that have been inaccessible with conventional methods. Moreover, based on calculations high specific strengths and stiffnesses are expected.

Methods of preparing and using compositions and devices comprising compressible absorbent matrix material having mechanically-shaped sponge architecture are disclosed.

A method of manufacturing a foam body having an anisotropic cell structure, the method including the steps of: expanding a polymer at an elevated temperature to form an initial foam body; and cooling the initial foam body under a negative pressure. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a foam body having an anisotropic cell structure, the method including the steps of: (a) in a first expansion step, expanding a foamable polymer composition substantially isotropically to form an initial foam body having an isotropic cell structure; and (b) in a second expansion step, expanding the initial foam body anisotropically in a selected direction under a negative pressure which applies an expanding force in the selected direction to provide a final foam body having an anisotropic cell structure. Apparatus for the methods are also disclosed.

Novel cellular solids and foams from amorphous materials with a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) and methods of forming such materials are provided. In particular, foams are formed by expanding or compressing hollow spheres made of a high strength amorphous material, which is defined as a material having high strength characteristics, but also possessing a glass transition within a confined space. Using such a method, it has been unexpectedly found that it is possible to make cellular structures, including both open and closed cell foams, with customizable properties from materials that have been inaccessible with conventional methods. Moreover, based on calculations high specific strengths and stiffnesses are expected.

The present invention discloses the production of panels by a discontinuous process. The panels are produced by injecting a polyisocyanurate foam forming composition into the mold cavity at reduced pressure. The combination of certain polyisocyanurate foam forming formulation and the reduced pressure in the mold cavity allows production of and resulting sandwich panels in a discontinuous process where the produced panels are characterized by improved fire resistance.