The present invention is related to expandable vinyl aromatic polymers comprising comminuted coke, said comminuted coke having an average stack height (Lc) of carbon crystallites at least 4 nm, a volume median particle diameter (D50) comprised between 1 and less than 5 μm and being characterized by a span (D90−D10)/D50 below 2.5 Molded parts produced from the expandable vinyl aromatic polymers prove low thermal conductivities for a low foam density.

A method of insulating a register box in which the register box has a body and a duct. The method includes accessing the register box such that the interior of the register box can be reached, removing existing insulation from the interior of the body of the register box, injecting an expandable polymeric material into the interior of the body of the register box, and allowing the expandable polymeric material to cure for a period of time. The opening of the duct of the register box is blocked during the step of curing. The step of injecting includes inserting a foam gun into an interior of the body of the register box and directing the expandable polymeric material from the foam gun toward a wall of the body of the register box.

A vehicle PU composite component having a layered construction having a honeycomb structure, the honeycomb structure being reinforced by PU material, and the layered construction or the component being formed from PU material and having at least one component elevation. The component elevation PU material forming the component elevation differs from the honeycomb structure PU material reinforcing the honeycomb structure, and in that the component elevation PU material has a higher foaming degree having lower material density as compared to the honeycomb structure PU material. A method for producing a vehicle PU composite component having a layered construction having a honeycomb structure.

A method for obtaining an object, such as an interior design object or a piece of furniture, includes the steps of producing a base structure of the object, and applying a coating to at least part of the base structure. The step of applying the coating includes distributing, onto the base structure, a material castable in a mold or producing one or more preformed blocks of this castable material in a mold to be joined to the base structure, and subsequently machining the coating using machine tools to generate a final shape.

A plug assembly for use in a process for manufacturing an insulated register box has a body having a bottom and at least one side wall extending upwardly from the bottom, a rotatable element at the bottom of the body, and an actuator connected to the rotatable element and positioned above the rotatable element. The rotatable element is adapted to seal an end of a duct in an interior of the box of the insulated register box. The rotatable element is movable between an installation position and a sealing position. The actuator is cooperative with the rotatable element so as to move the rotatable element between the installation position and the sealing position.

Methods of recovering and/or recycling expanded polymer tooling, the methods including collecting expanded polymer tooling, reducing the collected expanded polymer tooling into smaller particles, treating the reduced expanded polymer tooling in order to yield an at least partially purified recovered polymer composition, and then collecting the at least partially purified recovered polymer composition. The at least partially purified recovered polymer composition can then be used to form new expandable polymer tooling.

A process for forming an insulated register box having a body and a duct in which an expandable polymeric material is introduced into the interior of the body. The body is placed onto a support, a plug is positioned into an interior of the body such that the expandable polymeric material expands between the back wall of the body and the plurality of side panels and the plug, positioning the assembly between a pair of conveyors such that the pair of conveyors holds the assembly tightly sandwiched therebetween, and conveying the assembly to another position adjacent an opposite end of the pair of conveyors.

A plug for use in a process of forming an insulated register box has a body with at least one side wall, a bottom wall and a top edge. The insulated register box has a box and a duct extending outwardly therefrom. The duct has a portion extending into an interior of the box. The body has a ledge extending outwardly of the top edge thereof. The bottom wall is adapted to abut an end of the portion of the duct. The ledge is adapted to abut an end of the box opposite the duct. A gasket is affixed to the bottom wall of the body. This gasket is adapted to abut the end of the portion of the gasket. The gasket is of a polymeric or elastomeric material.

A plug apparatus for sealing an interior of a duct for use in a process for forming an insulated register box has a frame, a shaft extending outwardly of the of the frame, and a plurality of layers of flexible material radiating outwardly of the shaft adjacent to an end of the shaft opposite the frame. The plurality of layers of flexible material are adapted to have an outer periphery bearing against an interior surface of the duct. Each layer of flexible material has an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the duct. The flexible material is formed of a neoprene material. The frame is affixed to a support surface having an opening therein. The opening is adapted to receive an outer diameter of the duct therein.

A register box for HVAC installations has a body with a plurality of side panels arranged in a generally rectangular or square configuration and a wall extending across the rectangular configuration, a duct opening through the wall so as to communicate with an interior of the body, and an expandable foam polymeric material affixed to an inner side of the side panels. The wall has a surface extending from the opening of the duct to the side panels. The expandable foam polymeric material is affixed to the surface of the wall. The expandable polymeric material is polyurethane.