A composite article having an elastomeric composition with a blowing agent having an activation temperature and providing at least one structural member defining a fixed gap. The composition is formed below the blowing agent's activation temperature into a solid elastomeric member approximately the thickness of or larger than the gap. The elastomeric member is assembled into the gap, which may place the elastomeric member in a state of compression in the gap. The elastomeric member is then expanded by heating it above the activation temperature. During expansion, the escape of the gas produced is limited to increase the state of compression of the elastomer in the gap by means of confining any free surfaces or by including a platy filler such as nanoclay in the composition.

Membranes and methods of making and using the membranes are described herein. The membranes can include a foamed polymeric support and a plurality of inorganic particles disposed within the foamed polymeric support. The foamed polymeric support can contain a hydrophilic polymer such as polyethersulfone. The plurality of inorganic particles can include hydrophilic particles such as zeolite particles. In certain embodiments, the membrane can be used in humidifiers, such as those used in fuel cell systems. In some aspects, the membrane can be used for separating a fluid mixture comprising water. The membranes described herein are stable for high temperature applications.

PLA polymers that can be expanded into microporous articles having a node and fibril microstructure are provided. The fibrils contain PLA polymer chains oriented with the fibril axis. Additionally, the PLA polymers have an inherent viscosity greater than about 3.8 dL/g and a calculated molecular weight greater than about 150,000 g/mol. The PLA polymer article may be formed by bulk polymerization where the PLA bulk polymer is made into a preform that is subsequently expanded at temperatures above the glass transition temperature and below the melting point of the PLA polymer. In an alternate embodiment, a PLA polymer powder is lubricated, the lubricated polymer is subjected to pressure and compression to form a preform, and the preform is expanded to form a microporous article. Both the preform and the microporous article are formed at temperatures above the glass transition temperature and below the melting point of the PLA polymer.

The resin composite of the present invention has a polyamide-based resin expanded sheet, and a fiber-reinforced resin layer integrally laminated on a surface of the polyamide-based resin expanded sheet.

An expanded polypropylene resin particle is obtained from a base material resin having a melting point of 140° C. to 150° C., wherein the base material resin includes a polypropylene resin A including 3 weight % to 15 weight % of 1-butene and having a melting point of 130° C. to 140° C.; and a polypropylene resin B having a melting point of 145° C. to 165° C., and wherein the expanded polypropylene resin particle has an average cell diameter of 100 μm to 340 μm.

The present invention discloses a high-sound-absorption composite material for a traffic sound barrier. The surface of a porous sound-absorption material layer is clad with a cladding layer in a sealing way, and the clad parts and joints are in sealed connection. The cladding layer is an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene microporous membrane or a modified membrane of the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene microporous membrane. A preparation method is disclosed, comprising the following steps of cutting the porous sound-absorption material; covering the surface of the porous sound-absorption material with the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene microporous membrane or the modified membrane of the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene microporous membrane; performing sealed connection on the clad parts and joints. By the above approach, the present invention is able to greatly reduce noise, has a soundproof function and a better sound-absorption function, has a prolonged service life, and features environmental protection, flame retardancy, damp-proofing and high plasticity.

An insulating structure for an appliance includes an outer layer and an inner layer, wherein an insulating cavity is defined therebetween. A plurality of hollow nano-spheres are disposed within the insulating cavity, wherein each of the hollow nano-spheres includes a diameter in the range of from approximately 50 nanometers to approximately 1000 nanometers and has a wall that defines the internal space, and wherein the wall of each hollow nano-sphere has a thickness that is in a range of from approximately 0.5 nanometers to approximately 100 nanometers. A fill material is disposed in the insulating cavity and wherein the fill material is disposed in the space defined between the plurality of hollow nano-spheres, and wherein the fill material includes at least one of powdered silica, granulated silica, other silica material, aerogel and insulating gas.

Microporous structures in face films are described for improving printability of the films. Also described are laminates and pressure sensitive adhesive laminates including the microporous structured face films. Various related methods are additionally described.

The invention relates to a method for producing a surface-structured layered material which has a backing layer (I) and a polyurethane layer (2) connected thereto, the backing layer (I) used, in particular in pieces, being a leather, preferably a smoothed full-grain leather or a split cowskin, a textile material, preferably a woven fabric or a knitted fabric, a cellulose fibre material, a split foam, a leather fibre material or a microfibre fleece and being connected to the layer (2), and the layer (2) applied to the backing layer (I) being at least one, preferably a single layer formed of a PU foam, in particular containing gas pockets, preferably a whipped PU foam optionally containing hollow microspheres and/or a PU foam containing hollow microspheres. According to the invention: —the PU foam, in particular containing gas pockets, is created with a PU dispersion mixture, wherein the individual PU dispersions used to create the PU dispersion mixture exhibit different softening points in the dry state; —to create the PU dispersion mixture, one or more PU dispersions having heat—preferably melting and contact adhesive properties and a softening point in the dry state greater than 40° C., preferably greater than 45° C., in an amount of 18 to 52 wt ¾ of the finished PU dispersion mixture is/are mixed with one or more PU dispersions without melting and contact adhesive properties and with a softening point greater than 95° C., preferably greater than 125° C., in an amount of 39 to 73 wt ¾ of the finished PU dispersion mixture; —the PU dispersion mixture for the layer (2) is applied to the backing layer (I) with a thickness such that the layer has a thickness in the dried state of 0.075 to 0.450 mm, preferably 0.150 to 0.280 mm; —before or during structuring of the PU foam, a further layer (3) of a non-foamed PU dispersion which is a mixture of multiple PU dispersions is applied to the layer (2); —the backing layer (I) is optionally cut or punched into banks or pattern parts before or after the application of the PU foam, in particular after the drying thereof, and the coated blanks or pattern parts are subjected to stamping or structuring under pressure and temperature; and —the backing layer (1), the further layer (3) and the layer (2) are compressed and joined to one another and structured with a die (4) under application of a contact pressure of 4 to 48 kg/cm2, preferably 4 to 48 kg/cm2, in particular 18 to 25 kg/cm2.

A multifunctional fabric, a fabricating method thereof and an outdoor garment are described. The multifunctional fabric comprises: a PTFE microporous membrane; wherein the PTFE microporous membrane is added with an inorganic nano luminescent material. In this way, after the fabric is made into garments, particularly when it is applied in outdoor sports garments, the inorganic nano luminescent material can absorb UV rays to make the garments glow, thereby not only improving aesthetics of the garments, but also reducing damage of the UV rays to human health. In addition, by adding the inorganic nano luminescent material in the PTFE microporous membrane, the problems of poor firmness and persistence of a single PTFE material can be overcome. Because the molecular bond of the inorganic nano luminescent material has high intensity and is stable, the multifunctional fabric will be durable after it is added with the inorganic nano luminescent material.