A composite article and a method for insulating an appliance are disclosed. In general, the appliance is selected from the group of major, domestic or household appliances (e.g. ovens, stoves, ranges, etc.). The appliance has a first surface that defines a heating cavity, and a second surface opposite the first surface. The composite article comprises a backing layer spaced from the first surface, and an insulating layer sandwiched between the second surface and the backing layer. The insulating layer reduces heat transfer from the heating cavity to the backing layer (e.g. during use of the appliance). The insulating layer comprises a foamed silicone. The foamed silicone can be one formed via a hydrosilylation-curable silicone composition, a condensation-curable silicone composition, or a combination thereof. The insulating layer may comprise a foamed room-temperature-vulcanizing (RTV) silicone. The backing layer comprises a foamed polyurethane (PUR), a foamed polyisocyanurate (PIR), or a foamed PUR/PIR hybrid.

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.

Provided are a foam molded product and a method of producing the same. The foam molded product is a molded product containing a resin and including a surface layer, a compressive deformation layer, and a foam layer. The thickness of the surface layer is 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm. The compressive deformation layer is located between the surface layer and the foam layer. Foam particles forming the compressive deformation layer have an average H/L of 0.5 or less (H: length in compression direction; L: length in perpendicular direction relative to compression direction). Foam particles forming the foam layer have an expansion ratio of not less than 3.0 times and less than 30 times.

A prism (1090) is configured from a dielectric medium and is used in analysis using surface plasmons. The prism (1090) is provided with an incidence surface (1170) on which excitation light from outside is incident, a reflection surface (1172) on which excitation light having entered the incidence surface (1170) is reflected, an emission surface (1174) from which excitation light reflected by the reflection surface (1172) is emitted, and an opposing surface (1175) opposing the reflection surface (1172). A gold film (1092) is formed on the reflection surface (1172). The opposing surface (1175) has a sink-mark surface (1200), and the sink-mark surface (1200) is a transparent surface.

A method for forming a vacuum insulated structure using a prepared core material includes preparing a powder insulation material defining a bulk density, pre-densifying the powder insulation material to form a pre-densified insulation base, crushing the pre-densified insulation base into granular core insulation to define a core density of the granular core insulation, disposing the granular core insulation having the core density into an insulating cavity defined within an insulating structure and expressing gas from the interior cavity of the insulating structure to further densify the granular core insulation to define a target density. The granular core insulation defines the target density disposed within the insulating structure defines the vacuum insulation structure, wherein the target density defines a density in the range of from approximately 80 grams per liter to approximately 350 grams per liter.

A three-dimensional vacuum thermal insulation element having a compressed three-dimensional porous structure and a shell closed in an airtight manner. The shell includes a thermoformable barrier wall and encloses the porous structure arranged between two major surfaces of said barrier wall. The porous structure has a pressure of between less than 105 Pa and more than 10-2 Pa at ambient external temperature and pressure. The barrier wall is thermoformed at the site of said two major surfaces, between which the porous structure has a curved shape and/or reliefs and/or depressions.

A three-dimensional, vacuum thermal insulating element comprising a compressed three-dimensional porous structure, an envelope closed in an airtight manner comprising a thermoformable barrier wall, enclosing the porous structure, which is interposed between two major surfaces of the barrier wall, and where, at outside ambient temperature and pressure, a pressure between less than 10.sup.5 Pa and more than 10.sup.−2 Pa prevails. The barrier wall is thermoformed at said the two major surfaces, between which the porous structure is bent-shaped and/or has reliefs and/or depressions.

The present invention is directed to a process for preparing a porous material, at least comprising the steps of providing a gel comprising a solvent (S), wherein the solvent (S) has a volume (V1), pressurizing the gel with carbon dioxide at a temperature and a pressure at which carbon dioxide solubilizes in the solvent (S) forming gas-expanded liquid (EL), wherein the gas-expanded liquid (EL) has a volume (V2) and (V2) is greater than (V1); removing supernatant liquid, and drying the gel. The present invention further is directed to the porous material obtained or obtainable according to the process as such as the use of the porous material according to the invention in particular for medical, biomedical and pharmaceutical applications or for thermal insulation.

Novel polylactic acid biopolymer systems and methods of producing products with polylactic acid biopolymers are disclosed. Products produced according to the systems and methods disclosed herein have enhanced deflection temperature and improved mechanical performance when compared to conventional injection moulding processes. Systems and methods for compounding polylactic acid biopolymer and creating an object using a polylactic acid biopolymer by extrusion and injection moulding process are described.

This disclosure relates to a clothing treatment device comprising: a cabinet having a first lateral panel and a second lateral panel which are disposed so as to face each other, an upper panel and a lower panel which connect the first lateral panel and the second lateral panel and respectively form the upper surface and the floor surface, a first rear panel which connects the first lateral panel, the second lateral panel and the upper panel and forms the rear surface, and a second rear panel which connects the first lateral panel and the second lateral panel and is positioned below the first rear panel; a first base having a front panel which is fixed to the first lateral panel, the second lateral panel, the upper panel and the lower panel and forms the front surface of the cabinet and an input port which is provided through the front panel.