A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a post-molded expandable component, which is a part of the device that is configured to be expanded or has been expanded after being molded. This may allow the post-molded expandable component to have enhanced characteristics (e.g., be more shock-absorbent, lighter, etc.), to be cost-effectively manufactured (e.g., by using less material and/or making it in various sizes), and/or to be customized for a user (e.g., by custom-fitting it to the user).

This disclosure relates to a continuous solution polymerization process wherein production rate is increased. Process solvent, ethylene, optional comonomers, optional hydrogen and a single site catalyst formulation are injected into a first reactor forming a first ethylene interpolymer. Process solvent, ethylene, optional comonomers, optional hydrogen and a heterogeneous catalyst formulation are injected into a second reactor forming a second ethylene interpolymer. The first and second reactors may be configured in series or parallel modes of operation. Optionally, a third ethylene interpolymer is formed in an optional third reactor, wherein an optional heterogeneous catalyst formulation may be employed. In a solution phase, the first, second and optional third ethylene interpolymers are combined, the catalyst is deactivated, the solution is passivated and following a phase separation process an ethylene interpolymer product is recovered.

A three-dimensional printing system including at least one positioning mechanism, and at least one end effector movably connected to the at least one positioning mechanism. The at least one end effector includes at least one mixing head configured to dispense a material, and at least one subtractive tool configured to subtract at least a portion of the material such that a desired design is achieved.

A preform configured to form a container when the preform is seated in a cavity of a mold and the preform is expanded within the cavity of the mold by introducing an incompressible fluid under a blow pressure into the preform to stretch the preform to assume a shape of the surrounding cavity. The preform includes a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin having: a melt flow index of between 0.3 and 10.0 grams per 10 minutes at a temperature of 190° C. under 2.16 kilograms of load through a test fixture of ASTM D1238; a polydispersity index of 4-24; and a density of between 0.943 and 0.965 grams per cubic centimeter.

A high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin configured to be molded into a preform that can be biaxially expanded within a cavity of a container mold by introducing an incompressible fluid under pressure into the preform to stretch the preform to assume a shape of a surrounding mold cavity of the container mold. The HDPE resin has: a melt flow index of between 0.3 and 10.0 grams per 10 minutes at a temperature of 190° C. under 2.16 kilograms of load; a polydispersity index of 4-24; and a density of 0.943-0.965 grams per cubic centimeter.

The invention relates to a process for producing a biaxially oriented pipe by a) forming a polyethylene composition into a tube, wherein the polyethylene composition comprises high density polyethylene (HDPE) and a second polyethylene selected from linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE) and a combination of LLDPE and LDPE and b) stretching the tube of step a) in the axial direction and peripheral direction to obtain the biaxially oriented pipe.

The invention relates to a method in which a polyester melt containing one or more polyesters is produced, the polyester melt being foamed by a blowing agent and a foamed granulate is produced from the foamed polyester melt. The intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the polyester melt is reduced by the blowing agent about at least 0.05 dl/g, measured according to ASTM D4603, and the IV of the foamed granulate is then increased by means of a solid phase polycondensation (SSP).

The present disclosure is directed to a physically crosslinked, closed cell continuous multilayer foam structure comprising at least one foam polypropylene/polyethylene layer with a TPU cap layer. The multilayer foam structure can be obtained by coextruding a multilayer structure comprising at least one foam composition layer with at least one cap composition layer, irradiating the coextruded structure with ionizing radiation, and continuously foaming the irradiated structure.

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 process for producing foamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles comprises the steps of a) melting a thermoplastic polyurethane in a first extruder (E1), b) injecting a gaseous blowing agent in a second extruder (E2), c) impregnating the gaseous blowing agent homogeneously into the thermoplastic polyurethane melt in a third extruder (E3), d) extruding the impregnated thermoplastic polyurethane melt through a die plate and granulating the melt in an underwater granulation device under temperature and pressure conditions to form foamed thermoplastic polyurethane particles.