There is provided an insulation foam in a tubular form, comprising at least one seamless layer of crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) closed-cell physical foam. The tubular foam can favourably be used to thermally insulate tubes that convey water, refrigerants or other fluids, in particular, copper tubes for Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) applications, as well as plastic tubes for use in domestic plumbing systems, hydronic radiant heating and cooling systems. There is also provided a method for manufacturing a crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) closed-cell physical foam in seamless tubular form, an insulation foam material using the same and a polymer blend for its manufacturing.

Expanded rubber articles and processes for making such, comprising: partially curing an expandable rubber formulation by heating it in a first mould cavity to form a moulded blank; releasing the moulded blank from the first mould cavity and allowing the moulded blank to expand to form an expanded moulded blank; and further curing and expanding the expanded moulded blank by heating it to form the expanded rubber article comprising an expanded rubber part, wherein the expanded moulded blank is heated in a second mould cavity. Optionally, the expanded moulded blank is contacted with a further rubber formulation and a substrate comprising a base material and an elastomer bonding layer in the second mould cavity to form an expanded rubber article additionally comprising a solid rubber part and a substrate.

A method for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.

Decorative foamed articles are prepared from foamed pellets, beads, particles, or other articles of a thermoplastic elastomer infused with a supercritical fluid in a pressurized container, then rapidly depressurized and heated either by immersion in a heated fluid that can rapidly heat the article or with infrared or microwave radiation to heat and foam the pellets, beads, particles, or other articles that are then molded into the articles. The pellets are dyed with a nonionic or anionic dye one of: (1) before being infused with the supercritical fluid, (2) during being infused with the supercritical fluid by a nonionic or anionic dye dissolved or dispersed in the supercritical fluid, which optionally comprises a polar liquid, (3) during immersion in the heated fluid, where the heated fluid contains the dye, or (4) after being foamed.

A process of manufacturing a foam molded article includes opening an open-closed molding system; applying a release agent into a female cavity section of the molding system; injecting PU into the female cavity section; closing the molding system; placing the closed molding system in a foaming device; activating the foaming device to heat the PU; forming a plurality of interconnecting first air pockets in an air permeable foam core of a foam molded article to be formed; forming a plurality of interconnecting second air pockets in each of a top surface and a bottom surface of the foam molded article respectively by involving a chemical reaction with the release agent wherein the second air pockets are in air communication with the first air pockets; opening the molding system; and removing the finished foam molded article from the molding system.

A monolithic injection molded plastic part including an interior core, a surface formed as a monolithic structure with the interior core, and a distribution of hollow cells formed within the interior core during an injection molding process from a blowing agent and methods for making the same are provided. Such methods include preparing a mixture of unmelted plastic resin, filler agent, and blowing agent, melting the mixture into a viscous combination using a standard injection molding machine, injecting a set amount of the viscous combination into a hollow cavity of an injection mold secured within the standard injection molding machine, and holding the set amount of the viscous combination in the hollow cavity at a low pressure for a hold time until the viscous combination sets into a monolithic structure at least partially filling the hollow cavity and the blowing agent forms a distribution of hollow cells throughout the monolithic structure.

A monolithic injection molded plastic part including an interior core, a surface formed as a monolithic structure with the interior core, and a distribution of hollow cells formed within the interior core during an injection molding process from a blowing agent and methods for making the same are provided. Such methods include preparing a mixture of unmelted plastic resin, filler agent, and blowing agent, melting the mixture into a viscous combination using a standard injection molding machine, injecting a set amount of the viscous combination into a hollow cavity of an injection mold secured within the standard injection molding machine, and holding the set amount of the viscous combination in the hollow cavity at a low pressure for a hold time until the viscous combination sets into a monolithic structure at least partially filling the hollow cavity and the blowing agent forms a distribution of hollow cells throughout the monolithic structure.

Expanded rubber articles (11) and processes for making such, comprising: partially curing an expandable rubber formulation (2) by heating it in a first mold cavity (1) to form a molded blank (3); releasing the molded blank (3) from the first mold cavity (1) and allowing the molded blank (5) to expand to form an expanded molded blank (4); and further curing and expanding the expanded molded blank (4) by heating it to form the expanded rubber article (11) comprising an expanded rubber part (6), wherein the expanded molded blank (4) is heated in a second mold cavity (5). Optionally, the expanded molded blank (4) is contacted with a further rubber formulation (7) and a substrate comprising a base material (9) and an elastomer bonding layer (8) in the second mold cavity (5) to form an expanded rubber article additionally comprising a solid rubber part (10) and a substrate (8, 9).

A heat-insulating housing (21) includes: a wall body; and an open-cell resin body (4) of thermosetting resin with which a heat-insulating space formed by the wall body is filled by integral foaming, the open-cell resin body including: a plurality of cells (47); a cell film portion (42); a cell skeleton portion (43); a first through-hole (44) formed so as to extend through the cell film portion; and a second through-hole (45) formed so as to extend through the cell skeleton portion, wherein the plurality of cells communicate with one another through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.

The present invention contemplates a method of forming a member comprising injection molding a first layer into a first tool cavity, overmolding a second layer into a second tool cavity selected from the group consisting of an expandable layer, a sealing layer, an acoustic layer, and adhesive layer, a reinforcement layer, a fastening layer, a second carrier layer, and any combination thereof, overmolding a third layer into the second tool cavity selected from the group consisting of an expandable layer, a sealing layer, an acoustic layer, an adhesive layer, a reinforcement layer, a fastening layer, a second carrier layer, and any combination thereof. The first layer, the second layer, and the third layer may be molded in one injection molding tool and the second and third layer may be segregated from one another prior to any overmolding steps.