A ferroelectric polymer electrocaloric nanowire array and a preparation method thereof, in which the ferroelectric polymer electrocaloric material is formed by a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based ferroelectric polymer electrocaloric nanowire array embedded in a porous anodic alumimum oxide (AAO) template. The PVDF-based ferroelectric polymer electrocaloric material is controlled to form a nanowire array embedded in the porous AAO template, and through adopting of a solution infiltration method to prepare the ferroelectric polymer electrocaloric nanowire array in the porous AAO template and improvement of the key morphology, structure, internal microscopic connection construction of the ferroelectric polymer, problems, such as low electrocaloric strength of the ferroelectric polymer, difficult heat conduction in the electrocaloric material and low refrigerating power density of the electrocaloric device in the prior art, can be effectively solved.

The invention relates to a shield comprising: a thermo-compressed porous three-dimensional shell based on glass fibers, the fibers being joined together by a binding agent. The shield includes a foam-based inner spring layer, and additionally has the following features: the foam layer is produced by reaction injection molding (RIM), the layer overmolding the shell. The shell has a porosity arranged in order to enable the foam to penetrate a fraction of the thickness of the shell, so as to create a leaktight skin the binding agent is based on polypropylene. The shell comprises between 45 and 55% by weight of glass fibers.

The invention is directed to a core material, suitable for use in a closed mold system, based on at least one fibrous web containing a foam-structure within the web, said foam-structure being formed of a plurality of members that are separated from each other by channels, wherein said core material has a compression-resistance of greater than 40% at a pressure of 4 bar and at a temperature that is greater than or equal to 80 C.

Provided are insulative apparatus and methods of forming insulative apparatus. As an example, a method of forming an insulative apparatus can include connecting a barrier material to a mold; injecting a polyurethane foam composition into the mold, wherein the polyurethane foam composition includes a polyol, an isocyanate, and supercritical carbon dioxide; curing the polyurethane foam composition to form a polyurethane foam and applying a vacuum to the mold to provide a pressure from 1 millibar to 500 millibar.

A sockliner for a shoe may be formed to include an integral fabric skirt. The fabric skirt may remain loose from the sockliner along at least a portion of the periphery of the sockliner. The loose periphery of the fabric skirt may be used to join the sockliner to other shoe components, as in a strobel-type seam.

The invention relates to a method of producing a sound proofing trim panel comprising the steps of providing an elastically compressible lower layer, heating the lower layer and placing it in a mould to shape it to form a spring layer of a spring-mass type damping system. The method further includes associating the lower layer with an upper layer, to form the mass of the spring-mass system. According to the invention, the lower layer comprises a blend of elastically compressible foam flakes forming at least 80 wt.-% of the lower layer and being mixed with binder fibres. The fibres comprising a core and a sheath that is fusible at a moderate temperature, and the flakes being bonded to one another by means of the fusing of the sheath forming a binder, such that the lower layer takes the form of a bonded foam.

The disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a preform including a core and a sole. The method includes contour weaving the preform on a lap roller having a groove or an outgrowth allowing shape weaving of the core and the sole of the preform. At least one portion of the core and at least one portion of the sole include weft yarns which cross each other on common warp yarns.

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.

Light weight composites with high flexural strength comprise epoxy foam sandwiched between two layers of facing material have high strength and low weight and can be used to replace steel structures. The facing layer may be fibrous material especially glass or carbon fibres, the facing material is preferably embedded into the epoxy matrix. Alternatively they may be matching box structures or concentric metal tubes. The sandwich structures may be prepared by laying up the fibre; coating and/or impregnating the layer with epoxy resin, laying a layer of heat activatable foamable epoxy material, providing a further layer of the fibrous material optionally coated and/or impregnated with epoxy resin on the foamable material and heating to foam and cure the epoxy materials. Alternatively they may be formed by extrusion of the foamable material between the surface layers.

A method of surface sealing a porous fibrous substrate is provided. According to the method, a porous fibrous substrate possessing a moisture content and a surface with pores is provided. A sealant composition is applied to a surface of the porous fibrous substrate and permitted to penetrate the surface pores of the porous fibrous substrate and undergo cure while participating in a foaming reaction with the moisture content to establish a water-resistant polymeric foam sealant impregnated into the porous fibrous substrate. The water-resistant polymeric foam sealant contains a polyurethane and/or polyurea.