Molded polymer foam articles are described as having a novel foam structure. The polymer foam articles include a continuous polymer matrix defining a plurality of pneumatoceles therein which is present throughout the entirety of the article. The surface region is further characterized as having compressed pneumatoceles. The novel foam structure is achieved even when molding polymer foam articles comprising a shape and volume wherein a sphere having a diameter between 2 cm and 1000 cm would fit within the article in at least one location without protruding from a surface of the article, and the article further has a total volume of more than 1000 cm.sup.3. Methods of making a stabilized molten polymer foam, and of making a molded polymer foam article using the stabilized molten polymer foam are also described.

A producing method for producing a foam-molded product by using a plasticizing cylinder having, from an upstream side in the following order: a plasticization zone, a flow rate adjusting zone and a starvation zone, the producing method includes: plasticizing and melting a thermoplastic resin into a molten resin in the plasticization zone; adjusting a flow rate of the molten resin in the flow rate adjusting zone; allowing the molten resin to be in a starved state in the starvation zone; introducing a pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent having a fixed pressure into the starvation zone so as to retain the starvation zone at the fixed pressure; bringing the molten resin in the starved state in contact with the pressurized fluid in the starvation zone in a state in which the starvation zone is retained at the fixed pressure; and molding the molten resin into the foam-molded product.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an extrusion foaming method for producing low-density extrusion foam from a thermoplastic cellulose-based starting material.

The method for manufacturing a foamed product uses a manufacturing apparatus having a plasticizing cylinder in which an introduction port for introducing a physical blowing agent into a starvation zone is formed, and an introduction speed adjustment container connected to the introduction port, wherein the manufacturing method comprises: turning a thermoplastic resin into a molten resin; introducing the physical blowing agent at a predetermined pressure into the starvation zone through the introduction speed adjustment container and maintaining the starvation zone at a predetermined pressure; setting the molten resin to a starved state; bringing the molten resin in the starved state and the pressurized fluid into contact with each other; and molding the molten resin into a foamed product. The maximum value of the inner diameter of the introduction speed adjustment container is larger than the inner diameter of the introduction port.

A method of microcellular foam molding an article is provided with filling a mold with a polyolefin compound; forming crosslinks in the mold to obtain a crosslinked mold; dissolving a supercritical fluid into the crosslinked mold under a predetermined pressure and at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time to obtain a second mold configured to allow the supercritical fluid to effuse through; and heating the second mold at a second predetermine temperature for a predetermined foaming time until a foamed article is finished in the second mold. A second embodiment involves using elastomers as foaming materials is also provided.

This document discloses a process for manufacturing recyclable injection molded microcellular foams for use in, footwear components, seating components, protective gear components, and watersport accessories. The process includes the steps of providing a thermoplastic polymer which comprises at least one monomer derived from depolymerized post-consumer plastic, inserting a fluid into a barrel of a molding apparatus. The fluid is introduced under temperature and pressure conditions to produce a super critical fluid. The process further includes mixing the thermoplastic polymer and super critical fluid so as to create a single phase solution, and injecting the single phase solution into a mold of an injection molding machine under gas counter pressure. The process further includes foaming the single phase solution by controlling the head and temperature conditions within the mold.

A perforated expanded low density polyethylene foam layer, wherein in the expanded low density polyethylene layer at least 80% of the blowing agents are dissipated from closed cells within the expanded low density polyethylene layer forming evacuated closed cells whereby a partial vacuum is formed within the closed cells of the low density polyethylene layer.

Molded polymer foam articles are described as having a novel a foam structure. The polymer foam articles include a continuous polymer matrix defining a plurality of pneumatoceles therein which is present throughout the entirety of the article, including in the surface region extending 500 microns beneath the surface of the article. The surface region is further characterized as having compressed pneumatoceles. The novel foam structure is achieved even when molding polymer foam articles comprising a thickness of more than 2 cm, a volume of more than 1000 cm.sup.3; or both a volume of more than 1000 cm.sup.3 and a thickness of more than 2 cm. Methods of making the molded polymer foam articles are also described.

An extruding system includes a mixing unit configured to mix a polymeric material with a blowing agent and to form a mixture, and an injection unit coupled to the mixing unit and configured to inject the mixture. The mixing unit includes a mixing cartridge, a first mixing screw and a second mixing screw, the first and second mixing screws are disposed in the mixing cartridge. A method of extruding a mixture includes mixing a polymeric material and a blowing agent in a mixing cartridge of a mixing unit by at least one of a first and second mixing screws to form the mixture; conveying the mixture from the mixing unit to an injection unit; and discharging the mixture from the injection unit into a molding device. The mixture is sequentially in contact with the first mixing screw and the second mixing screw.

Molded polymer foam articles are described as having a novel foam structure. The polymer foam articles include a continuous polymer matrix defining a plurality of pneumatoceles therein which is present throughout the entirety of the article. The surface region is further characterized as having compressed pneumatoceles. The novel foam structure is achieved even when molding polymer foam articles comprising a shape and volume wherein a sphere having a diameter between 2 cm and 1000 cm would fit within the article in at least one location without protruding from a surface of the article, and the article further has a total volume of more than 1000 cm.sup.3. Methods of making a stabilized molten polymer foam, and of making a molded polymer foam article using the stabilized molten polymer foam are also described.