A thermoplastic sulfur-polymer composite comprises a thermoplastic polymer, such as polyethylene and polystyrene; and a sulfur element. Such sulfur element functions as passive sulfur filler in this composite. The thermoplastic polymer is a polymer matrix; and the sulfur filler is dispersed in the polymer matrix. There is no chemical reaction occurs after the addition of the sulfur filler into the host polymer and no chemical bond formed between the polymer and the sulfur filler. The thermoplastic sulfur-polymer composite can be a nanocomposite by either adding certain nanofillers into the composite or making the sulfur filler as sulfur nanoparticles. With its similar physical properties and lower manufacturing costs, the thermoplastic sulfur-polymer composites are good alternatives of the respective pure polymers.

The present invention relates to an extruded expanded thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer bead and a preparation method therefor. The bead consists of components of the following parts by weight: 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, 0.01-0.5 parts of a foaming nucleating agent, and 0.01-0.2 parts by weight of an antioxidant. The preparation method comprises: mixing materials, then putting the mixture into an extruder for granulation to produce a particle raw material suitable for foaming, finally, putting the particle into a foam extruder, and die foaming then underwater pelletizing, thus obtaining a product bead. The present invention utilizes an extrusion method to prepare expanded thermoplastic polyurethane beads. Control of the working conditions of the foaming process could lead to acquiring an expanded=bead of a controllable density, the cell density evenly distribute. The overall production process is easy to operate. Without any special limit or requirement placed on the equipment, this method is suitable for industrial continuous production.

The invention relates to a foamable ethylene polymer composition comprising at least one antioxidant, at least one process aid and at least 80 wt % of a peroxide-treated ethylene polymer composition. The foamable ethylene polymer composition has melt strength of at least 2 cN, a density of 940 to 970 kg/m3, and dissipation factor measured at 1.9 GHz of 50-80−10.sup.−6. The invention further relates to a process for making such a foamable ethylene polymer composition, and use of the foamable ethylene polymer composition in a foamed cable insulation.

The present invention provides a sensor having an improved sensitivity and precision, which is lighter and more flexible than conventional sensors, and a method of making the sensor. The present invention relates to a sensor comprising a resin foam containing a magnetic filler, and a magnetic sensor that detects a magnetic change caused by a deformation of the resin foam, wherein the resin foam is a polyurethane resin foam that comprises a polyisocyanate component, an active hydrogen component, a catalyst and a foam stabilizer, and wherein the resin foam has a hardness change (H.sub.1-H.sub.60) of 0 to 10 between a JIS-C hardness (H.sub.1) in one second after contact with a pressure surface of a hardness tester and a JIS-C hardness (H.sub.60) in 60 seconds after the contact.

Combinations of gelatinous elastomer and polyurethane foam may be made by introducing a plasticized A-B-A triblock copolymer resin and/or an A-B diblock copolymer resin into a mixture of polyurethane foam forming components including a polyol and an isocyanate. The plasticized copolymer resin is polymerized to form the gelatinous elastomer in-situ while simultaneously polymerizing the polyol and the isocyanate to form polyurethane foam. The polyurethane reaction is exothermmic and can generate sufficient temperature to melt the styrene-portion of the A-B-A triblock copolymer resin thereby extending the crosslinking and in some cases integrating the A-B-A triblock copolymer within the polyurethane polymer matrix. The combination has a marbled appearance. The gel component has higher heat capacity than polyurethane foam and thus has good thermal conductivity and acts as a heat sink. Another advantage of in situ gel-foam is that the gel component provides higher support factors compared to the base foam alone.

PLA polymers that can be expanded into microporous articles having a node and fibril microstructure are provided. The fibrils contain PLA polymer chains oriented with the fibril axis. Additionally, the PLA polymers have an inherent viscosity greater than about 3.8 dL/g and a calculated molecular weight greater than about 150,000 g/mol. The PLA polymer article may be formed by bulk polymerization where the PLA bulk polymer is made into a preform that is subsequently expanded at temperatures above the glass transition temperature and below the melting point of the PLA polymer. In an alternate embodiment, a PLA polymer powder is lubricated, the lubricated polymer is subjected to pressure and compression to form a preform, and the preform is expanded to form a microporous article. Both the preform and the microporous article are formed at temperatures above the glass transition temperature and below the melting point of the PLA polymer.

In foamable polystyrene resin particles that are obtained by granulating a polystyrene resin containing a flame retardant and a foaming agent, the flame retardant has a bromine atom in a molecule, contains less than 70% by mass of bromine, has a benzene ring in a molecule, and has a 5% by mass decomposition temperature in a range of from 200° C. to 300° C. the flame retardant is the sole source of bromine in the foamable polystyrene resin particles, a ratio (B:A) between (A) a by mass of the flame retardant contained in the total foamable polystyrene resin particles and (B) a % by mass of the flame retardant contained in the surface of the resin particles is in a range of from 0.8:1 to 1.2:1, and the amount of the flame retardant added is in a range of from 0.5% by mass to 5.0% by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of the resin fraction in the foamable polystyrene resin particles.

The present disclosure relates to a pressure sensitive adhesive foam comprising a rubber-based elastomeric material and at least one hydrocarbon tackifier, wherein the hydrocarbon tackifier(s) have a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) value of less than 1000 ppm and a Volatile Fogging Compound (FOG) value of less than 1500 ppm, when measured by thermogravimetric analysis according to the weight loss test methods described in the experimental section. The present disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing such a pressure sensitive adhesive foam and uses thereof.

The present disclosure relates to TPV compositions suitable for foaming, as well as foamed TPV compositions, methods of making the foregoing, and applications of various foamed TPV compositions. The TPV compositions comprise an at least partially vulcanized rubber component dispersed within a thermoplastic component comprising a thermoplastic resin and a propylene-based elastomer, oil, and optionally one or more additives. According to some aspects, the TPV composition may be made in part by preloading some portion of process oil prior to addition of the curative. TPV compositions provided herein are particularly suitable for foaming with thermo-expandable microsphere foaming agents.

A mixture contains at least one amino-regulated polyether block amide (PEBA) and at least one poly(meth)acrylate selected from poly(meth)acrylimides, polyalkyl(meth)acrylates, and mixtures thereof. The mass ratio of PEBA to poly(meth)acrylate is 95:5 to 60:40. The polyalkyl(meth)acrylate contains 80% by weight to 99% by weight of methyl methacrylate (MMA) units and 1% by weight to 20% by weight of C1-C10-alkyl acrylate units, based on the total weight of polyalkyl(meth)acrylate. The mixture can be processed to give foamed mouldings. The mouldings can be used in footwear soles, stud material, insulation or insulating material, damping components, lightweight components, or in a sandwich structure.