The present invention relates to a polypropylene composition, an injection molded article comprising the polypropylene composition, a foamed article comprising the polypropylene composition as well as the use of a polypropylene homopolymer (H-PP1) for reducing the 5stiffness reduction factor of a foamed injection molded article by at least 40 as determined by the difference of the flexural modulus measured according to ISO 178 of the non-foamed and foamed injection molded article and compared to an article comprising the same amount of a polypropylene which has been polymerized in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst.

The lightweight footwear of the present invention maintains excellent durability and improves heat resistance, so that contraction percentage due to a change with the passage of time is significantly low, rarely causing deformation, and thus, the lightweight footwear may be used in a high temperature and sanitary environment. In addition, the present invention solves the problem of the occurrence of premature foaming due to injection molding and a pattern on the appearance due to dispersion failure, thereby facilitating injection molding.

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.

The electrophotographic electroconductive member includes a support having an electroconductive outer surface, and an electroconductive layer on the surface of the support. The electroconductive layer has a matrix containing a crosslinked product of a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, and the domains each contain a crosslinked product of a second rubber and electroconductive particles. The matrix has a volume resistivity R1 of more than 1.0×10.sup.12 Ω.Math.cm, and the domains each have a volume resistivity R2 lower than the volume resistivity R1 of the matrix. The electroconductive layer further has a pore, and an inner wall of the pore is constituted by a part of the matrix and a part of the domains. The domains constituting the inner wall protrude into the pore at sites on the inner wall.

An aqueous non-foamed functional composition formulation is disposed on a foamed opacifying layer in light-blocking, foamed opacifying elements. This non-foamed functional composition formulation has 0.5-15% solids and essential (i) and (iv) components and optional (ii), (v), (vi), and (vii) components. The components (i) untreated synthetic silica (fumed silica or precipitated silica) at 0.5-10 weight %; and a (iv) water-soluble or water-dispersible organic polymeric binder having a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) below 25° C. The weight ratio of the (i) untreated synthetic silica to the (iv) water-soluble or water-dispersible organic polymeric binder is 10:1 to 1:1. The optional components include: a (ii) solid or non-solid lubricant; a (v) crosslinking agent; a (vi) thickener; and a (vii) coating aid. Glass particles can also be present. The presence of the (i) untreated synthetic silica provides improved brightness, e.g. an L* value of at least 80, and uniform coatings in the resulting, foamed opacifying element.

A method for making an article of footwear includes placing a purified recombinant resilin composition in a mold with a cross-linking solution, incubating the recombinant resilin composition in the cross-linking solution to generate a solid resilin material, fabricating a cushioning element of the article of footwear including at least a portion of the solid resilin material, and assembling the cushioning element insole with at least an upper of the article of footwear.

The present invention provides a highly dispersible metallic acrylate composition containing specific content of a graphene, a flake graphite or a combination thereof as a thermally conductive powder, and thus has better stability and dispersivity, which leads to advantages of low adhesion to the metal surface and ease of mixing in resin. Moreover, the metallic acrylate composition can be applied to resin composition as an auxiliary crosslinking coagent for enhancing mechanical strength and good uniformity of cell dispersion in the foamed product, such that the foamed products can be used as architectural materials, materials of daily commodities, vehicle materials, damping and cushioning materials, packing materials, sport pad materials, or shoe materials.

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.

The present disclosure provides thermally expandable microspheres at least partially prepared from bio-based monomers and a process of their manufacture. The microspheres include a thermoplastic polymer shell encapsulating a blowing agent. The thermoplastic polymer shell includes a copolymer of an itaconate dialkylester and at least one aliphatic or aromatic mono-ethylenically unsaturated comonomer. The itaconate dialkylester has the formula (1): ##STR00001## where each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, separately from one another, is an alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms, and the copolymer includes 0-50 wt. % of vinyl aromatic comonomers, based on the total weight of the comonomers. The present disclosure further provides expanded microspheres usable in a variety of applications.

The present teachings provide a method and composition related to two component epoxy phosphate ester based foam materials. The present teachings provide a method comprising: providing a two component system, the two component system including an A side and a B side, the A side including epoxy and the B side including phosphate ester and phosphoric acid; mixing the A side and the B side to form a resulting reaction product; wherein the resulting reaction product of the A side and the B side cures at a temperature of less than 50° C. The present teachings provide a composition comprising: a) a first component including epoxy; b) a second component including phosphate ester and phosphoric acid; and wherein a resulting reaction product of the first component and second component cures at a temperature of less than 50° C.