This provides an improved process for making a flexible, porous, dissolvable solid sheet article with improved pore structures.

A hierarchical porous polymeric material and its preparation method in the field of porous polymeric materials provided. The preparation method comprises: (1) mixing hydrophobic silica particles, an initiator, a polymerizable monomer, a crosslinking agent, a co-crosslinking agent and a pore-forming agent together, uniformly stirring to obtain a reaction mixture; (2) adding water into the reaction mixture and stirring until a gel emulsion is formed; and (3) carrying out staged thermal polymerization on the gel emulsion to obtain the hierarchical porous polymeric material. The present application can effectively regulate and control the contents and sizes of pores and throats, and obtain a material with hierarchical micro-porous structures. The good heat transfer and zero explosion in the polymerization process enable high product qualification rate. The wet material has rich pores, small resistance in mass transfer process and fast drying rate. Meanwhile, the obtained material has excellent machinability and static load resistance.

A variety of polymeric composites with tunable mechanical stiffness and electrical conductivity are claimed herein. For example, the composite may have an elastomeric matrix, a plurality of tunable particles, and a plurality of conductive fibers embedded in the matrix. The composites may also be a tunable foam matrix and an elastomeric matrix. In some embodiments, the composites are a low melting point alloy (LMPA) foam infiltrated by an elastomer, whose stiffness can be tuned by more than two orders of magnitude through external heating. In other embodiments, the composite may be a conductive particle-fiber-matrix three-component composite capable of changing its elastic rigidity rapidly and reversibly when powered with electrical current.

Processes for preparing polystyrene-phenolic foam composites and precursor compositions are described. The processes yield composites having advantageous properties particularly useful in insulation and fire resisting applications.

Provided is a gas barrier material having superior gas barrier properties. This gas barrier material 1 comprises a matrix resin 2, and a carbon material 3 disposed in the matrix resin 2, wherein the carbon material 3 contains a partially exfoliated graphite having a structure in which graphite is partially exfoliated.

A polymeric material can be deposited or coated on a surface of a hollow microsphere to produce a sacrificial microsphere. Sacrificial microspheres can provide a cost-effective way to produce lightweight plastics and composites.

Foam compositions are provided including a polylactic acid polymer; second (e.g., polyvinyl acetate) polymer having a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) of at least 25 C.; and plasticizer. Also described are articles comprising the foam compositions, such as a sheet or hearing protection article. Methods of making and using the foam compositions are further described herein.

Polymer composite materials are disclosed containing one or more chemical scavengers. The polymer composites are porous and are configured to be contacted with a liquid for removing trace amounts of metals, proteins, polypeptides, polyphenols, other organic compounds, and the like. In order to produce the porous composite polymer product, one or more chemical scavengers are combined with high density polyethylene particles and sintered into a shape. The polyethylene resin acts as a binder trapping or encasing the one or more chemical scavengers in the porous structure.

The present disclosure relates to an expanded foam solution for forming a thermosetting expanded foam having excellent flame retardancy produced using the same. According to the present disclosure, nanoclay is mixed with a polyol-based compound using ultrasonic waves, an isocyanate-based compound is added, and a trimerization catalyst or an isocyanurate compound is mixed with the polyol-based compound so that an isocyanurate structure is formed.

A foamed thermoplastic material includes a thermoplastic material exhibiting, in its unfoamed state, a particular flammability index, flame growth rate, and specific extinction area. The foamed thermoplastic material further includes a plurality of cells having a number average mean diameter of 5 to 150 micrometers present in an amount effective to provide the foamed thermoplastic material with a density that is 10 to 90 percent of the density of the unfoamed thermoplastic material. The foamed thermoplastic material exhibits a desirable tensile elongation and dielectric constant. A process for forming the foamed thermoplastic material, articles including the foamed thermoplastic material, and an article-forming process are also described.