A method for making an aromatic polyester polyol compound, wherein the method comprises reacting at esterification reaction conditions a reactive mixture comprising the following components: (i) an aromatic acid compound; (ii) an aliphatic diol compound; (iii) a dialkylol alkanoic acid compound; (iv) optionally, a hydrophobic compound, a polyhydroxy compound comprising at least three hydroxyl groups, or combinations thereof, and wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound is liquid at 25 C. and has a hydroxy value ranging from about 30 to about 600.

A method for making an aromatic polyester polyol compound, wherein the method comprises reacting at esterification reaction conditions a reactive mixture comprising the following components: (i) an aromatic acid compound; (ii) an aliphatic diol compound; (iii) a dialkylol alkanoic acid compound; (iv) optionally, a hydrophobic compound, a polyhydroxy compound comprising at least three hydroxyl groups, or combinations thereof, and wherein the aromatic polyester polyol compound is liquid at 25 C. and has a hydroxy value ranging from about 30 to about 600.

Methods of making a foamed article include: (a) milling a block or sheet of thermoplastic polymer to form a precursor; (b) crosslinking the thermoplastic polymer; (c) heating the precursor to a first temperature to soften the thermoplastic polymer; (d) infusing the thermoplastic polymer with at least one inert gas at a first pressure that is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened thermoplastic polymer; and (e) while the thermoplastic polymer is softened, reducing the pressure to a second pressure below the first pressure to at least partially foam the precursor into a foamed article, wherein the foamed article is substantially the same shape as the precursor.

Methods of making a foamed article include: (a) milling a block or sheet of thermoplastic polymer to form a precursor; (b) crosslinking the thermoplastic polymer; (c) heating the precursor to a first temperature to soften the thermoplastic polymer; (d) infusing the thermoplastic polymer with at least one inert gas at a first pressure that is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened thermoplastic polymer; and (e) while the thermoplastic polymer is softened, reducing the pressure to a second pressure below the first pressure to at least partially foam the precursor into a foamed article, wherein the foamed article is substantially the same shape as the precursor.

A method of preparing a superabsorbent polymer, which enables the preparation of the superabsorbent polymer exhibiting an improved absorption rate while maintaining excellent absorption performances is provided. The method of preparing the superabsorbent polymer includes carrying out a crosslinking polymerization of a water-soluble ethylene-based unsaturated monomer having acidic groups which are at least partially neutralized, in the presence of an internal crosslinking agent having a predetermined chemical structure to form a water-containing gel polymer, gel-pulverizing the water-containing gel polymer, drying, pulverizing, and size-sorting the gel-pulverized water-containing gel polymer to form a base polymer powder, and carrying out a surface crosslinking of the base polymer powder by a heat treatment in the presence of a surface crosslinking agent, wherein the gel-pulverizing is carried out by extruding the water-containing gel polymer through a porous plate having a plurality of holes using a screw extruder mounted inside a cylindrical pulverizer under a condition that a chopping index is 28 (/s) or more.

A method for producing a millable silicone rubber sponge is a method for producing a millable silicone rubber sponge with an open cell ratio of not lower than 20%, comprising: performing a heat treatment on a silicone rubber composition at 200 C. or higher, the silicone rubber composition containing: (A) an organopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups in one molecule and a polymerization degree of not lower than 3,000; (B) a reinforcing silica; (C) thermally expandable microcapsules exhibiting an expansion starting temperature of 90 to 150 C., and contracting from a maximum expansion volume by 20% or more when heated at 200 C. for 5 min; (D) a curing agent; and (E) an open cell-forming agent which is a solid high temperature decomposition-type organic foaming agent having a decomposition starting temperature of not lower than. 180 C., and starting to decompose after the component (A) is cured.

Provided are a foam molded body capable of improving damping properties and sound insulation properties of a panel and realizing weight reduction of a panel, a dam rubber, a complex of a dam rubber and a panel, and a method for increasing a sound transmission loss. The present invention is concerned with a foam molded body of a resin composition containing a block copolymer (I) which is a block copolymer having a polymer block (A) composed mainly of a structural unit derived from an aromatic vinyl compound and other polymer block (B), exhibits a peak top temperature of tan , as measured under a condition of a thickness of a test piece of 1 mm, a strain amount of 0.1%, a frequency of 1 Hz, a measurement temperature of 70 to 70 C., and a temperature rise rate of 3 C./min in conformity with JIS K7244-10 (2005), of 50 to 50 C., and has a peak top molecular weight determined in terms of standard polystyrene by gel permeation chromatography of 30,000 to 500,000; at least one olefin-based polymer (II) selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer rubber, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and a polyethylene-based resin; a crosslinking agent (III); and a foaming agent (IV).

Provided are a foam molded body capable of improving damping properties and sound insulation properties of a panel and realizing weight reduction of a panel, a dam rubber, a complex of a dam rubber and a panel, and a method for increasing a sound transmission loss. The present invention is concerned with a foam molded body of a resin composition containing a block copolymer (I) which is a block copolymer having a polymer block (A) composed mainly of a structural unit derived from an aromatic vinyl compound and other polymer block (B), exhibits a peak top temperature of tan , as measured under a condition of a thickness of a test piece of 1 mm, a strain amount of 0.1%, a frequency of 1 Hz, a measurement temperature of 70 to 70 C., and a temperature rise rate of 3 C./min in conformity with JIS K7244-10 (2005), of 50 to 50 C., and has a peak top molecular weight determined in terms of standard polystyrene by gel permeation chromatography of 30,000 to 500,000; at least one olefin-based polymer (II) selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer rubber, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and a polyethylene-based resin; a crosslinking agent (III); and a foaming agent (IV).

Polishing media in the form of bristles made from a porous polymer-based material, apparatus and systems including the media, and methods of forming and using the media, apparatus, and systems are disclosed. A method of manufacturing bristles for use in polishing a workpiece which includes a non-planar surface includes the steps of combining a liquid polymer material and a foaming agent to form a foamed polymeric material, and separating the foamed polymeric material into a plurality of bristles. The foaming agent is configured to impart a porosity to the polymeric material, where the porosity is characterized by a density in the range of 0.3 to 1.2 g/cm.sup.3.

Polishing media in the form of bristles made from a porous polymer-based material, apparatus and systems including the media, and methods of forming and using the media, apparatus, and systems are disclosed. A method of manufacturing bristles for use in polishing a workpiece which includes a non-planar surface includes the steps of combining a liquid polymer material and a foaming agent to form a foamed polymeric material, and separating the foamed polymeric material into a plurality of bristles. The foaming agent is configured to impart a porosity to the polymeric material, where the porosity is characterized by a density in the range of 0.3 to 1.2 g/cm.sup.3.