Planters are provided. The planters include one or more molded foam articles that are formed from polylactic acid. Forming the molded foam articles from polylactic acid advantageously enables air and water transport through the walls of the planter, reduces the overall weight of the planter, enables highly customizable shapes and sizes of planters, and enables compostability of the planter.

Provided are poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) foam particles, which can give a foam molded article having good surface aspects and a low shrinkage ratio of a molding, and the foam molded article. The poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) foam particles have at least two melting peaks on a DSC curve obtained by differential scanning calorimetry and in which a melting calorie (X) on a high temperature side is 0.1 to 20 J/g, a gel fraction (Y) is 20 to 75% by weight, and the melting calorie (X) and the gel fraction (Y) satisfy Formula: X+Y≥30.

Low-density thermoplastic expandable microspheres are disclosed. Various low-density structures, in particular, sandwich panels, based on foam prepared from the low-density microspheres, are also disclosed. Process of preparing low-density polymeric microspheres, per se, and the corresponding low-density structures, based on the microsphere foam, are also disclosed.

Low-density thermoplastic expandable microspheres are disclosed. Various low-density structures, in particular, sandwich panels, based on foam prepared from the low-density microspheres, are also disclosed. Process of preparing low-density polymeric microspheres, per se, and the corresponding low-density structures, based on the microsphere foam, are also disclosed.

A composite structure including a metal form. The composite structure further includes an aerogel matrix formed of an aerogel, with the aerogel matrix being nanoporous and including a plurality of aerogel pores. A polymer occupies at least a portion of the aerogel pores of the aerogel matrix. The polymer is a thermoplastic. The thermoplastic is nanoporous and includes a plurality of thermoplastic pores. The thermoplastic pores are less than 10 nanometers in size. The polymer is impregnated within the aerogel pores of the aerogel matrix. The aerogel comprises at least 20% by weight of the composite structure. The aerogel pores are less than 10 nanometers in size. The composite structure further contains filler material. The filler material may be graphene. The composite structure further contains reinforcing agents.

A composite structure including a metal form. The composite structure further includes an aerogel matrix formed of an aerogel, with the aerogel matrix being nanoporous and including a plurality of aerogel pores. A polymer occupies at least a portion of the aerogel pores of the aerogel matrix. The polymer is a thermoplastic. The thermoplastic is nanoporous and includes a plurality of thermoplastic pores. The thermoplastic pores are less than 10 nanometers in size. The polymer is impregnated within the aerogel pores of the aerogel matrix. The aerogel comprises at least 20% by weight of the composite structure. The aerogel pores are less than 10 nanometers in size. The composite structure further contains filler material. The filler material may be graphene. The composite structure further contains reinforcing agents.

Polyamide pre-expanded particles of this disclosure have a peak temperature of a maximum endothermic peak of 150-275° C. on a DSC curve obtained while being heated from 30° C. to 280° C. at a heating rate of 10° C./min using a DSC. The width of the peak is 30-80° C. when a straight line approximating the DSC curve on a high-temperature side relative to the peak after an end of melting is used as a baseline. The width corresponds to a difference between an extrapolated melting start temperature which is a temperature at an intersection point between a tangent line at an inflection point of the peak on a low-temperature side and the baseline, and an extrapolated melting end temperature which is a temperature at an intersection point between a tangent line at an inflection point of the peak on a high-temperature side and the baseline.

Expandable vinyl aromatic polymers which comprise: a matrix obtained by polymerizing 50-100% by weight of one or more vinyl aromatic monomers and 0-50% by weight of at least one copolymer izable monomer; 1-10% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of an expanding agent englobed in the polymeric matrix; 0.05-25% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of a filler comprising coke with a surface area, measured according to ASTM D-3037/89, ranging from 5 to 50 m.sup.2/g.

A method of producing a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers comprising a method of impregnating an aerogel with polymers, placing the aerogel impregnated with polymers within a dissolved polymer, cooling the dissolved polymer to create a polymer form with dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers, adding molten metal to the polymer form, vaporizing the polymer form, replacing the polymer form with molten metal, and cooling the molten metal to yield a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers. Dispersing the aerogel particles impregnated with polymers within the polymer form prior to adding molten metal allows the aerogel particles to be fully dispersed throughout the metal form.

A method of producing a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers comprising a method of impregnating an aerogel with polymers, placing the aerogel impregnated with polymers within a dissolved polymer, cooling the dissolved polymer to create a polymer form with dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers, adding molten metal to the polymer form, vaporizing the polymer form, replacing the polymer form with molten metal, and cooling the molten metal to yield a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers. Dispersing the aerogel particles impregnated with polymers within the polymer form prior to adding molten metal allows the aerogel particles to be fully dispersed throughout the metal form.