The present invention provides a foamable resin composition excellent in terms of the dispersibility and moldability. The foamable resin composition containing: from 30 to 80 wt % of a polyolefin; from 3 to 40 wt % of a polylactic acid; from 1 to 20 wt % of a modified polyolefin containing a carbonyl group in a molecule; from 10 to 40 wt % of a layered silicate; and from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % of a filler, the polyolefin containing at least one of polypropylene and polyethylene, the filler having a density different from the density of the layered silicate by at least 0.20 g/cm.sup.3.

Disclosed herein is a composition comprising a polymer; and a superheated fluid; where at least a portion of the polymer and the superheated fluid co-exist in a single phase. Disclosed herein is a method comprising exposing a polymer to a superheated fluid; swelling at least a portion of the polymer with the superheated fluid so that the polymer and the superheated fluid co-exist in a single phase; and changing pressure or temperature within the single phase to change a property in the polymer.

A foaming thermoplastic polyurethane resin is a reaction product of a polyisocyanate component containing a bis(isocyanatomethyl)cyclohexane and a polyol component. In a peak of chromatogram obtained by measurement of the foaming thermoplastic polyurethane resin with gel permeation chromatography, the area of a high molecular weight component having a weight average molecular weight of 400,000 or more with respect to the total area of the peak is 25% or more and 60% or less.

Textured and porous organic polymeric films can be obtained by subjecting organic polymeric films that are swellable in carbon dioxide, to supercritical carbon dioxide while such films are under an atmospheric pressure of at least 73 bar and an applied physical force of at least 0.05 Newtons. The textured and porous organic polymeric films have surface wrinkles having an average peak to valley height of at least 1 m and up to and including 3,000 m, and a porosity of at least 10%.

Prepare nanofoam by: (a) providing a mold (10) with a mold cavity (12) defined by mold walls defining a sealable port (32); (b) providing a foamable polymer mixture containing a polymer and a blowing agent at a pressure at least 690 kilopascals above the saturation pressure for the polymer and blowing agent; (c) introducing the foamable polymer mixture into the mold cavity (12) while maintaining a temperature and pressure at least 690 kilopascals above the saturation pressure and controlling the pressure in the mold cavity (12) by expanding a wall of the mold; and (d) releasing pressure around the foamable mixture by moving a mold wall (20) at a rate of at least 45 centimeters per second, causing the foamable polymer mixture to expand into nanofoam having a porosity of at least 60 percent, a volume of at least 100 cubic centimeters and at least two orthogonal dimensions of four centimeter or more.

Provided are insulative apparatus and methods of forming insulative apparatus. As an example, a method of forming an insulative apparatus can include connecting a barrier material to a mold; injecting a polyurethane foam composition into the mold, wherein the polyurethane foam composition includes a polyol, an isocyanate, and supercritical carbon dioxide; curing the polyurethane foam composition to form a polyurethane foam and applying a vacuum to the mold to provide a pressure from 1 millibar to 500 millibar.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment including a foam are provided. The foam portion of the components and articles include a composition which includes a thermoplastic copolyester, the composition having a foam structure. A polymer layer is provided on at least on surface of the foam portion. The polymer layer can control or reduce the water uptake of the foam portion. Methods of making the compositions, foams, and components are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding, or injection molding followed by compression molding.

Pellets, beads, particles, or other pieces of a thermoplastic elastomer having a maximum size in at least one dimension of 10 mm or less (collectively, pellets) are infused with a supercritical fluid in a pressurized container, then rapidly depressurized and heated either by immersion in a heated fluid or with infrared or microwave radiation to foam the pellets The pellets are prepared with at least two different densities. Pellets with different densities, thermoplastic elastomer compositions, or foam response rates are placed in different areas of a mold. The mold is filled with pellets, then the pellets are molded into a part. The part has areas of different density as a result of the placement of pellets of different density.

A method for producing porous materials is disclosed. The porous materials can be produced by expansion of polymer gels.

A method for making a low density foamed article includes placing a desired amount of thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads in a cavity of an injection mold and closing the mold; combining in an extruder connected to the mold a molten polymer selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers and thermoplastic ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers with both a physical or chemical blowing agent other than a supercritical fluid present in an amount up to about 15 wt % based on molten polymer weight and a supercritical fluid that is at least one of about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of supercritical CO.sub.2 based on molten polymer weight or about 0.1 to about 4 weight percent of supercritical N.sub.2 based on molten polymer weight, to form a mixture and injecting the mixture into the mold and foaming the mixture to form the low density foamed article.