A variety of forms and foam components are provided, including foam components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment. The articles include a composition having a foam structure, wherein the composition includes a thermoplastic copolyester elastomer comprising: (a) a plurality of first segments, each first segment derived from a dihydroxy-terminated polydiol; (b) a plurality of second segments, each second segment derived from a diol; and (c) a plurality of third segments, each third segment derived from an aromatic dicarboxylic acid. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including at least one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by extrusion or injection molding to foam the polymeric composition, or extrusion or injection molding to foam the polymeric composition followed by compression molding of the foam.

A novel method for producing an olefinic resin porous material with no skin layer is provided. The method for producing an olefinic resin porous material disclosed herein includes the steps of preparing a single phase in which an olefinic resin, a hydrocarbon compound, and a polar compound are mixed one another, in a pressure-resistant container, introducing high pressure carbon dioxide into the pressure-resistant container, and releasing the pressure in the pressure-resistant container. The polar compound has a hydroxy group or a carbonyl group. Introducing the high pressure carbon dioxide is carried out such that the pressure in the pressure-resistant container reaches 6 MPa or higher.

A bio-resin composition, a bio-resin composite, and a bio-foam material are provided. The bio-resin composition includes a polymer matrix, a toughener, and an antistatic agent. The weight ratio of the polymer matrix to the toughener is between 90:10 and 60:40. Based on the total weight of the polymer matrix and the toughener, the content of the antistatic agent is between 1% and 10%.

A method of microcellular foam molding an article is provided with filling a mold with a polyolefin compound; forming crosslinks in the mold to obtain a crosslinked mold; dissolving a supercritical fluid into the crosslinked mold under a predetermined pressure and at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time to obtain a second mold configured to allow the supercritical fluid to effuse through; and heating the second mold at a second predetermine temperature for a predetermined foaming time until a foamed article is finished in the second mold. A second embodiment involves using elastomers as foaming materials is also provided.

An improved process for fabricating expanded thermoplastic polymers (eTP) starting from non-expanded TP is disclosed whereby said process has improved thermal control, uses preferably environmentally friendly foaming gasses, avoids anisotropy and sticking of the eTP during the processing and minimises the duration of the charging step.

A molded foam that can be easily taken out of split mold blocks is provided. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a molded foam (1) is obtained by clamping, with split mold blocks, foamed resin obtained by melting and kneading a polyethylene-based resin, wherein the molded foam (1) has a MFR (190° C., g/10 min) of less than 0.8, or the polyethylene-based resin has a MFR (190° C., g/10 min) of not more than 1.0.

The present invention is directed to a foamable polyolefin composition which is crosslinkable by silane groups, to a crosslinked foam obtained from such a foamable polyolefin composition, and to a process for producing a crosslinked foam based on the foamable polyolefin composition. The foamable polyolefin composition comprises a polyethylene bearing hydrolysable silane groups and comonomer units comprising a polar group selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylates, methacrylates, vinyl esters, and mixtures thereof, a silanol condensation catalyst, a physical blowing agent, and a cell nucleating agent.

A system including an injector, a press, and a robotic conveyance is used to form a physically foamed article of footwear component from a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid. The parameters and features of the system are configured for the formation of the footwear component in an automated manner with enhanced throughput by the system.

The invention relates to a process used to produce open-cell and extremely fine-cell PUR/PIR rigid foams, said process using a polyol formulation comprising a specific isocyanate-reactive component, a catalyst component having zerewitinoff-active hydrogens and a cell-opener component.

The present disclosure relates to foam beads of an elastomeric composition comprising a propylene-based elastomer. The foam bead has a density of less than 0.5 g/cm.sup.3. The foam beads can be made from pellets of elastomeric compositions by expanding with supercritical fluid blowing agent. The foamed bead has reduced lightness while maintaining elasticity.