A process of microcellular foam molding an article includes using a modifier to modify properties of amorphous PLA, pouring the modified amorphous PLA into a high pressure vessel, dissolving an SCF in the high pressure vessel to impregnate the modified amorphous PLA in the high pressure vessel which is configured to allow the SCF to effuse through, forming foamed pellets, conveying the foamed pellets to a mold in a second vessel filled with water or oil, heating the second vessel, and cooling the second vessel until a foamed article is finished in the mold.

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.

Embodiments herein described provide devices for identifying and collecting rare cells or cells which occur at low frequency in the body of a subject, such as, antigen-specific cells or disease-specific cells. More specifically, the devices are useful for trapping immune cells and the devices contain a physiologically-compatible porous polymer scaffold, a plurality of antigens, and an immune cell-recruiting agent, wherein the plurality of antigens and the immune cell recruiting agent attract and trap the immune cell in the device. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits, and packages containing such devices. Additional embodiments relate to methods for making the devices, compositions, and kits/packages. Further embodiments relate to methods for using the devices, compositions, and/or kits in the diagnosis or therapy of diseases such as autoimmune diseases or cancers.

A method produces porous materials by expansion of polymer gels. The porous materials can be a micro- or nano-porous polymer materials.

Methods to produce substantially closed cell foams with densities less than 0.75 g/cm.sup.3, and more preferably less than 0.5 g/cm.sup.3, without substantial loss of the polymer's weight average molecular weight, have been developed. The closed cells foams have an open cell content of generally less than 50%, and more preferably an open cell content of less than 20%, and the cells have a maximum diameter of less than 5 mm. The foam may include poly-4-hydroxybutyrate or a copolymer thereof. Preferably, the foam is derived by heating a foam polymer formula to a temperature above the melt temperature of the polymer to form a melt polymer system, adding a blowing agent to produce a foamable melt, extruding the foamable melt through a die to a lower pressure to cause foaming, cooling of the foam, and solidification of the foam. These foam structures can be used for fabrication of medical products.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the additive manufacturing methods comprise increasing the temperature of a plurality of foam particles with actinic radiation under conditions effective to fuse a portion of the plurality of foam particles comprising one or more thermoplastic elastomers. Increasing the temperature of the foam particles can be carried out for one or multiple iterations. The disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that exhibit differing degrees of fusion between the foam particles, thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A method for preparing a polymer mould-free stereostructure foamed product from supercritical fluid, containing a supercritical fluid delivery system, a stereoscopic foaming system and a preheating system, and has the following steps: performing pressure molding on a polymer material to obtain a foaming preform, then preheating the foaming preform in the preheating system, delivering the foaming preform to the stereoscopic foaming system after a temperature rises to a preheating temperature, introducing the supercritical fluid, and decompressing after the supercritical fluid is swelled and diffused to the polymer. The polymer is swelled using high-temperature medium-pressure supercritical fluid by utilizing a one-step method in a stereoscopic foaming tank and then subjected to free mould-free stereoscopic pressure-relief form molding, so as to obtain a polymer microcellular foamed product with controllable product shape, size precision, pore fineness and product density.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the disclosed methods comprise selectively depositing a binding material on foam particles in a target area such that the binding material coats at least a portion of defining surfaces of the foam particles with the binding material. The binding material is then cured to affix foam particles in the target area to one another. In various aspects, the disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that differential levels of affixing between the foam particles, and thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

The invention relates to the field of foaming technology, in particular to CO8G101/00. A method for preparing chlorinated polyethylene materials by supercritical foaming includes the following steps: (1) Add the chlorinated polyethylene material into the reactor, add water and foaming nucleating agent, and then close the reactor cover; (2) Heat to 50-80 degrees C.; (3) Inject supercritical carbon dioxide into the reactor, so that the chlorinated polyethylene material can achieve saturation adsorption of supercritical carbon dioxide; (4) Remove and treat the chlorinated polyethylene material at 100-150 degrees C. for 1-5 minutes. The preparation method is simple, environmentally friendly, efficient and low-cost, uniform micropores improve the elasticity of the foam material and reduce the density of the foam material, which is 0.2-0.3 g/cm3, and the foam wall is thin.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the disclosed methods comprise selectively depositing a binding material on foam particles in a target area such that the binding material coats at least a portion of defining surfaces of the foam particles with the binding material. The binding material is then cured to affix foam particles in the target area to one another. In various aspects, the disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that differential levels of affixing between the foam particles, and thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.