In a polypropylene-based foamed molded body of the present invention, a density which is measured on the basis of ISO1183 is greater than or equal to 0.15 g/cm.sup.3 and less than or equal to 0.54 g/cm.sup.3, thermal resistance (R) at 30° C. in a thickness direction which is measured on the basis of ASTM E1530 is greater than or equal to 0.020 m.sup.2.Math.K/W and less than or equal to 0.125 m.sup.2.Math.K/W, thermal capacity per unit area (Q) at 30° C. is greater than or equal to 1.0 kJ/m.sup.2.Math.K and less than or equal to 2.5 kJ/m.sup.2.Math.K, and Expression 1 described below is satisfied.
Q>1/(4×R.sup.1/2)  (Expression 1)

This invention relates to a process for preparing viscoelastic polyurethane foam in which the isocyanate-reactive component comprises a specific polyol blend, and to viscoelastic polyurethane foam wherein the isocyanate-reactive comprises the specific polyol blend. The polyol blend may be an in situ formed polyol blend.

Expandable resin particles that have a reduced VOC content, a method of producing the expandable resin particles, and a foamed molded product that has reduced VOC emission are provided. The expandable resin particles contain a base material resin containing, as a structural unit, a styrene unit and an acrylonitrile unit and an expanding agent. The expandable resin particles have a styrene content and an ethylbenzene content each of which is not more than a specific amount.

A method of forming a polymeric vacuum insulation board is provided, the polymeric vacuum insulation board including a plurality of evacuated, closed-cell pores therein. In one embodiment, the method includes intermixing a polymer with zeolite particles that contain water and extruding the resulting composition under high pressure. During extrusion, water in the zeolite particles evaporates and creates a porous, closed-cell microstructure within a polymer matrix. As the polymer matrix cools and solidifies, water vapor is reabsorbed by the zeolite, which at least partially evacuates the closed-cell pores. In another embodiment, the method includes intermixing a polymer with expandable graphite particles and extruding the resulting composition under high pressure. During extrusion, the expandable graphite particles define evacuated voids. The polymer binder can be selected to include low gas permeance, for example ethylene vinyl alcohol (EvOH) or polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC). In some applications, the polymer can be blended with nano-clays or other additives to further decrease the gas permeance of the vacuum insulation board.

Polymer foams based on polyethersulfone (PESU) fulfil the legal specifications demanded by the aviation industry for aircraft interiors. Specifically the demands on fire characteristics, stability to media and mechanical properties constitute a great challenge here. According to the related art, suitable polymer foams are produced as semifinished products. Reprocessing to give shaped articles is uneconomic in terms of time and material exploitation, for example by virtue of large amounts of cutting waste. The problem is solved by the material which is suitable in principle can be processed to give particle foam mouldings. These mouldings can be produced without reprocessing in short cycle times and hence economically. Furthermore, this gives rise to new means of functional integration, for example by direct incorporation of inserts etc. in the foam, and with regard to freedom in terms of design.

Described herein is a weft-knitted spacer fabric and a preparation method thereof, a polyurethane foam composite material comprising including the fabric, a preparation method of the composite material and its use in shoe materials. The weft-knitted spacer fabric consists of an upper surface layer, intermediate spacer yarns, and a lower surface layer, and the upper surface and the lower surface layer are connected by the tuck of the spacer yarns in the upper surface and the lower surface layer to form a three-dimensional structure in an integrated manner. The different selected tuck needle changes the connecting distance and the number of connections of the tuck, and the thickness of the spacer fabric and the arrangement density of the spacer yarns are changed by the action of the upper and lower surface layers of elastic yarns.

Described herein is a method for producing a PU foam insole, including the following steps of: (1) pouring the raw materials used to form a PU foam into a mould, reacting to obtain a PU sheet, where the height of the mould cavity is from about 1.0 to about 1.6 times of the total thickness of two finished insoles; (2) splitting the PU sheet into two halves in the horizontal direction to obtain two pieces of PU insole material, where one surface of the material has open pores, and the other surface of the material has a skin; and (3) attaching a piece of fabric onto the surface having open pores of the material obtained in step (2). Also described herein is a PU foam insole produced by the method.

Polymer polyols are made in a seeded process, in which styrene and acrylonitrile are polymerized in the presence of a base polyol, a seed dispersion and a solvent. The seed dispersion contains an unsaturated macromer. The process produces a polymer polyol in which the dispersed phase particles have a particle size of 1 to 3 μm and a particle size span of less than 1.25. The polymer polyols are very useful for making flexible polyurethane foam for cushioning applications, in which high airflows and good load bearing are needed.

The present invention relates to a method for producing flexible polyurethane foams based on polyoxymethylene-polyoxyalkylene block copolymers. The invention also relates to the use of the flexible polyurethane foams thus produced and their use for producing furniture upholstery, textile inlays, mattresses, automobile seats, headrests, armrests, sponges, foam sheets for use in automobile parts such as roof linings, door panel upholstery, seat covers and technical components. The invention finally relates to a two-component system for producing flexible polyurethane foams.

The present invention is a hydrophilic polyurethane end-capped with a superabsorbent polymer.