A method for the synthesis of an auxetic polyurethane foam with a defined cell structure and an auxetic polyurethane foam substrate obtainable by a method according to the invention. The method includes mixing a polyol reagent and a foaming reagent, forming a reaction mixture, mixing an isocyanate with the reaction mixture, compressing and/or contracting the isocyanate/reaction mixture, and allowing the compressed and/or contracted isocyanate/reaction mixture to cure.

A tertiary amine compound is shown and described herein. The tertiary amine is a reaction product of an isocyanate and a compound bearing an active hydrogen and a bicyclic tertiary amine in its molecule. The tertiary amine compounds have been found to be suitable as catalysts for producing polyurethanes. Also shown and described are processes employing the tertiary amine compounds in a reaction of an isocyanate and an alcohol in the presence of the tertiary amine compounds. Further, also shown and described is a method for making the tertiary amine.

An expanded polyolefin resin particle is obtained by expanding a polyolefin resin particle using water and/or an inorganic gas as a foaming agent. The polyolefin resin particle includes a polyolefin resin, a product obtained by heating and kneading a mixture, and a water absorbing substance, wherein the mixture includes a first polypropylene resin, a polypropylene wax, a polyorganosiloxane including at least one silicon-atom-bound radical polymerizable functional group per molecule, and an organic peroxide.

Methods of making self-expended lignofoams are provided. In embodiments, such a method comprises exposing a self-expanding lignofoam composition comprising raw lignin and a thermoplastic polymer to an elevated temperature for a period of time to soften the composition, desorb water from the raw lignin or induce at least some hydroxyl groups of the raw lignin to undergo dehydration reactions to generate water or both, vaporize the water, and generate pores throughout the softened composition. The method further comprises cooling the porous, softened composition to room temperature to provide the self-expanded lignofoam. The self-expanding lignofoam composition is free of an added plasticizer, an added lubricant, an added foaming agent, and an added blowing agent, and the thermoplastic polymer is not a starch, not a polyurethane, and not a polysiloxane. The resulting self-expanded lignofoams are also provided.

An emulsifier-free process for the preparation of water expandable polymer beads, including: a) providing an emulsifier-free starting composition comprising styrene, b) prepolymerizing the starting composition to obtain a prepolymer composition, c) mixing an aqueous blowing agent with the prepolymer composition at an elevated temperature to obtain an inverse emulsion of water droplets in the prepolymer composition, wherein the aqueous blowing agent comprises water and a water soluble initiator dissolved in the water and the water droplets comprise spheres of a styrene polymer, wherein the water soluble initiator partly decomposes due to the elevated temperature leading to the formation of the inverse emulsion of water droplets in the prepolymer composition, d) suspending the inverse emulsion in an aqueous medium to yield an aqueous suspension of suspended droplets and e) polymerizing monomers in the droplets of the suspension obtained by step d) to obtain the water expandable polymer beads.

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)

There is provided a curable resin composition capable of obtaining a resin molded body that is excellent in wear resistance and has a high flexural modulus. The curable resin composition according to the present invention contains a polyol compound, an isocyanate compound, a long reinforcing fiber, and a filler, in which the specific gravity of the filler is less than 4 and the average circularity of the filler is 0.65 or more.

Compositions for producing a rigid polyurethane foam are described, comprising at least one isocyanate component, a polyol component, optionally a catalyst which catalyzes the formation of a urethane or isocyanurate bond, wherein the composition has hydrocarbons having 3, 4 or 5 carbon atoms, hydrofluorocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins (HFO), hydrohaloolefins, oxygen-containing blowing agents and/or chlorohydrocarbons as blowing agent, and also comprises acrylate and/or methacrylate copolymers as foam stabilizers.

Disclosed are a polyurethane composition, a molded article, and a vehicle comprising the polyurethane composition or the molded article. The polyurethane composition comprises a polyol composition (A) in which polyether polyol (a1) and polymer polyol (a2) are mixed at a predetermined amount, an isocyanate composition (B) obtainable by polymerizing polyether polyol (b2) and an isocyanate composition (b1) that comprises i) methylene diphenyl isocyanate (M-MDI) and ii) polymethylene diphenyl isocyanate (P-MDI). As such, the molded article such as a vehicle seat pad can be manufactured with improved static and dynamic comfort.

Prepare an extruded polystyrene foam that is characterized by being a singular polymer foam that is free of halogenated blowing agents, having a milled primary surface, having a width of 750 millimeters or more, and further characterized by having a ρ(CST/CSP) value that is 50 kilograms per cubic meter or less and a milled primary surface.