A polymer composition includes a conjugated diene polymer (A) and a compound (B). The compound (B) is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a polysiloxane compound and a fluorine-containing compound. The conjugated diene polymer (A) contains, when the composition ratios (molar ratios) in the polymer of the structural units represented by formulas (1) to (4) are p, q, r, and s, respectively, a polymer (A-1) satisfying formula (i).

0.75≤(p+(0.5×r))/(p+q+(0.5×r)+s)≤0.95  Formula (i):

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A method for producing a heat-shrinkable product is provided. First, a polymer composition containing a polymer, a crosslinking agent and a micro-encapsulated foaming agent uniformly dispensed therein is melt mixed. The foaming agent has a peak activation temperature which is higher than a temperature of the melt mixing. Next, the polymer composition is injection molded into a molded product. This carried out at the peak activation temperature to activate the foaming agent. Then, the molded product is crosslinked within the mold.

A method for dielectrically heating foamable composition to foam and set the composition is described. In particular, radio frequency (RF) heating is used to heat the foamable composition to provide insulation in the manufacture of an article.

A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a post-molded expandable component, which is a part of the device that is configured to be expanded or has been expanded after being molded. This may allow the post-molded expandable component to have enhanced characteristics (e.g., be more shock-absorbent, lighter, etc.), to be cost-effectively manufactured (e.g., by using less material and/or making it in various sizes), and/or to be customized for a user (e.g., by custom-fitting it to the user).

Disclosed herein are modified diene-containing (co)polymers, in particular, modified styrene-butadiene copolymer, which can be used as flame retardants for expandable polystyrene polymer compositions. In particular, disclosed is a modified diene-containing (co)polymer, a method for preparing it, and use as a flame retardant for expandable polystyrene. The modified diene-containing (co)polymer claimed in the invention is characterized by high thermostability, namely, a 5% weight loss temperature of at least 180° C., a molecular weight of at least 1500 g/mol and a halogen content of at least 35 wt. %; the content of tertiary and/or allyl halogenides is in the range from 0 to less than 1.5 wt. %, and also does not affect the polymerization process and the formation of polystyrene granules either, and allows to obtain polystyrene granules with a yellowness index of 2 to 6 units, comparable to the yellowness index of polystyrene granules containing HBCD (from 0 to 3 units).

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 disclosure provides aromatic polyester polyether polyols and compositions comprising such polyols. The disclosed aromatic polyester polyether polyols and compositions including same are the products of the transesterification reaction of polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”) and an ethoxylated triol, namely glycerin or trimethylolpropane, wherein the degree of ethoxylation is from 1 to 9 moles. At least some of the PET used to generate the aromatic polyester polyether polyols is derived from recycled PET. The disclosed aromatic polyester polyether polyols have utility in preparing polyurethane materials, for example.

Provided is a polishing pad including a polishing layer, wherein the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) .sup.13C spectrum of a processed composition prepared by adding 1 g of the polishing layer to a 0.3 M aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and allowing the mixture to react in a closed container at a temperature of 150° C. for 48 hours includes a first peak appearing at 15 ppm to 18 ppm, a second peak appearing at 9 ppm to 11 ppm, a third peak appearing at 138 ppm to 143 ppm, and a fourth peak appearing at 55 ppm to 65 ppm, and the softening control index calculated by Equation 1 is 0.10 to 0.45. The polishing pad includes the polishing layer having physical properties corresponding to the softening control index, and thus may exhibit a removal rate and defect prevention performance within desired ranges in polishing of a polishing target.

A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a post-molded expandable component, which is a part of the device that is configured to be expanded or has been expanded after being molded. This may allow the post-molded expandable component to have enhanced characteristics (e.g., be more shock-absorbent, lighter, etc.), to be cost-effectively manufactured (e.g., by using less material and/or making it in various sizes), and/or to be customized for a user (e.g., by custom-fitting it to the user).

A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a post-molded expandable component, which is a part of the device that is configured to be expanded or has been expanded after being molded. This may allow the post-molded expandable component to have enhanced characteristics (e.g., be more shock-absorbent, lighter, etc.), to be cost-effectively manufactured (e.g., by using less material and/or making it in various sizes), and/or to be customized for a user (e.g., by custom-fitting it to the user).

Provided is a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet that may be used for the grinding of a hard and brittle substrate in a backgrinding step for the hard and brittle substrate, the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet being excellent in all of grinding accuracy, low contamination property, productivity, and fixing property. The pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet of the present invention includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer contains: a pressure-sensitive adhesive containing a base polymer; and a foaming agent having a foaming temperature of 90° C. or more, and wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet has, when a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface thereof is bonded to a silicon chip, a shear adhesive strength of 1.0 MPa or more under an ambient temperature of 25° C., and a shear adhesive strength of 0.2 MPa or more under an ambient temperature of 80° C.