Curable compositions are provided which comprise: a) 30-80 wt % of a room temperature liquid epoxy resin; b) 0.5-10 wt % of an epoxy curative; c) 5-40 wt % of a thermoplastic resin; and d) 0.5-10 wt % of a physical blowing agent. In some embodiments, the curable compositions may be fire retardant. In some embodiments, the curable compositions may be used in the form of films, and more particularly as core splice film adhesives.

The invention relates to a method of preparing expanded thermoplastic microspheres from thermally expandable thermoplastic microspheres comprising a polymer shell encapsulating a foaming agent, the method comprising heating the expandable microspheres within a flexible container (2) to effect expansion of said microspheres and withdrawing gas from said flexible container (2). The invention further relates to an expansion device for preparing such expanded thermoplastic microspheres.

The present disclosure relates to a pressure sensitive adhesive foam comprising a rubber-based elastomeric material and at least one hydrocarbon tackifier, wherein the hydrocarbon tackifier(s) have a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) value of less than 1000 ppm and a Volatile Fogging Compound (FOG) value of less than 1500 ppm, when measured by thermogravimetric analysis according to the weight loss test methods described in the experimental section. The present disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing such a pressure sensitive adhesive foam and uses thereof.

A method of expanding expandable polymeric microspheres including contacting an aqueous slurry including unexpanded, expandable polymeric microspheres with heat in-situ during manufacture of a construction material. A method of manufacturing a construction material includes: (i) contacting an aqueous slurry of unexpanded, expandable polymeric microspheres with heat proximate to and/or during said manufacturing of the construction material to create expanded polymeric microspheres; (ii) optionally pre-wetting the expanded polymeric microspheres; and (iii) mixing the expanded polymeric microspheres with the construction material.

In an injection molded product of the invention, an unevenness forming portion having unevenness formed by thermal expansion of thermally expandable capsules is formed. The injection molded product includes a highly expanded portion that is formed at a surface side of the unevenness forming portion in a thickness direction of the injection molded product and in which the thermally expandable capsules are thermally expanded, and a main body portion that is a portion adjacent to the highly expanded portion in the thickness direction and in which the thermally expandable capsules are substantially not thermally expanded. The thickness of the highly expanded portion is a half or smaller than the thickness of the injection molded product in the unevenness forming portion, and a polymer material of the highly expanded portion and a polymer material of the main body portion are the same polymer material.

A thermally expandable composition comprising a thermoplastic polymer compound and/or an elastomer compound, at least one blowing agent including at least one dicarboxylic acid salt of an aminoguanidine compound, optionally at least one free radical initiator and/or a vulcanization system, and at least one guanidine derivative. The invention is also related to baffle and/or a reinforcement element for hollow structures including the thermally expandable composition, to a process for manufacturing the baffle and/or reinforcement element, to use of the baffle and/or reinforcement element for sealing, baffling, or reinforcing of a cavity or a hollow structure, and to a method for sealing, baffling and/or reinforcing a cavity or hollow structure.

Described herein is a polyurethane foam produced in a “one shot process” that has low density, is semi-hard, and displays a high rebound value all while providing superior split tear performance. The polyurethane foam can be used in a “one shot process” to produce a shoe sole, a mid-sole or an insole for a shoe. The shoe sole may be used for forming an outer sole of a sandal type shoe, a midsole of an athletic type shoe, or an insole for insertion into any type of shoe.

The present disclosure provides thermally expandable microspheres at least partially prepared from bio-based monomers and a process of their manufacture. The microspheres include a thermoplastic polymer shell encapsulating a blowing agent. The thermoplastic polymer shell includes a copolymer of an itaconate dialkylester and at least one aliphatic or aromatic mono-ethylenically unsaturated comonomer. The itaconate dialkylester has the formula (1): ##STR00001## where each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, separately from one another, is an alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms, and the copolymer includes 0-50 wt. % of vinyl aromatic comonomers, based on the total weight of the comonomers. The present disclosure further provides expanded microspheres usable in a variety of applications.

The present invention provides expanded beads of thermoplastic polyurethane, wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane constituting the expanded beads is an ether-based thermoplastic polyurethane, and a difference (T.sub.1−T.sub.2) between a melting peak temperature (T.sub.1) and a melting peak temperature (T.sub.2) is from 0 to 8° C., wherein the melting peak temperature (T.sub.1) is a melting peak temperature at the time of first heating in a DSC curve obtained by heating the expanded beads from 20° C. to 260° C. at a heating rate of 10° C./min, the melting peak temperature (T.sub.2) is a melting peak temperature at the time of second heating in a DSC curve obtained by cooling from 260° C. to 20° C. at a cooling rate of 10° C./min after the first heating and further heating again from 20° C. to 260° C. at a heating rate of 10° C./min, and the DSC curves are obtained by the heat flux differential scanning calorimetry in conformity with JIS K7121-1987. The expanded beads of thermoplastic polyurethane not only have excellent surface appearance and fusion bonding properties but also have a low shrinkage factor.

An example starch-based material for forming a biodegradable component includes a mixture of a starch and an expansion additive. The starch has an amylose content of less than about 70% by weight. The expansion additive enhances the expansion and physical properties of the starch. A method of preparing a starch-based material is also disclosed and an alternate starch-based material for forming a biodegradable component is also disclosed.