The process of foaming a polyolefin, e.g., polyethylene, composition using as a nucleator a combination an azodicarbonamide (ADCA) and a fluororesin at a ADCA: fluororesin weight ratio of 60:40 to 20:80. The synergic effect between these two nucleating agents results in a higher nuclei density and a foamed product with a smaller cell size as compared to processes using and products produced by the use of neat PTFE or neat ADCA alone as the nucleating agent.

A foamed thermoplastic material includes a thermoplastic material exhibiting, in its unfoamed state, a particular flammability index, flame growth rate, and specific extinction area. The foamed thermoplastic material further includes a plurality of cells having a number average mean diameter of 5 to 150 micrometers present in an amount effective to provide the foamed thermoplastic material with a density that is 10 to 90 percent of the density of the unfoamed thermoplastic material. The foamed thermoplastic material exhibits a desirable tensile elongation and dielectric constant. A process for forming the foamed thermoplastic material, articles including the foamed thermoplastic material, and an article-forming process are also described.

The present invention relates to a process for the production of polyurethanes where (a) polyisocyanate, (b) polymeric compounds having groups reactive toward isocyanates, (c) catalysts, (d) sulfur-carbon compounds selected from the group consisting of sulfinic acid derivatives of the general formula (I) ##STR00001##
and/or sulfonic acid derivatives according to the general formula (II) ##STR00002##
where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 can be identical or different and are respectively any desired substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moiety, with the proviso that the carbon atom bonded to the sulfur atom is an aliphatic carbon atom, and optionally (e) blowing agent, (f) chain extender and/or crosslinking agent, and (g) auxiliaries and/or additives are mixed to give a reaction mixture, and the reaction mixture is allowed to complete a reaction to give the polyurethane. The present invention further relates to polyurethanes produced by this process and to the use of these polyurethanes in the interior of means of transport.

An insulated wire, having at least one foamed insulating layer composed of a thermosetting resin having bubbles, directly or indirectly on an outer periphery of a conductor, wherein the foamed insulating layer has a different bubble density in a thickness direction thereof; and a rotating electrical machine.

Thermoplastic polymers, for example fluoropolymers, are foamed by use of a solid formulation comprising thermoplastic polymer and an oxalate compound which includes a moiety selected from potassium, calcium, titanium, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium and barium.

In one aspect there is provided a foam comprising: a polymeric matrix comprising polyethylene grafted polymerized siloxane, and a plurality of cells formed in the polymeric matrix and containing a blowing agent comprising carbon dioxide. In another aspect there is provided a method of making a foam comprising: grafting polymerized siloxane to polyethylene to form a grafted intermediate; molding the grafted intermediate to form a molded intermediate; and foaming the molded intermediate using high-pressure CO.sub.2 to form the foam, wherein the foam has a porosity greater than 75%.

The present invention aims to provide a composition which can provide molded foams and foamed electric wires having a small average cell size and a high expansion ratio. The composition of the present invention includes a fluororesin; and boron nitride having an average particle size of 10.5 m or greater, or boron nitride having a particle size distribution represented by (D84D16)/D50 of 1.2 or lower.

An organic light emitting diode (OLED) cushioning film including a foamed layer is described. The foamed layer includes an olefin-styrene block copolymer at 30 to 80 weight percent and a tackifier at 15 to 60 weight percent. The tackifier has a softening point of at least 130? C. A light emitting article including an OLED layer laminated to the OLED cushioning film is described.

The process of foaming a polyolefin composition using as a nucleator a combination of a fluororesin and a boron nitride at a fluororesin-to-boron nitride weight ratio of less than 4:1. The synergistic effect between these two nucleating agents results in a higher nuclei density and a foamed product with a smaller average cell size as compared to processes using and products produced by the use of neat PTFE or neat boron nitride alone as the nucleating agent.

The present invention includes a foam composition including a foam precursor and an ortho-phthalate-based compound, wherein a volume ratio of the foam precursor to the ortho-phthalate-based compound is 100:10 to 50, and a flexible thermoelectric device including the foam manufactured thereby.