Methods for manufacturing articles, including articles of footwear, apparel, and sporting equipment are provided. The methods comprise decorating a plurality of foam particles. The decorating can comprise applying a coating on the foam particles, or embossing or debossing the foam particles, or both. The decorating can comprise applying a coating on the foam particles by printing, painting, dyeing, applying a film, or any combination thereof. The plurality of foam particles are affixed utilizing aspects of additive manufacturing methods. 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.

Present invention is related to a microwave and electromagnetic heated foaming method, mold and foaming material thereof. The microwave and electromagnetic heated foaming method comprises steps of adding a foam material into a mold, simultaneously applying a microwave and electromagnetic energy toward the mold under a normal or low pressure, and the microwave and electromagnetic energy made the foam material into molded foam body. The mold of the present invention has a microwave penetrating part and an electromagnetic heating part. The microwave penetrating part has an extruded bottom that is corresponded to a dented top of the electromagnetic heat penetrating part. By utilizing the microwave and electromagnetic energy, the present invention is about to provide an efficient way for processing the foaming material compared to the conventional infrared or electrical heated tube heating and achieve the foam method that can be executed under normal or low pressure.

Methods for producing highly spherical particles that comprise: mixing a mixture comprising: (a) nanoclay-filled-polymer composite comprising a nanoclay dispersed in a thermoplastic polymer, (b) a carrier fluid that is immiscible with the thermoplastic polymer of the nanoclay-filled-polymer composite, optionally (c) a thermoplastic polymer not filled with a nanoclay, and optionally (d) an emulsion stabilizer at a temperature at or greater than a melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer of the nanoclay-filled-polymer and the thermoplastic polymer, when included, to disperse the nanoclay-filled-polymer composite in the carrier fluid; cooling the mixture to below the melting point or softening temperature to form nanoclay-filled-polymer particles; and separating the nanoclay-filled-polymer particles from the carrier fluid.

A hybrid composite comprising a thermoplastic or thermoset matrix in which brittle and ductile fibers are present, wherein the fibers are configured such that the ductile fibers of the hybrid composite dissipate energy at a impact or overload by plastic deformation of the ductile fibers and show residual properties after impact or overload.

A polyurethane, in particular a thermoplastic polyurethane, is obtainable or obtained by reacting at least a polyisocyanate composition and a polyol composition. The polyol composition contains at least one polyester diol or polyether diol, having a number-average molecular weight in the range from 500 to 3000 g/mol, and at least one polysiloxane having two terminal isocyanate-reactive functionalities selected from a thio group, a hydroxyl group, and an amino group. A process can be used for preparing this polyurethane, and a molded body containing the polyurethane is useful. Foam beads based on polyurethane can be obtained or obtainable from the polyurethane, and a process can be used for producing foam beads. Corresponding bead foams are useful.

The present disclosure is directed to articles that include one or more coated fiber(s) (i.e., fiber(s) with a cured coating disposed thereon), where the coating includes a matrix of crosslinked polymers and optionally a colorant (e.g., pigment particles or dye or both). The cured coating is a product of crosslinking a coating composition including uncrosslinked polymers (e.g., a dispersion of uncrosslinked polymers in a carrier, wherein the uncrosslinked polymers are crosslinked to form the matrix of crosslinked polymers). The present disclosure is also directed to articles including the coated fibers, methods of forming the coated fibers and articles, and methods of making articles including the coated fibers.

Additive manufacturing processes featuring consolidation of thermoplastic particulates may form printed objects in a range of shapes. Inorganic nanoparticles disposed upon the outer surface of the thermoplastic particulates may improve flow performance of the thermoplastic particulates during additive manufacturing, but may be undesirable to incorporate in some printed objects. Polymer nanoparticles may be substituted for inorganic nanoparticles in some instances to address this difficulty and provide other advantages. Particulate compositions suitable for additive manufacturing may comprise: a plurality of thermoplastic particulates comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a plurality of polymer nanoparticles disposed upon an outer surface of the thermoplastic particulates, the polymer nanoparticles comprising a crosslinked fluorinated polymer.

A method of microcellular foam molding an article is provided with filling a mold with a polyolefin compound; forming crosslinks in the mold to obtain a crosslinked mold; dissolving a supercritical fluid into the crosslinked mold under a predetermined pressure and at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time to obtain a second mold configured to allow the supercritical fluid to effuse through; and heating the second mold at a second predetermine temperature for a predetermined foaming time until a foamed article is finished in the second mold. A second embodiment involves using elastomers as foaming materials is also provided.

Disclosed is a mixture comprising the compound trans-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluoro-2-butene and at least one additional compound selected from the group consisting of HFOs, HFCs, HFEs, CFCs, CO2, olefins, organic acids, alcohols, hydrocarbons, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, and others such as methyl formate, formic acid, trans-1,2 dichloroethylene, carbon dioxide, cis-HFO-1234ze+HFO-1225yez; mixtures of these plus water; mixtures of these plus CO2; mixtures of these trans 1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE); mixtures of these plus methyl formate; mixtures with cis-HFO-1234ze+CO2; mixtures with cis-HFO-1234ze+HFO-1225yez+CO2; and mixtures with cis-HFO-1234ze+HFC-245fa. Also disclosed are methods of using and products of using the above compositions as blowing agents, solvents, heat transfer compositions, aerosol propellant compositions, fire extinguishing and suppressant compositions.

Disclosed is a scheme whereby a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin composite material applicable to production of a reinforcing material of various thermoplastic injection products and manufacture of a fiber reinforced thermoplastic plastic part using 3D printing can be produced by a simple method to have an excellent mechanical property. The present invention provides a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material in which a plurality of yarns or tape intermediate materials are combined together to form a rod shape, and a method for producing the same.