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.

A shoe sole member formed by a foam includes cells having a certain size and being excellent in transparency in order to provide a shoe sole member being lightweight and excellent cushioning properties while having transparency.

Disclosed is a low-temperature supercritical foaming process, comprising the following steps: (1) bringing a polyolefin material or a thermoplastic elastomer material into contact with at least one inert gas in a reactor at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to drive the gas into the material, the pressure holding temperature of the polyolefin material or thermoplastic elastomer material being lower than the melting temperature of the material by 5-40° C.; (2) reducing the pressure to expand the material so as to produce a primary foamed material, and taking out the primary foamed material; and (3) taking out the primary foamed material and putting same into a tunnel furnace for secondary foaming, the temperature of the tunnel furnace being higher than the melting temperature of the material. Compared with the prior art, the present invention features high production efficiency, energy saving, and improvement of the reactor utilization rate.

A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce at least one of six different materials, wherein each type of material may be configured as a thermosetting elastomer that is crosslinked with β-hydroxyester linkages. The materials may be configured as a leather-like material, a foam material, a molded elastomer, a coating, an adhesive, and/or a rigid or semi-rigid material. Illustrative articles made from any combination of the six materials may be recycled using a mechano-chemical process to de-crosslink the thermosetting elastomer.

The present invention discloses a composition for preparing bio-based elastomer film with high moisture permeability, and a bio-based elastomer film and a laminate therefrom, wherein the composition comprises: 5%-95% bio-based elastomer material, 0-80% resin polymer, 0.01-90% inorganic powder material having a particle size within 100 μm and/or organic low molecular material having a molecular weight within 2000 Daltons, and 0-10% organic anti-blocking agent (dispersant). The bio-based elastomer film and laminate of the present invention have excellent moisture permeability and mechanical performance, which can be widely used in various fields including outdoor sporting goods, clothing, medical treatment, food packaging and shoe materials, and which are environmentally friendly and green products.

A system for curing a composite part, includes a mandrel configured to receive and support the uncured composite part; a plurality of expandable pellets disposed on the uncured composite part; and a mold configured to hold the mandrel, the uncured composite part, and the plurality of expandable pellets, wherein the plurality of expandable pellets are configured to expand and apply a positive pressure to the uncured composite part according to a change in condition or triggering event, and wherein each of the plurality of expandable pellets includes a blowing agent, a polymer matrix configured to hold the blowing agent, and a flexible skin configured to encapsulate the polymer matrix and the blowing agent, wherein the flexible skin is at least partially permeable with respect to the blowing agent or a gas released by the blowing agent.

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.

A closed cell crosslinked polyolefin foam sheet comprises an opposing first surface region and second surface region, and an intermediate region disposed therebetween, wherein the intermediate region is configured to have a gel content lower than an average gel content of the first surface region and the second surface region to enable a controlled tear propagation within the intermediate region when a splitting force is applied to the closed cell crosslinked polyolefin foam sheet. For example, a ratio of a gel content of the intermediate region versus an average gel content of the first surface region and the second surface region may be about 75% or less, and a ratio of the average cell size of the intermediate region versus an average cell size of the first surface region and the second surface region may be about 125% or higher.

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.

Stretchable films are disclosed, that include a coating layer comprising the reaction product of: an oligomeric polyester resin wherein the oligomeric polyester resin has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of −15 to 10° C., a hydroxyl equivalent weight of 350 to 500 mgKOH/g; and an aliphatic isocyanate, isocyanurate, allophanate, or biuret. The coating of these films has a fingerprint removal haze under 2, a percent haze removal over 70 percent, an initial scratch/mar over 40% gloss retention, and a recovered scratch/mar over 85% gloss retention as measured by both % gloss retention after 24 hours and % gloss retention at 60° C., as defined herein.