A foamable composition including a polypropylene-based copolymer and a polyolefin is disclosed. The composition can be used to make a stiff foam with a high closed-cell content. Methods for producing the composition and the foam are provided.

A thermoplastic polyamide can be obtained through the reaction of at least the components (i), (ii), and (iii), where a catalyst having a Lewis base component is used in the reaction. Component (i) is a composition containing a polymeric compound having two carboxylic acid moieties; component (ii) is a dicarboxylic acid composition containing at least one dicarboxylic acid; and component (iii) is a diisocyanate composition containing at least one diisocyanate. A process can be used for producing the thermoplastic polyamide and a method for the use thereof. A tandem reactive extruder can be used for the reaction.

Disclosed herein is a foamed composition comprising 55 to 98 wt. % of polyamide, and 2 to 45 wt. % of innomer comprising a zinc neutralized ethylene acid copolymer. The zinc neutralized ethylene acid copolymer is the polymerized reaction product of ethylene monomer, monocarboxylic acid monomer, and unsaturated dicarboxylic acid monomer, and 30 to 70 mole percent of total acid units of the ionomer are neutralized.

A thermally expandable composition, including at least one polymer, cross-linkable by peroxide, at least one peroxide, preferably at least one antioxidant, at least one chemical blowing agent, and at least one activator, wherein the activator includes at least one compound selected from formula (I), ##STR00001##
wherein radicals R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 represent hydrogen atoms or monovalent alkyl radicals with 1 to 10 carbon atoms which optionally include oxygen atoms; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 represent hydrogen atoms or monovalent alkyl radicals with 1 to 10 carbon atoms which optionally include oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms, and/or aromatic moieties or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 together form a divalent alkyl radical with 1 to 10 carbon atoms which optionally includes oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms or aromatic moieties. The composition shows excellent properties in terms of expansion stability over a wide temperature range, can be expanded at temperatures below 150° C. and is suitable for baffle and/or reinforcement elements.

The present disclosure relates to TPV compositions suitable for foaming, as well as foamed TPV compositions, methods of making the foregoing, and applications of various foamed TPV compositions. The TPV compositions comprise an at least partially vulcanized rubber component dispersed within a thermoplastic component comprising a thermoplastic resin and a propylene-based elastomer, oil, and optionally one or more additives. According to some aspects, the TPV composition may be made in part by preloading some portion of process oil prior to addition of the curative. TPV compositions provided herein are particularly suitable for foaming with thermo-expandable microsphere foaming agents.

A recycled PET foam material and a manufacturing method thereof are characterized in that a recycled material can be used. The manufacturing method includes the following steps: uniformly mixing PET resin, chain extender, antioxidant, flame retardant and heat stabilizer, and then mixing with a twin-screw extruder to obtain a foam PET resin. The PET foaming material obtained is a material having the advantages of light weight, large rigidity, high specific strength, good electrical insulation, good sound insulation and the like, low raw material cost, simple manufacturing process and environmental protection.

A mixture contains at least one amino-regulated polyether block amide (PEBA) and at least one poly(meth)acrylate selected from poly(meth)acrylimides, polyalkyl(meth)acrylates, and mixtures thereof. The mass ratio of PEBA to poly(meth)acrylate is 95:5 to 60:40. The polyalkyl(meth)acrylate contains 80% by weight to 99% by weight of methyl methacrylate (MMA) units and 1% by weight to 20% by weight of C1-C10-alkyl acrylate units, based on the total weight of polyalkyl(meth)acrylate. The mixture can be processed to give foamed mouldings. The mouldings can be used in footwear soles, stud material, insulation or insulating material, damping components, lightweight components, or in a sandwich structure.

The present disclosure relates to unsaturated polyolefins and processes for preparing the same. The present disclosure further relates to curable formulations comprising the unsaturated polyolefins that show improved crosslinking.

A foaming resin composition of the present invention contains an aromatic vinyl-based resin and zinc oxide, wherein the size ratio (B/A), in which peak A is a 370 nm to 390 nm region and peak B is a 450 nm to 600 nm region, of zinc oxide is approximately 0.01 to approximately 1 when photoluminescence is measured, and the BET surface area thereof is approximately 1 m.sup.2/g to approximately 10 m.sup.2/g.

A method of manufacturing a thermally insulating product comprises: (a) forming a mixture comprising solvent and gel network former and optionally foaming agent; (b) dispersing a thermally insulating filler in the mixture; and (c) drying the mixture to form the thermally insulating product.