A process of foaming a polyolefin, e.g., polyethylene, composition using as a nucleator a combination of (A) azodicarbonamide, and (B) a mixture of (1) a first component consisting of at least one of citric acid and an alkali metal citrate, and (2) a second component consisting of at least one of an alkali metal citrate, a di-alkali metal hydrogen citrate, an alkali metal dihydrogen citrate and an alkali metal bicarbonate, with the proviso that the mixture is not solely composed of alkali metal citrate.

A novel PVC board and method of manufacture. The board includes a compressible layer to provide flooring that is comfortable to walk on, and a polyurethane surface that is easy to clean. The method of manufacture simplifies the production process, and improves production time and efficiency.

Provided are rapidly cross-linkable silicone foam compositions, kits, and methods for filling implanted medical devices in situ or in vivo, the implanted medical devices, including for example, body implants and tissue expanders, the compositions including a platinum divinyl disiloxane complex; a low viscosity vinyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane; a low viscosity hydride terminated polydimethylsiloxane; a silicone cross-linker; and a gas and/or gas-filled microcapsules, where the rapidly cross-linkable silicone foam composition has a viscosity of 150 cPs for 1 min. post-preparation and 300 cPs5 min. post-preparation, at ambient temperature.

Provided are a flame retardant composition for expandable styrene resin that can be used to produce a foamed molded article having excellent flame retardancy and excellent heat resistance, a flame-retardant expandable styrene-based resin composition, and an extrusion-foamed molded article of the styrene-based resin compostion. The flame retardant composition for expandable styrene resin of the present invention comprises at least tetrabromobisphenol A-bis(2,3-dibromo-2-methylpropyl ether) as a component (B1), fatty acid zinc as a component (C), and a fatty acid metal salt, excluding the component (C), as a component (D), the component (C) being contained in an amount of 0.1 to 15 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the component (B1), and the component (D) being contained in an amount of 1 to 35 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the component (B1).

Provided are a photon up-conversion film, which is capable of high-efficiency up-conversion even in air and even when low-intensity light is used, and a simple method of producing the film. The photon up-conversion film according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a matrix including a resin; and a pore portion, wherein the photon up-conversion film includes at least a sensitizing component capable of absorbing light in a first wavelength region 1, and a light-emitting component capable of radiating light in a second wavelength region 2 including wavelengths shorter than those of the first wavelength region 1, and wherein the sensitizing component and the light-emitting component are present at an interface between the matrix and the pore portion.

Provided in the present disclosure are a core flooring layer of a light-foamed SPC floor and a light-foamed SPC floor. Based on the total weight of the core flooring, the core flooring of the present disclosure contains 65.0?75.0 wt % of calcium carbonate, 18.0?25.0 wt % of polyvinyl chloride resin, 2.2?3.0 wt % of a foaming regulator, 2.5?3.3 wt % of a stabilizer, 0.10?0.20 wt % of a plasticizer, 0.10?0.15 wt % of an external lubricant, 0.1?0.40 wt % of an ADC foaming agent, and 0.5?1.0 wt % of an NC foaming agent. The present disclosure can greatly reduce the density of a SPC floor while improving the static bending strength, flexural elastic modulus and peeling strength, and reducing heating warpage.

A composition including a first polypropylene having at least 90 wt. % propylene by weight of the first polypropylene, an alpha nucleation inhibitor, and a beta nucleation additive is provided. Also provided is a method of preparing a foamable polypropylene composition. The method includes the steps: a) compounding a first polypropylene including at least 90 wt. % propylene by weight of the first polypropylene with an alpha nucleation inhibitor to form a polypropylene blend; b) compounding the polypropylene blend with a blowing agent to form a pre-annealed polypropylene composition; and c) annealing the pre-annealed polypropylene composition at an annealing temperature Ta for an annealing time ta to form the foamable polypropylene composition. The foamable polypropylene composition has a first melting peak T1 and a second melting peak T2 as measured by differential scanning calorimetry at a heating rate of 20? C. per minute.

Provided are a photon up-conversion film, which is capable, of high-efficiency up-conversion even in air and even when low-intensity light is used, and a simple method of producing the film. The photon up-conversion film according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a matrix including a resin; and a pore portion, wherein the photon up-conversion film includes at least a sensitizing component capable of absorbing light in a first wavelength region ?1, and a light-emitting component capable of radiating light in a second wavelength region ?2 including wavelengths shorter than those of the first wavelength region ?1, and wherein the sensitizing component and the light-emitting component are present at an interface between the matrix and the pore portion.

A method for dielectrically heating foamable composition to foam and set the composition is described. In particular, radio frequency (RF) heating is used to heat the foamable composition to provide insulation in the manufacture of an article.

Photoactive polymer coatings and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a polymer coating comprises a polymer matrix having a porous structure extending throughout the polymer matrix, wherein the porous structure is present at an exposed surface of the polymer coating creating a roughened surface, and a modified support particle disposed within the polymer matrix, wherein the modified support particle includes a substituted phthalocyanine and a support particle. In some embodiments, the substituted phthalocyanine is a halogenated phthalocyanine.