A process for production of expanded thermoplastic elastomer beads in the presence of a gaseous medium that surrounds thermoplastic elastomer beads. The process comprises a) an impregnating step, in which the gaseous medium has an impregnating temperature T.sub.a, and the absolute pressure of the gaseous medium is greater than ambient pressure, the thermoplastic elastomer beads impregnated with a blowing agent, b) an expanding step, in which the thermoplastic elastomer beads expand as they are exposed to a pressure reduction at a first expanding temperature T.sub.b, and c) optionally a fusing step, in which the expanded thermoplastic elastomer beads are fused together at a fusing temperature T.sub.c to form at least one shaped part.

The present invention provides a foamable resin composition excellent in terms of the dispersibility and moldability. The foamable resin composition containing: from 30 to 80 wt % of a polyolefin; from 3 to 40 wt % of a polylactic acid; from 1 to 20 wt % of a modified polyolefin containing a carbonyl group in a molecule; from 10 to 40 wt % of a layered silicate; and from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % of a filler, the polyolefin containing at least one of polypropylene and polyethylene, the filler having a density different from the density of the layered silicate by at least 0.20 g/cm.sup.3.

The invention pertains to a process for manufacturing a glycerol-tricarboxylic acid polyester foam which comprises the steps of combining glycerol and a tri-carboxylic acid to provide a liquid reaction mixture and contacting the reaction mixture with a substrate under polymerization conditions, wherein the substrate has a top layer comprising one or more of metal, metal oxide, and metal halide. The invention also pertains to a glycerol-tricarboxylic polyester foam, in particular a glycerol-citric acid polyester foam, which has a closed cell foam structure wherein at least 90 vol. % of the foam, preferably at least 95% of the foam, is built up from cells having a diameter below 2 mm. The foamed polyester of the present invention is green, biodegradable, and non-toxic, and can be cleanly combusted. It finds application in, int. al., packaging materials, insulation materials, and materials with a short life cycle.

Expanded particles including a base resin including a copolymer of an aromatic vinyl compound, a (meth)acrylic acid ester, and an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid, in which the expanded particles have an average cell diameter of 5 to 50 m and a standard deviation of the average cell diameter of less than 0.8.

The invention pertains to a process for manufacturing a glycerol-tricarboxylic acid polyester foam which comprises the steps of combining glycerol and a tri-carboxylic acid to provide a liquid reaction mixture and contacting the reaction mixture with a substrate under polymerization conditions, wherein the substrate has a top layer comprising one or more of metal, metal oxide, and metal halide. The invention also pertains to a glycerol-tricarboxylic polyester foam, in particular a glycerol-citric acid polyester foam, which has a closed cell foam structure wherein at least 90 vol. % of the foam, preferably at least 95% of the foam, is built up from cells having a diameter below 2 mm. The foamed polyester of the present invention is green, biodegradable, and non-toxic, and can be cleanly combusted. It finds application in, int. al., packaging materials, insulation materials, and materials with a short life cycle.

The present invention relates to imidazole and/or its derivative as polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam catalyst in the presence of Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) halogenated olefinic blowing agents, such as the hydrochlorofluoroolefin (HCFO) HCFO-1233zd. More particularly, the present invention relates to catalyst compositions comprising imidazole and/or its derivative. The present invention further relates to the stable pre-blend formulations and resulting polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foams. A method for stabilizing thermosetting foam blends comprises combining: (a) a polyisocyanate and, optionally, isocyanate compatible raw materials; and (b) a polyol pre-mix composition comprising a halogenated olefinic blowing agent, a polyol, a surfactant, and a catalyst, wherein the catalyst comprises substituted imidazole having C2 or greater substitutions at the N1 nitrogen and/or its derivative. The resultant polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foams have uniform cell structure with little or no foam collapse.

A foam material having one glass transition temperature (Tg) and made from an immiscible composition having at least two glass transition temperatures (Tg) by an extrusion process wherein said composition (C) comprises at least one polyarylene (P1) polymer, wherein more than 50% by moles (moles %) of the recurring units of said (P1) polymer are recurring units (R1) consisting of an arylene group, wherein said arylene group is a hydrocarbon divalent group consisting of one core composed of one benzene ring or of a plurality of benzene rings fused together by sharing two or more neighboring ring carbon atoms, said benzene ring being optionally substituted, wherein each of said arylene group is bound to two other arylene groups of neighboring recurring units (R1) through a first CC bond (E1) and a second CC bond (E2), wherein at least 20 moles % of recurring units (R1) are kink-forming arylene units (R1-b), the remainder being rigid rod-forming arylene units (R1-a) different from arylene.sub.R1.sub._.sub.b units, wherein in said aryleneR.sub.1.sub._.sub.a units the bond (E1) and the bond (E2) are co-linear and anti-parallel towards each other, said (P1) polymer being present in composition (C) in an amount of below 75% by weight (wt. %) and above 10 wt. % based on the total wt. % of (P1) polymer and (PPSU) polymer, and (ii) at least one polyphenylsulfone polymer, said (PPSU) polymer being present in composition (C) in an amount of below 90 wt. % and above 25 wt. % of based on the total wt. % of polyarylene (P4) polymer and (PPSU) polymer.

The invention is directed to a foamed injection moulded article comprising a foam composition obtained by foaming high density polyethylene having a quotient of melt strength and apparent viscosity >2 cN/k.Math.Pa.Math.s wherein the melt strength is determined as described in ISO 16790:2005 and the apparent viscosity is determined as described in ISO 11443:2014.

A synthetic closure for a product-retaining container is constructed for being inserted and securely retained in a portal-forming neck of said container, said closure comprising at least a core member comprising at least one cycloolefin-based copolymer.

The invention is directed to HDPE having a quotient of melt strength according to ISO 16790:2005 and apparent viscosity according to ISO 11443:2014 (melt strength/apparent viscosity)>2 cN/k.Math.Pa.Math.s and 30 cN/k.Math.Pa.Math.s. In a preferred embodiment, HDPE with an Ml in the range between 0.1 and 10 a density in the range between 935 and 970 kg/m.sup.3 a gel fraction less than 5% and an elasticity (ratio of G/G at 0.1 rad/sec) between 0.6 and 10 is obtained by chain branching HDPE with an Ml in the range between 10 and 100 a density in the range between 935 and 970 kg/m.sup.3 and an elasticity (ratio of G/G at 0.1 rad/sec) between 0.01 and 0.2.