Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a foam. A variety of foams and foam components and compositions for forming the foams are provided. In some aspects, the foams and components including the foams can have exceptionally high energy return while also having improved durability and softness. In particular, midsoles including the foams are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding or injection molding followed by compression molding.

Expanded polypropylene resin particles include a polypropylene resin as a base material resin, wherein the polypropylene resin has a flexural modulus of 750 MPa to 1100 MPa. The flexural modulus and a melting point of the expanded polypropylene resin particles satisfy Expression (1): [Flexural modulus (MPa)]<31.19×[Melting point (° C.)]−3500, wherein the melting point of the expanded polypropylene resin particles is a melting point of 141.5° C. to 150.0° C. in a second differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curve of a second temperature increase, the second DSC curve being obtained when the expanded polypropylene resin particles are heated from 40° C. to 220° C. at a temperature increase rate of 10° C./min in a first temperature increase, then cooled from 220° C. to 40° C. at a temperature decrease rate of 10° C./min, and heated again from 40° C. to 220° C. at a temperature increase rate of 10° C./min in the second temperature increase.

Provided is A polypropylene-based resin composition comprising 2 mass % to 30 mass % of a polypropylene resin (X1) having specific properties, 5 mass % to 98 mass % of a polypropylene resin (X2) having specific properties, and 0 mass % to 80 mass % of a polypropylene-based resin (Y) having specific properties, wherein the total amount of the polypropylene resin (X1), the polypropylene resin (X2) and the polypropylene-based resin (Y) is 100 mass %.

An extrusion composition containing at least one resin selected from the group consisting of polypropylene homopolymers, polypropylene random copolymers, and polypropylene impact copolymers. The extrusion composition also contains at least one phosphate ester-based nucleating agent provided in the composition at a use level of between about 0.01 and 0.15 parts by weight, in relation to 100 parts by weight of the resin and at least one co-additive selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) and copolymers containing segments of ethylene oxide, wherein the co-additive has a number average molecular weight of about 300 or more, and wherein the use level of the co-additive is about 0.005 parts by weight or more, in relation to 100 parts by weight of the resin.

The instant invention provides a multilayer structure comprising: (a) a substrate, wherein said substrate is optionally surface treated on at least one surface and has a surface energy in the range of at least 32 dyn, (b) a sealing layer derived from the application of one or more aqueous dispersions to at least a portion of said at least one surface of said substrate, and wherein the one or more aqueous dispersion comprise the melt kneading product of: (a) one or more a base polymers selected from the group consisting of ethylene and optionally one or more α-olefins, propylene and optionally one or more α-olefins; (b) one or more a stabilizing agents; (c) in the presence of a neutralizing agent and (d) water.

In methods for forming thermoplastic vulcanizates, and thermoplastic vulcanizates formed by such methods, a masterbatch comprising one or more additives in a carrier resin comprising propylene- or ethylene-based copolymer is added to the thermoplastic vulcanizate formulation. The resulting thermoplastic vulcanizate may additionally be passed through a 200 mesh or finer screen and thereafter extruded. The thermoplastic vulcanizates may exhibit increased extrusion throughput rates and enhanced surface smoothness.

The present disclosure provides a foam bead. The foam bead contains at least one of the following components: (A) a block composite; and/or (B) a crystalline block composite. The present disclosure also provides a sintered foam structure formed from a composition comprising at least one of the following components: (A) a block composite; and/or (B) a crystalline block composite.

The invention is directed to a process for the preparation of a reinforced article which comprises the step of molding a molding composition comprising pellets into the article at an elevated temperature, wherein each of the pellets has an axial length and comprises a core and a sheath around the core, wherein the core comprises an impregnating agent and a multifilament strand comprising glass fibers each having a length substantially equal to the axial length of the pellet and substantially oriented in the axial length of the pellet, wherein the sheath comprises a thermoplastic polymer; and wherein the molding composition further comprises a filler.

The invention relates to an expandable bead comprising a) a polyolefin selected from polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and mixtures thereof and b) thermoplastic microspheres encapsulating a blowing agent.

The invention is directed to a polypropylene composition comprising (A) a propylene-based polymer, (B) talc and (C) a functionalized polypropylene grafted with an acid or acid anhydride functional group, wherein components (A) and (C) are different, wherein the amount of the talc in the composition is 0.025-4 wt % of the total composition and the amount of the functionalized polypropylene is 0.005-0.75 wt % of the total composition.