A sole assembly for an article of footwear has a first portion having a lower ground engaging surface, an upper surface, and a recess formed in the upper surface. A second portion is seated in the recess in the first portion and has an upper surface. The second portion is formed from a first foam material prepared by a reaction product of a composition having about 10 to about 100 phr of a hydrogenated copolymer and about 10 to about 90 phr of a copolymer of ethlylene and an alpha olefin, the alpha olefin having up to 20 carbon atoms. The first foam material has a hardness of 25 to 45 Asker C and a density of less than 0.18 g/cm3.

A sole assembly for an article of footwear has a first portion having a lower ground engaging surface, an upper surface, and a recess formed in the upper surface. A second portion is seated in the recess in the first portion and has an upper surface. The second portion is formed from a first foam material prepared by a reaction product of a composition having about 10 to about 100 phr of a hydrogenated copolymer and about 10 to about 90 phr of a copolymer of ethlylene and an alpha olefin, the alpha olefin having up to 20 carbon atoms. The first foam material has a hardness of 25 to 45 Asker C and a density of less than 0.18 g/cm3.

The invention relates to an acrylic layer (in the form of a coating, film or sheet) useful as part of a photovoltaic module backsheet. The acrylic layer contains at least 40 percent of one or more acrylic polymers, including an acrylic polymer matrix and optionally acrylic impact modifiers. The acrylic polymer is preferably a polymer, copolymer, or terpolymer containing at least 50 weight percent of methylmethacrylate monomer units. The acrylic layer is flexible and optionally contains high levels of white pigment. It may also contain fluoropolymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride to improve weathering, processibility and film formation. The acrylic layer adheres to a polymer support layer such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). A preferred substrate is PET that is pre-treated to improve adhesion, but unprimed PET can also be used. The backsheet provides excellent weatherability, environmental stability and reflectivity as part of a photovoltaic module.

The invention relates to an acrylic layer (in the form of a coating, film or sheet) useful as part of a photovoltaic module backsheet. The acrylic layer contains at least 40 percent of one or more acrylic polymers, including an acrylic polymer matrix and optionally acrylic impact modifiers. The acrylic polymer is preferably a polymer, copolymer, or terpolymer containing at least 50 weight percent of methylmethacrylate monomer units. The acrylic layer is flexible and optionally contains high levels of white pigment. It may also contain fluoropolymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride to improve weathering, processibility and film formation. The acrylic layer adheres to a polymer support layer such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). A preferred substrate is PET that is pre-treated to improve adhesion, but unprimed PET can also be used. The backsheet provides excellent weatherability, environmental stability and reflectivity as part of a photovoltaic module.

The present invention relates to a block copolymer comprising at least one PA block and at least one PB block. The PA block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer A, and the PB block represents a polymer block comprising one or more units of monomer B. Monomer A is a vinyl, acrylic, diolefin, nitrile, dinitrile, or acrylonitrile monomer. Monomer B is a radically polymerizable plant oil monomer containing one or more triglycerides. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a thermoplastic block copolymer by radical polymerizing a radically polymerizable monomer with a radically polymerizable plant oil monomer containing one or more triglycerides, in the presence of an initiator and a transition-metal catalyst system to form the thermoplastic block copolymer. The polymerized plant oil-based block copolymers are useful in a variety of applications, such as asphalt modifiers, rubber compositions, adhesives, tires, in the automobile industry, footwear, packaging, etc.

An adhesive polymer composition comprising a non-elastomeric copolymer of ethylene and one or more comonomers having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and an elastomer is disclosed herein. The non-elastomeric copolymer is present in an amount of 60 to 95% by weight, based on the adhesive polymer composition, has a weight average molecular weight Mw of from 50 000 to 80 000 g/mol, molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn of 2.0 to 5.5, density of from 0.925 to 0.945 g/cm.sup.3, and at most 0.1 vinyl groups/1000 carbon atoms. The non-elastomeric copolymer or the non-elastomeric copolymer and the elastomer have been grafted with an acid rafting agent.

An adhesive polymer composition comprising a non-elastomeric copolymer of ethylene and one or more comonomers having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and an elastomer is disclosed herein. The non-elastomeric copolymer is present in an amount of 60 to 95% by weight, based on the adhesive polymer composition, has a weight average molecular weight Mw of from 50 000 to 80 000 g/mol, molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn of 2.0 to 5.5, density of from 0.925 to 0.945 g/cm.sup.3, and at most 0.1 vinyl groups/1000 carbon atoms. The non-elastomeric copolymer or the non-elastomeric copolymer and the elastomer have been grafted with an acid rafting agent.

The present invention relates to the thermal stabilization of halogen containing polymer compositions. More particularly the invention relates to a tin stabilizer composition for chlorine containing polymers, and more specifically a composition comprising a mono alkyltin compound as major compound of the tin stabilizer composition and a co-stabilizer.

The present invention relates as well to the use of a mono alkyl tin compound as major compound of the tin stabilizer and a co-stabilizer as heat stabilizers for processing chlorine containing polymer composition.

The present invention relates to the thermal stabilization of halogen containing polymer compositions. More particularly the invention relates to a tin stabilizer composition for chlorine containing polymers, and more specifically a composition comprising a mono alkyltin compound as major compound of the tin stabilizer composition and a co-stabilizer.

The present invention relates as well to the use of a mono alkyl tin compound as major compound of the tin stabilizer and a co-stabilizer as heat stabilizers for processing chlorine containing polymer composition.

This invention relates to compositions comprised of diene-based elastomers containing an antioxidant comprised of a combination of tris(nonyl phenyl) phosphite (TNPP) and tetramethylethylene diamine (TMEDA). The invention further relates a rubber composition and to a polystyrene composite containing such elastomer compositions. The invention additionally relates to articles of manufacture thereof, including tires and polystyrene based articles. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a process of recovery of diene-based elastomer(s) from an organic solvent solution thereof by steam stripping the organic solvent therefrom in the presence of a combination of the TNPP and TMEDA.