A method for making a floor or wall panel has a foamed polymer core. A foamable polymer powder is foamed between two conveyor belts in the forming zone of a steel belt press. The sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the layers at the entrance of the steel belt press is less than or equal to the opening of the steel belt press at the entrance of the steel belt press. The sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the substrate at the outlet of the steel belt press is equal to the opening of the steel belt press at the outlet of the steel belt press and greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the layers at the entrance of the steel belt press.

A thermoplastic resin foam including a thermoplastic resin, wherein: the thermoplastic resin includes a polyester resin and a polyimide resin, and the thermoplastic resin foam shows a single glass transition temperature Tg. The glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin is preferably 80 to 130° C. An absolute value of difference between heat absorption and heat generation, each determined by heat flux differential scanning calorimetry at a heating rate of 10° C./min, is preferably 3 to 35 J/g.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a laminate, wherein the laminate is obtained by integrally laminating an expanded beads molded article (a) composed of expanded beads A and having interconnected voids and an expanded beads molded article (b) composed of expanded particles B and having interconnected voids, the difference [P.sub.bP.sub.a] between the voidage (P.sub.a) of the expanded beads molded article (a) and the voidage (P.sub.b) of the expanded beads molded article (b) is 5% or more, and the expanded beads A and the expanded beads B satisfy the following (1) to (3): (1) a difference [d.sub.Bd.sub.A] between an average hole diameter (d.sub.A) of the through-holes of the expanded beads (A) and an average hole diameter (d.sub.B) of the through-holes of the expanded beads (B) is 0.3 mm or more and 2 mm or less; (2) the expanded beads (B) have an average outer diameter D.sub.B of 3.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less; (3) a difference [D.sub.BD.sub.A] between an average outer diameter D.sub.A of the expanded beads (A) and an average outer diameter D.sub.B of the expanded beads (B) is 0.3 mm or more and 2 mm or less.

Processes for preparing polystyrene-phenolic foam composites and precursor compositions are described. The processes yield composites having advantageous properties particularly useful in insulation and fire resisting applications.

A method for making a floor or wall panel has a foamed polymer core. A foamable polymer powder is foamed between two conveyor belts in the forming zone of a steel belt press. The sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the layers at the entrance of the steel belt press is less than or equal to the opening of the steel belt press at the entrance of the steel belt press. The sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the substrate at the outlet of the steel belt press is equal to the opening of the steel belt press at the outlet of the steel belt press and greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the two conveyor belts and the total thickness of the layers at the entrance of the steel belt press.

Processes for preparing polystyrene-phenolic foam composites and precursor compositions are described. The processes yield composites having advantageous properties particularly useful in insulation and fire resisting applications.

Processes for preparing polystyrene-phenolic foam composites and precursor compositions are described. The processes yield composites having advantageous properties useful in insulation and fire resisting applications.

An unvulcanized liquid or solid silicone rubber containing a proportion of a filler material that expands at an increased temperature.

A method for producing a molded part from a foamed plastic in a mold cavity which is delimited by walls of an at least two-part, open- and closable molding tool including the steps: closing of the molding tool to prepare the mold cavity; pouring a particulate granulate of the plastic into the mold cavity; heating the granulate through the introduction of steam into the filled mold cavity at such a temperature and steam pressure that the granulate expands and is melted to form a molded part; cooling the molded part in the mold cavity; opening the molding tool and removal of the molded part, wherein the steam that is introduced into the mold cavity is conveyed through steam chambers which are positioned on the side of the walls of the molding tool opposite from the mold cavity and communicate with the mold cavity by openings that pass through the walls, and wherein before and/or during the closing of the molding tool, a temperature control medium inside the walls of the molding tool is guided in a cavity which does not communicate with the steam chambers and mold cavity, in order to preheat the walls, and the walls of the molding tool are preheated to a temperature that is suitable for the melting of the granulate to form the molded part.

An elongated structural article, having a continuous profile extrusion with spaced apart layers defining a portion of a cavity filed filled with thermoplastic pre-expanded beads expanded with steam in-situ causing the beads to securely bond together and to the profile extrusion. The article is cut to a length forming ends having an exposed foam core. A system for manufacturing the article is also disclosed having a profile extrusion die for forming an axially profile defining a wall surrounding a cavity, a tubular shaping mold located axially downstream of the extrusion die sized to support a length of the profile as it passes there through. A bead dispenser is oriented to introducing pre-expanded beads into the profile cavity while within the shaping fixture and a steam tube is oriented downstream of the introduction of pre-expanded beads. Control valves regulate the flow of pre-expanded beads and steam into the profile cavity.