A method of freeze-drying comprising rapidly freezing either liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide in and around a material having pores at a rate of at least 0.2° C./min to limit the size of crystals formed from the carbon dioxide so as to avoid the formation of gas bubbles and damage to the pores and exposure of the material to gas-liquid interfaces. During freezing a solid layer primarily of solid carbon dioxide is formed on and surrounding the material by transferring heat with a cryogenic liquid circulating about the material. This solid layer protects the material from gas-liquid interfaces and surface tension before decreasing pressure about the material by venting carbon dioxide.

A method of producing a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers comprising a method of impregnating an aerogel with polymers, placing the aerogel impregnated with polymers within a dissolved polymer, cooling the dissolved polymer to create a polymer form with dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers, adding molten metal to the polymer form, vaporizing the polymer form, replacing the polymer form with molten metal, and cooling the molten metal to yield a metal form containing dispersed aerogel particles impregnated with polymers. Dispersing the aerogel particles impregnated with polymers within the polymer form prior to adding molten metal allows the aerogel particles to be fully dispersed throughout the metal form.

Provided are composite particles in which reinforcing fibers adhere to the surface of thermoplastic resin expanded beads via a thermosetting resin being in an uncured state, a cured product of the composite particles, an in-mold molded article of the composite particles, a laminate of the composite particles and a reinforcing fiber sheet material, a composite of the composite particles, and a method for producing composite particles.

A functional material has, as a first component, a thermoset plastic material, as a second component, a binding material for binding the thermoset plastic material, and, as a third component, at least one additive, which is configured to improve a burning behavior, wherein the burning behavior corresponds at least to a fire reaction class C as given by DIN EN 113501-1 [German/European norm 113501-1]. A method is intended for producing such a functional material and an element is produced from such a functional material.

A thermally expandable sheet includes: a first thermally expansive layer that is formed on one side of a base and contains a first thermally expandable material and a first binder, the first thermally expansive layer having a first ratio of the first thermally expandable material with respect to the first binder; and a second thermally expansive layer that is formed on the first thermally expansive layer and contains a second thermally expandable material and a second binder, the second thermally expansive layer having a second ratio of the second thermally expandable material with respect to the second binder, wherein the first ratio is lower than the second ratio.

Polymer foam and a method for preparing the same are disclosed. In the present disclosure, the method sequentially comprises the following steps: providing a polymer body; performing a pressure-induced flow (PIF) process on the polymer body at a first predetermined temperature and a first predetermined pressure for a pressure holding time, to obtain a polymer sheet; and performing a foaming process on the polymer sheet by using a foaming agent at a second predetermined temperature and a second predetermined pressure for a saturation time, to obtain polymer foam.

A thermally expandable sheet includes: a first thermally expansive layer that is formed on one side of a base and contains a first thermally expandable material and a first binder, the first thermally expansive layer having a first ratio of the first thermally expandable material with respect to the first binder; and a second thermally expansive layer that is formed on the first thermally expansive layer and contains a second thermally expandable material and a second binder, the second thermally expansive layer having a second ratio of the second thermally expandable material with respect to the second binder, wherein the first ratio is lower than the second ratio.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a foamed thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer product, comprising the steps of: 1) coating a binder: coating the binder on the surfaces of expandable thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer particles; 2) curing and molding: adding the product obtained from step 1) to a mold and then placing it in a vulcanizing machine for curing and molding; and 3) cooling and setting: cooling the mold after the molding in step 2) to obtain the product of the present invention. By means of pre-coating the binder on the surfaces of expanded thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer particles according to the present invention, the weight of the binder can be reduced, and the properties of the expanded thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer particles can be utilized to the maximum extent.

A composite structure including a metal form. The composite structure further includes an aerogel matrix formed of an aerogel, with the aerogel matrix being nanoporous and including a plurality of aerogel pores. A polymer occupies at least a portion of the aerogel pores of the aerogel matrix. The polymer is a thermoplastic. The thermoplastic is nanoporous and includes a plurality of thermoplastic pores. The thermoplastic pores are less than 10 nanometers in size. The polymer is impregnated within the aerogel pores of the aerogel matrix. The aerogel comprises at least 20% by weight of the composite structure. The aerogel pores are less than 10 nanometers in size. The composite structure further contains filler material. The filler material may be graphene. The composite structure further contains reinforcing agents.

The present invention relates to a pet toy and manufacturing method thereof. The pet toy comprises a plastic material formed by bonding expanded thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads with an adhesive; wherein each of the expanded thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads is in an irregular spherical shape; each of the expanded thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads has a length of 3-6 mm in each of x, y, z directions; each of the expanded thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads has a weight of 20-30 mg; the expanded thermoplastic polyurethane foam beads have a bulk density of 100-150 g. The pet toy has a high tensile strength, a high resilience, a low water absorption rate and a light weight.