A multi-material structure includes: a structural member that includes an isotropic material and at least one open-cell void formed in the isotropic material; and a skin that includes a polymetric material and is disposed on a surface of the structural member and within the at least one open-cell void.

A method of forming a polymeric foam material is provided and includes providing a precursor material having a first thickness, the precursor material being an open-cell foam material and applying a uniaxial compressive force to the precursor material to compress the precursor material to a second thickness, the compressive force causing a cell structure of the precursor material to collapse. The method also includes heating the precursor material at a molding temperature for a first time period while the compressive force is applied, the first time period being sufficient to heat the precursor material to a softening temperature, removing the compressive force from the precursor material, and maintaining the cell structure of the precursor material in a collapsed state.

A novel material for producing auxetic foams is disclosed. The material comprises a multiphase, multicomponent polymer foam with a filler polymer having a carefully selected glass transition temperature. Novel methods for producing auxetic foams from the material are also disclosed that consistently, reliably and quickly produce auxetic polyurethane foam at about room temperature (25° C.). This technology overcomes challenging issues in the large-scale production of auxetic PU foams, such as unfavorable heat-transmission problem and harmful organic solvents.

The present invention relates to a molding made of reactive foam, wherein at least one fiber (F) is arranged partially inside the molding, i.e. is surrounded by the reactive foam. The two ends of the respective fiber (F) not surrounded by the reactive foam thus each project from one side of the corresponding molding. The reactive foam is produced by a mold foaming process. The present invention further provides a panel comprising at least one such molding and at least one further layer (S1). The present invention further provides processes for producing the moldings according to the invention from reactive foam/the panels according to the invention and also provides for the use thereof as a rotor blade in wind turbines for example.

A method for forming a thermoplastic body having regions with varied material composition and/or porosity. Powder blends comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a sacrificial porogen and an inorganic reinforcement or filler are molded to form complementary parts with closely toleranced mating surfaces. The parts are formed discretely, assembled and compression molded to provide a unitary article that is free from discernible boundaries between the assembled parts. Each part in the assembly has differences in composition and/or porosity, and the assembly has accurate physical features throughout the sections of the formed article, without distortion and nonuniformities caused by variable compaction and densification rates in methods that involve compression molding powder blends in a single step.

A method of forming a polymeric foam material is provided and includes providing a precursor material having a first thickness, the precursor material being an open-cell foam material and applying a uniaxial compressive force to the precursor material to compress the precursor material to a second thickness, the compressive force causing a cell structure of the precursor material to collapse. The method also includes heating the precursor material at a molding temperature for a first time period while the compressive force is applied, the first time period being sufficient to heat the precursor material to a softening temperature, removing the compressive force from the precursor material, and maintaining the cell structure of the precursor material in a collapsed state.

Provided is a material having an excellent sound-absorbing performance which can be easily applied to the desired area at the operation site and which can effectively prevent sound leakage. The material includes an open-cell soft polyurethane foam prepared from a 2-part reactive urethane resin composition prepared from a polyisocyanate component and a polyol-containing component, wherein the polyol-containing component comprises a polyol component, catalysts, a foam stabilizer, an amine compound having primary or secondary amino groups, and carbon dioxide; wherein an average sound absorption coefficient of said polyurethane foam is 30% or more, measured in accordance with JIS A 1405-2:2007 for 63 hertz to 5000 hertz; and the length of liquid-dripping is within 300 mm.

Methods of forming a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic core layer and articles including the core layer are described. In some examples, the methods use a combination of thermoplastic material, reinforcing fibers and bicomponent fibers to enhance retention of lofting agents in the core layer. The processes permit the use of less material while still providing sufficient lofting capacity in the final formed core layer.

Articles (100, 200, 300) comprising first (101, 201, 301) and second layers (102, 202, 302) each having first and second opposed major surfaces and between the first and second layers a series of first walls (110, 210, 310) having aspect ratios between 1.5 and 5 providing a series of microchannels, and methods for making the same. Embodiment of coextruded articles described herein are useful, for example, in cushioning applications where high levels of compression are desired.

A method of printing a cellular solid (120) by direct bubble writing comprises introducing an ink formulation (102) comprising a polymerizable monomer and a gas (104) into a nozzle (106), which includes a core flow channel (108) radially surrounded by an outer flow channel (110). The ink formulation is directed into the outer flow channel (110) and the gas is directed into the core flow channel (108). The ink formulation (102) and the gas (104) are ejected out of the nozzle (106) as a stream of bubbles (112), where each bubble includes a core (114) comprising the gas and a liquid shell (116) overlying the core that comprises the ink formulation. After ejection, the polymerizable monomer is polymerized to form a solid polymeric shell (118) from the liquid shell (116), and the bubbles are deposited on a substrate (122) moving relative to the nozzle (106). Thus, a polymeric cellular solid (120) having a predetermined geometry is printed.