Disclosed are such co-polymers of vinylidene substituted aromatic monomers and unsaturated compounds containing nucleophilic groups chain extended by a copolymer of one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and one or more unsaturated compounds having pendant electrophilic groups which copolymerize with the one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers. Disclosed are compositions comprising vinylidene substituted aromatic monomers and unsaturated compounds containing nucleophilic groups and a copolymer of one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and one or more unsaturated compounds having pendant electrophilic groups, which may optionally, contain salts of alkaline earth metals, alkali metals, transition metals, post transition metals or metalloids. Disclosed are methods of preparing such chain-extended and/or branched copolymers.

A resin composition to be cross-linked and foamed includes thermoplastic resin, a cross-linking agent, and a foaming agent, further including: ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber having an ethylene content lower than 70 mass %. The ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber amounts for 5 mass % or more of a sum of the thermoplastic resin and the ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber.

Disclosed are such co-polymers of vinylidene substituted aromatic monomers and unsaturated compounds containing nucleophilic groups chain extended by a copolymer of one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and one or more unsaturated compounds having pendant electrophilic groups which copolymerize with the one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers. Disclosed are compositions comprising vinylidene substituted aromatic monomers and unsaturated compounds containing nucleophilic groups and a copolymer of one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and one or more unsaturated compounds having pendant electrophilic groups, which may optionally, contain salts of alkaline earth metals, alkali metals, transition metals, post transition metals or metalloids. Disclosed are methods of preparing such chain-extended and/or branched copolymers.

A foaming composition useful to make an extruded foam is comprised of: a copolymer of a vinylidene aromatic monomer and an unsaturated compound containing nucleophilic groups, a copolymer of vinylidene aromatic monomer and an unsaturated compound having electrophilic groups; and a blowing agent. The foaming composition may be made into a foam by heating the foaming composition to a temperature sufficient to melt and react said copolymers to form a chain extended/branched copolymer and extruding the foaming composition from a higher pressure to a lower pressure to form an extruded foam comprised of the chain extended/branched copolymer. The foam is comprised of a chain extended/branched copolymer that is the reaction product of (i) a copolymer of one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and one or more unsaturated compounds containing nucleophilic groups, and (ii) a copolymer of one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers and one or more unsaturated compounds having electrophilic groups.

The invention relates to a curable volume expandable polymer composition comprising an organic acid component, wherein the organic acid component comprises a first organic acid, a second organic acid, and optionally one or more additional organic acids; wherein said polymer composition, when being heated to an activation of expansion temperature above room temperature, undergoes volume expansion. When the organic acid component is heated to the activation of expansion temperature, the first organic acid and/or the second organic acid and/or the optionally present one or more additional organic acids decarboxylate and thus release carbon dioxide. The polymer composition traps the thus released carbon dioxide thereby causing the polymer composition to undergo volume expansion.

The invention relates to a curable volume expandable polymer composition comprising an organic acid component, wherein the organic acid component comprises a first organic acid, a second organic acid, and optionally one or more additional organic acids; wherein said polymer composition, when being heated to an activation of expansion temperature above room temperature, undergoes volume expansion. When the organic acid component is heated to the activation of expansion temperature, the first organic acid and/or the second organic acid and/or the optionally present one or more additional organic acids decarboxylate and thus release carbon dioxide. The polymer composition traps the thus released carbon dioxide thereby causing the polymer composition to undergo volume expansion.

The invention relates to a curable volume expandable polymer composition comprising an organic acid component, wherein the organic acid component comprises a first organic acid, a second organic acid, and optionally one or more additional organic acids; wherein said polymer composition, when being heated to an activation of expansion temperature above room temperature, undergoes volume expansion. When the organic acid component is heated to the activation of expansion temperature, the first organic acid and/or the second organic acid and/or the optionally present one or more additional organic acids decarboxylate and thus release carbon dioxide. The polymer composition traps the thus released carbon dioxide thereby causing the polymer composition to undergo volume expansion.

A thermally expandable rubber composition, including at least one solid rubber, at least one processing oil, at least one vulcanization system, at least one filler G, 0.25 and 0.55 wt-% of 4,4-oxybis(benzenesulfonyl hydrazide), 0.25 and 0.55 wt-% of p-toluenesulfonylhydrazide and 0.1 and 0.5 wt-% of azodicarbonic acid diamide.

Polymer foam contains a continuous matrix of styrenic polymer that has metal oxide particulates selected from a group consisting of alumina boehmite and magnesium oxide and brominate styrene/butadiene copolymer dispersed therein.