Foam compositions are provided. The compositions are prepared from multi-functional acetoacetate esters and multi-functional amines or acrylates. The foam compositions can include one or more additives. The foam compositions can be used for home and commercial insulation, air sealing, sound proofing, structural improvement, and exterior roofing, among other applications. The foam compositions provide advantages of being isocyanate free and offer reduced exposure to isocyanate.

Foam compositions are provided. The compositions are prepared from multi-functional acetoacetate esters and multi-functional amines or acrylates. The foam compositions can include one or more additives. The foam compositions can be used for home and commercial insulation, air sealing, sound proofing, structural improvement, and exterior roofing, among other applications. The foam compositions provide advantages of being isocyanate free and offer reduced exposure to isocyanate.

A temperature-responsive hydrogel which contains a carboxyl group-bearing polymer and a divalent-metal salt of an organic acid is provided. The carboxyl group-bearing polymer may be a homopolymer of a carboxyl group-bearing monomer or a copolymer of a plurality of monomers including the monomer. A method for producing the temperature-responsive hydrogel involves immersing a carboxyl group-bearing polymer in an aqueous solution of a divalent-metal salt of an organic acid. The concentration of the divalent-metal salt of an organic acid in the aqueous solution may be 50 mM to the saturation concentration. It is possible to provide a temperature-responsive gel having an LCST with no volume phase transition and a method for producing the temperature-responsive gel.

A packaging body constituted by a sheet that includes a gas barrier laminate and a sealant; and contents that are accommodated in the packaging body and that contain a sulfur-containing amino acid. The gas barrier laminate comprises: a resin substrate; a first layer containing an inorganic oxide; a second layer containing a carboxylic acid polymer; and a third layer containing a polyvalent metal compound and a resin. The resin substrate, the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer are layered in this order from the outside to the inside of the packaging body. The thickness of the third layer is 0.1 μm or more. The sulfur content of the second layer is 1.0 atm % or less.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a foam. A variety of foams and foam components are provided. The articles include a composition having a foam structure, wherein the composition includes an ionomeric polymer and a plurality of cations, wherein the ionomeric copolymer is crosslinked by the cations. The crosslinks are ionic, so in some aspects the composition is free or essentially free of any covalent crosslinks between the ionomers. In particular, midsoles including the foams are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding or injection molding followed by compression molding.

An object of the present invention is to provide a polymer compound in which, by blending with a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystalline compound, alignment of the liquid crystalline compound in a phase difference layer to be obtained increases; and a liquid crystal composition, a phase difference layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device using the same. The polymer compound of the present invention is a polymer compound including a repeating unit represented by Formula (I), a repeating unit represented by Formula (II), a repeating unit represented by Formula (III), and a repeating unit represented by Formula (IV). ##STR00001##

A fibrous cellulose composite resin excellent in strength, and a method for producing the same. The fibrous cellulose composite resin includes microfiber cellulose, a resin, and an acid-modified resin, wherein the microfiber cellulose has hydroxyl groups, which are substituted with carbamate groups, and has been washed and defibrated into an average fiber width of 0.1 μm or larger, in which the amount of the byproduct is 10% or less per 100 parts by mass of a carbamate-modified cellulose. The production method includes heat-treating a cellulose raw material and urea to obtain a carbamate-modified cellulose, washing the carbamate-modified cellulose, defibrating the carbamate-modified cellulose to obtain a dispersion of carbamate-modified microfiber cellulose having an average fiber width of 0.1 μm or larger, mixing the dispersion and an acid-modified resin to obtain a material containing carbamate-modified microfiber cellulose, and kneading the material with a resin to obtain a composite resin.

A glass mat is provided. The glass mat includes an assembly of glass fibers; and a binder composition including a polymer resin and a crosslinker. The polymer resin has a pH of at least about 5.0. The polymer resin includes a styrenic copolymer, an acrylic copolymer, or combination thereof having at least one functional group of a carboxylic acid, a salt of a carboxylic acid, an anhydride, a salt of an anhydride, or combination thereof. The crosslinker includes a polyol, a polyepoxy, a polycarbodiimide, a polyaziridine, a bivalent metal carbonate, or combination thereof. Further provided is a method of making the glass mat.

A foam bead is formed from a composition comprising an ionomer comprising, in polymerized form, ethylene, an unsaturated acid comonomer and, optionally, an acrylate comonomer, wherein the unsaturated acid comonomer is at least partially neutralized with a neutralizing agent. A sintered foam structure is formed from foam beads that are formed from above composition.

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment are provided including a foam. A variety of foams and foam components are provided. The articles include a composition having a foam structure, wherein the composition includes an ionomeric polymer and a plurality of cations, wherein the ionomeric copolymer is crosslinked by the cations. The crosslinks are ionic, so in some aspects the composition is free or essentially free of any covalent crosslinks between the ionomers. In particular, midsoles including the foams are provided for use in an article of footwear. Methods of making the compositions and foams are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding or injection molding followed by compression molding.