A composite molded article in which thermoplastic resin expanded beads are bonded via a thermosetting resin binder, wherein the composite molded article has a density of 0.05 to 0.5 g/cm.sup.3, and when heated at 100° C. for 20 minutes, the composite molded article has a volume expansion rate of 15 to 200%.

A composite material according to the present invention includes a solid portion including inorganic particles and a resin. The composite material has a porous structure including a plurality of voids surrounded by the solid portion. The composite material satisfies (i) and/or (ii). (i) P.sub.2 is 500 or more. (ii) The composite material has a heat conductivity of 0.5 W/(m.Math.K) or more and a thickness of 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm, the void have an average diameter of 50 μm to 1500 μm, and P.sub.3 is 70% to 90%. P.sub.2=the heat conductivity [W/(m.Math.K)] of the composite material×P.sub.3×100/an amount [volume %] of the inorganic particles P.sub.3 [%]=(F.sub.0−F.sub.1)×100/F.sub.0

An expanded beads molded article containing a block copolymer of a polyethylene block and an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer block and having a density of 150 kg/m.sup.3 or more and 500 kg/m.sup.3 or less and a tensile strength of 0.5 MPa or more.

An expanded bead having a through hole and including a foamed core layer which defines the through hole therein and which is constituted of a resin composition containing two kinds of polypropylene-based resins having different melting points, and a cover layer covering the foamed core layer and constituted of a polyolefin-based resin. The expanded bead gives a DSC curve in which an endothermic peak intrinsic to the resin composition and another endothermic peak on a higher temperature side thereof appear in a specific heat of fusion ratio. Molded articles include a multiplicity of the expanded beads.

An expanded bead having a through hole and including a foamed core layer which defines the through hole therein and which is constituted of a resin composition containing two kinds of polypropylene-based resins having different melting points, and a cover layer covering the foamed core layer and constituted of a polyolefin-based resin. The expanded bead gives a DSC curve in which an endothermic peak intrinsic to the resin composition and another endothermic peak on a higher temperature side thereof appear in a specific heat of fusion ratio. Molded articles include a multiplicity of the expanded beads.

An insulating material, in particular a permeable fire-proof insulating material comprising water glass and polystyrene, consisting of a hardening mixture which contains 1 to 32.4 wt % of expanded polystyrene, 57.5 to 96.0 wt % of aqueous sodium silicate solution, 2 to 6 wt % of aluminium hydroxide, 0.8 to 2.6 wt % water glass hardener and 0.1 to 0.5 wt % of water glass stabilizer, while the surface of the expanded polystyrene is provided with carbon black, the carbon black making up 0.1 to 1 wt % of total weight. A method for the production of insulating material, in particular a method for the production of permeable fire-proof insulating material comprising water glass and polystyrene, according to which firstly the polystyrene beads are mixed with an aqueous solution of carbon black so as to coat their entire surface, then is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution aluminium hydroxide and the whole is mixed so as to form an insulating mixture, and then a water glass stabilizer is added to the aqueous sodium silicate solution, and then to this solution is mixed water glass hardener, with this solution being further stirred for 1 to 10 minutes to form a binder solution, and the insulating mixture is added to the binder solution with constant stirring, and the whole is mixed, and the resulting mixture is then poured into the application site.

A composite material according to the present invention includes a solid portion including inorganic particles and a resin. The composite material has a porous structure including a plurality of voids surrounded by the solid portion. In the composite material, a ratio of a smallest heat conductivity of heat conductivities λ.sub.x, λ.sub.y, and λ.sub.z respectively in x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions perpendicular to each other to a largest heat conductivity of the heat conductivities λ.sub.x, λ.sub.y, and λ.sub.z is 0.8 or more.

The present invention provides a method for producing a porous base material having a pore with a surface modified, the method being unlikely to limit a material of the porous base material and being suitable for controlling characteristics of the porous base material by introducing a polymer chain into a surface of a pore of the porous base material while inhibiting a change in a structure of the porous base material itself. The production method of the present invention includes: forming a base layer having a polymerization initiating group in such a manner as to cover a surface of a pore of a porous base material; and allowing a monomer group to be in contact with the base layer and thereby polymerizing the monomer group by the polymerization initiating group.

The present invention provides a method for producing a porous base material having a pore with a surface modified, the method being unlikely to limit a material of the porous base material and being suitable for controlling characteristics of the porous base material by introducing a polymer chain into a surface of a pore of the porous base material while inhibiting a change in a structure of the porous base material itself. The production method of the present invention includes: forming a base layer having a polymerization initiating group in such a manner as to cover a surface of a pore of a porous base material; and allowing a monomer group to be in contact with the base layer and thereby polymerizing the monomer group by the polymerization initiating group.

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.