Abstract: Prepare a polymeric foam from a foamable polymer composition containing a thermoplastic polymer composition and a blowing agent wherein 75 percent or more by weight of all non-halogenated polymers in the foamable polymer composition is a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer composition having a polymerized acrylonitrile content distribution with a positive skew in a copolymerized AN content distribution and a positive percent difference between the mean and the median copolymerized AN content distribution.

Abstract: Prepare an article by providing an extruded thermoplastic polymer foam having a cavity defined therein and placing a vacuum insulation panel entirely within the cavity.

Abstract: Prepare an extruded polymeric foam using a thermoplastic polymer composition of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer having a copolymerized acrylonitrile comonomer content of 20 weight-percent or less, a mean acrylonitrile comonomer content that exceeds its median acrylonitrile comonomer content and an average copolymerized acrylonitrile comonomer distribution having a breadth at half-height that is greater than 2.5 weight-percent as measured at half peak height of a copolymerized acrylonitrile comonomer distribution curve for the styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer.

Abstract: Alkenyl aromatic polymer foam comprising a polymer matrix containing one or more polymer and defining a plurality of cells having an average cell size wherein: (a) the alkenyl aromatic polymer foam has: —(i) an average cell size that is in a range of 0.02 and 5 millimeters; —(ii) a density of 64 kilograms per cubic meter or less; —(iii) an open cell content less than 30 percent; and —(iv) a cell size variation of 30% or less; and wherein the foam further comprises one or more fluorinated alkene blowing agent at a concentration of 0.03 moles or more and 0.3 moles or less per 100 grams of polymer foam.

Abstract: Prepare an acoustical polymeric foam by providing at least two initial polymeric foams, perforating all the way through the initial polymeric foams and then laminating the perforated initial foams together such that a perforated surface of one foam adheres to a perforated surface of an adjoining perforated initial foam.

Abstract: A polymeric foam article has at least two thermoplastic polymer foams in layered orientation, each of the thermoplastic polymer foams having an adjoining surface that contains a polymer skin, a thickness dimension perpendicular to the adjoining surface, perforations that are less than one millimeter in diameter that penetrate through the adjoining surface to a depth less than the thickness dimension of the foam, where the adjoining surface of one thermoplastic polymer foam is adjacent and adhered to the adjoining surface of another thermoplastic polymer foam with an adhesive thereby affixing the thermoplastic polymer foams to one another.

Abstract: Polymer foam containing styrene-acrylonitrile and containing one or more infrared attenuating agents achieves surprisingly high dimensional integrity at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A thermally stable brominated butadiene copolymer, such as brominated styrene/butadiene block copolymer, brominated random styrene/butadiene copolymer or brominated styrene/butadiene graft copolymer, preparation of the brominated butadiene copolymers, use of the brominated butadiene copolymers as a flame retardant additive and polymeric compositions, both foamed and non-foamed, that incorporate a flame-retarding amount of brominated butadiene copolymer.

Abstract: Foam a polymer blend of (a) a high melt strength polypropylene (HMS PP); (b) a linear or substantially linear polypropylene that has a melting point within ten degrees Celsius of (a), a melt flow rate that is significantly different than (a) and that is miscible with (a); and, optionally, (c) a polyethylene that is immiscible with (a) produces a polymeric foam having an average cell size of at least four millimeters and that has an inherent open-celled content of at least 40 percent. The HMS PP makes up 60 weight percent (wt %) or more and 90 wt % or less of the total combined weight of (a) and (b). Component (c) makes up 60 wt % or less of the total polymer blend weight.

Abstract: An inventive solid state drawing die has shaping walls that define a shaping channel and that, in the course of solid state drawing, direct polymer composition along a drawing path. Each cross section of the drawing path (and, hence, polymer composition in the drawing path) is non-circular, substantially proportional to one another, contains a centroid that lies on a substantially straight line parallel to the drawing direction and all cross sectional dimensions are 1.5 millimeters or more.

Abstract: A process for preparing a fiber reinforced polymeric foam composite includes introducing a foamable mixture into a low binder expandable fiber mat and then expanding the foamable mixture into a polymeric foam between top and bottom facing sheets such that the fibers of the low binder fiber mat become dispersed within the polymeric foam, wherein the low binder fiber mat is part of a composite web that further comprises a support web. Such a composite web is particularly useful for preparing reinforced polymeric foam composites that contain a fiber reinforced polymeric foam having a thickness of greater than two inches (5.08 centimeters) and fibers substantially distributed therein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for designing a plastic article having a desired appearance. The process includes having a desired appearance and then obtaining fabrication parameters from the set of virtual article parameters. The present invention can include steps for characterizing an appearance of a target article (target article appearance) and then fitting virtual article parameters to the target article appearance.

Abstract: Affix a membrane roof cover structure, comprising a polyester foam layer and a new membrane layer, over a roof deck structure such that the polyester foam layer is between the roof deck structure and the new membrane layer.

Abstract: Prepare a multimodal thermoplastic polymer foam having a distribution of large and small cells in a substantial absence of water by using a blowing agent stabilizer. Multimodal foams of the present invention have blowing agent stabilizer predominantly located proximate to large cells. The resulting multimodal foams have particular utility as thermal insulating materials.

Abstract: Backerboards comprising a shaped cut or groove the allows bending of the backerboard into an L-shaped corner with a rounded outer surface and sharp inner surface are useful for supporting bullnose tile pieces.

Abstract: Prepare a multimodal polymeric foam from a foamable composition containing a polymer, an absorbent clay, and a blowing agent composition containing water and carbon dioxide and that contains less than 0.2 parts by weight of bentonite based on 100 parts by weight of polymer.

Abstract: Structures of the present invention contain a non-oriented multilayer film with a polyolefin core having 40 weight-percent or less homogeneous ethylene/alpha-olefin, a modified polyolefin tie layer on each side of the core, and an adhesive layer on at least one tie layer. The adhesive layer contains a polar-modified polyolefin and a polyester, copolyester, or polyester/copolyester blend. The multilayer film has utility as a protective coating for metal surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing a stable dispersion of a preformed polymer in a polyol in a single mixer. A preformed polymer is mixed under sufficient heat and shear to reduce its particle size to a desired size in the presence of a polyol. The present invention also provides stable dispersions of polymers in polyols and polyurethane formulations containing stable dispersions made by the process of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to blowing agent compositions for polymeric foams that contain carbon dioxide and a hydrofluorocarbon having a boiling point of 14° C. or higher and lower than about 120° C. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing polymeric foam using such blowing agent compositions, foamable polymer compositions containing such blowing agents, and polymeric foams containing such blowing agent compositions. Suitable blowing agent combinations include: (a) a composition containing carbon dioxide and at least one hydrofluorocarbon having a boiling point of 30° C. to about 120° C. that is essentially free of other low boiling ethers and hydrocarbons; (b) a composition containing greater than 50 weight-percent carbon dioxide and at least one hydrofluorocarbon having a boiling point of 14° C. or higher to about 120° C.; and (c) carbon dioxide and one hydrofluorocarbon having a boiling point of 14° C. or higher and lower than about 120° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to blowing agent compositions that contain at least one hydrofluorocarbon having a boiling point of 30° C. or higher and lower than about 120° C., at least one hydrofluorocarbon having a boiling point lower than 30° C., and at least one component selected from low-boiling alcohols and low-boiling carbonyl compounds. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing polymeric foam using such blowing agent compositions, as well as polymeric foams and foamable polymer compositions containing such blowing agent compositions.