Abstract: Foam beads based on thermoplastic elastomers and having a coating comprising at least one electrically conductive substance, processes for producing same by coating the foam beads with an emulsion of a conductive substance in a plasticizer, and also processes for producing bead foams by joining the foam beads together thermally via high-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a shoe sole comprising a hybrid material made of a polyurethane foam as matrix material and of foamed particles of thermoplastic polyurethane by preparing an inlay of joined expanded particles (c?) of thermoplastic polyurethane and placing the joined expanded particles of thermoplastic polyurethane in a mould and embedding the inlay with a reaction mixture obtainable by mixing (a) polyisocyanates with (b) compounds having hydrogen atoms reactive toward isocyanates, and if appropriate, with (d) chain extenders and/or crosslinking agents, and with (e) catalysts, and with (f) blowing agents, and with (g) further additives and reacting the reaction mixture to give the shoe sole. The present invention further relates to shoe soles, obtainable by such a process.

Abstract: Expandable thermoplastic polyurethane comprising blowing agent, wherein the Shore hardness of the thermoplastic polyurethane is from A 44 to A 84.

Abstract: The invention relates to highly elastic polyurethane foams which are suitable as functional materials having thermally insulating properties.

Abstract: A process for producing a rigid polymer foam comprises reacting components A to C in the presence of component D or an isocyanate-functional prepolymer of components A and B with component C in the presence of component D, the total amount of which is 100 wt %, (A) 35 to 65 wt % of at least one polyisocyanate component A, (B) 5 to 50 wt % of at least one polyol component B, (C) 1 to 59 wt % of at least one polycarboxylic acid component C, and (D) 0.01 to 3 wt % of at least one Lewis base component D, wherein the reaction takes place with release of carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The combination foam comprises a matrix composed of polyurethane foam and foamed particles of thermoplastic polyurethane comprised therein, where matrix and particles are each made up of polyol components and polyisocyanate components, wherein at least 50% by weight of the basic building blocks forming the polyol component of the matrix and particles are identical and at least 50% by weight of the basic building blocks forming the polyisocyanate component of the matrix and particles are identical.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a shaped body (SB) comprising the preparation of a thermoplastic polyurethane, the production of a shaped body (SB*) from the thermoplastic polyurethane, the heating of the shaped body (SB*) to a temperature below the temperature of permanent deformability of the shaped body (SB*) and above the switching temperature of the thermoplastic polyurethane, the expanding of the heated shaped body (SB*) to obtain a shaped body (SB), and the cooling of the shaped body (SB) to a temperature below the switching temperature of the thermoplastic polyurethane, and to the shaped bodies obtained or obtainable by such a process. The present invention further relates to the use of a thermoplastic polyurethane for production of a shaped body having shape memory effect within a temperature range from 20° C. to 120° C.

Abstract: A process for producing a polymer foam comprises reacting components A to C in the presence of component D and optionally E or an isocyanate-functional prepolymer of components A and B with component C in the presence of component D and optionally component E, the total amount of which is 100 wt %, (A) 35 to 65 wt % of at least one polyisocyanate component A, wherein 10 to 100 wt % of component A is a condensation product comprising polyimide groups and resulting from condensing at least one polyisocyanate component with at least one polycarboxylic acid having at least 3 COOH groups per molecule or its anhydride, (B) 5 to 50 wt % of at least one polyol component B, (C) 1 to 59 wt % of at least one polycarboxylic acid component C, and (D) 0.01 to 3 wt % of at least one Lewis base component D, (E) 0 to 5 wt % of at least one foam stabilizer component E, wherein the reaction takes place with release of carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to coated shaped articles comprising at least one shaped article comprising foamed beads comprising at least one polyurethane (A) and at least one coating comprising at least one polyurethane (B), wherein polyurethane (A) and polyurethane (B) are each constructed from at least one polyol and at least one polyisocyanate and wherein not less than 50 wt % of the polyol component used for constructing polyurethane (A) and polyurethane (B) is identical and not less than 50 wt % of the at least one polyisocyanate component used for constructing polyurethane (A) and polyurethane (B) is identical. The present invention further relates to processes for producing the coated shaped articles of the present invention and also to the method of using the coated shaped articles of the present invention for various applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a thermoformable rigid polyurethane-polyamide foam having a closed-cell content of less than 70%, which comprises mixing (a) an organic polyisocyanate with (b) one or more polymeric compounds having two or more isocyanate-reactive hydrogen atoms, (c) optionally crosslinking and/or chain-extending agents, (d) one or more carboxylic acids having a functionality of 2 or more, (e) a catalyst comprising a Lewis base component, and (f) optionally auxiliaries and additives to form a reaction mixture and reacting this reaction mixture to form the rigid polyurethane-polyamide foam. The present invention further relates to a thermoformable rigid polyurethane-polyamide foam obtained by such a process and also to the use of such a thermoformable rigid polyurethane-polyamide foam for interior lining or engine compartment lining of motor vehicles.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprising at least one thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with a Vicat softening point (in accordance with ISO 306/A50) below 80° C. and from 5 to 95% by weight of at least one polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization, based on the entirety of TPU and of the polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization, where the polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization has been bonded in the form of comb polymer, graft polymer, or copolymer to the TPU, is particularly suitable for injection-molding applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to thermoplastic polyurethanes obtainable or obtained by reaction of at least one aliphatic polyisocyanate; at least one chain extender; and at least one polyol composition, where the polyol composition comprises a polyol selected from the group consisting of polyetherols and at least one bisphenol derivative selected from the group consisting of bisphenol A derivatives with a molecular weight Mw>315 g/mol and bisphenol S derivatives with a molecular weight Mw>315 g/mol, where at least one of the OH groups of the bisphenol derivative is alkoxylated, and to processes for producing such thermoplastic polyurethanes and to the use of a thermoplastic polyurethane according to the invention for producing extrusion products, films and moldings.

Abstract: Expandable-polymer-particle material comprising at least one thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with Vicat softening point (in accordance with ISO 306/ASO) below 80° C. and from 5 to 95% by weight of at least one polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization, based on the entirety of TPU and of the polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization, where the polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization has been bonded to the TPU in a manner that gives a comb polymer, graft polymer, or copolymer, is suitable for the production of moldings, in particular for use as insulation material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible polyurethane foam comprising viable and/or germinated plant seeds. The flexible polyurethane foam may comprise a reinforcing fabric composed of fibers, for example synthetic-polymer fibers or rottable natural fibers. The flexible polyurethane foam may further comprise a substance having high water-holding capacity, for example a polyacrylate-based superabsorbent. By way of plant seeds the flexible polyurethane foam may comprise seeds of grasses, mosses, lichens, ferns, fungi, aquatic plants, flowering plants and perennial woody plants. The flexible polyurethane foam is obtained by mixing (a) polyisocyanates with (b) at least one comparatively high molecular weight compound having at least two reactive hydrogen atoms, (c) optionally low molecular weight chain-extending agents and/or crosslinking agents, (d) catalysts, (e) blowing agents, (f) optionally other added-substance materials and (g) plant seeds and reacting the mixture to form the flexible polyurethane foam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a rigid foam, which comprises reacting at least one polyisocyanate with a mixture comprising at least one polyepoxide, water, and at least one other hydrogen-acidic compound, the reaction taking place in the presence of a metal-free Lewis base having at least one nitrogen atom, to rigid foams obtainable by such a method, and to the use of a rigid foam of the invention for producing insulating materials, vacuum insulation panels, refrigeration equipment, construction elements, wind rotor blades, or elements for boatbuilding and vehicle construction.

Abstract: The invention relates to highly elastic polyurethane foams which are suitable as functional materials having thermally insulating properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of using a composition (Z1) at least comprising an elastomer (E1) and an at least 90% carbon-based conductivity-conferring additive (A1) in the manufacture of an electrically heatable shaped article for the automotive sector, wherein said composition (Z1) has a Shore hardness A, determined as per DIN 53505, in the range from 30 to 95, an electric specific volume resistivity, determined as per ISO 3915, of below 1×102 ohm×cm and above 0.01 ohm×cm, and also a breaking extension, determined as per DIN 53504, of above 300%. The present invention further relates to a method of preparing an electrically heatable shaped article for the automotive sector comprising a composition (Z1) and also to electrically heatable shaped articles for the automotive sector comprising a composition (Z1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for production of expanded pellets from a thermoplastic elastomer having an elongation at break of more than 100% measured to DIN EN 150 527-2, said process comprising the steps of: (a) pressing a polymer melt comprising a blowing agent through a perforated disk (18) controlled to a temperature between 150° C. and 280° C. and into a pelletizing chamber (26), (b) using a cutting device (20) to comminute the polymer melt pressed through the perforated disk (18) into individual expanding pellets, (c) discharging the pellets from the pelletizing chamber (26) using a liquid stream (36), wherein the blowing agent comprises CO2 or N2 or a combination of CO2 and N2 and the amount of blowing agent in the polymer melt comprising a blowing agent lies in the range from 0.5 to 2.5 wt % and wherein the pelletizing chamber (26) is traversed by a stream of liquid which is controlled to a temperature between 5° C. and 90° C. and the pressure of which is from 0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing at least one resin, which comprises mixing at least one polyisocyanate with at least one polyepoxide, the reaction taking place in the presence of a catalyst system based on at least one metal-free Lewis base having at least one nitrogen atom, and also to resins obtainable by a method of the invention, and to the use of a resin obtainable by a method of the invention, or of a resin of the invention, for producing seals, for producing components for rotor blades, boat hulls, or vehicle body parts, or for coatings.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprising at least one thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with a Vicat softening point (in accordance with ISO 306/A50) below 80° C. and from 5 to 95% by weight of at least one polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization, based on the entirety of TPU and of the polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization, where the polymer obtainable via free-radical polymerization has been bonded in the form of comb polymer, graft polymer, or copolymer to the TPU, is particularly suitable for injection-molding applications.