Abstract: Polymer structures having a laminated surface and enhanced physical properties that can be used for packaging, athletic gear (e.g., padding, water sport equipment), gaskets, and protective garments are described. The structures include a core of a relatively high density material and one or more layers laminated to the surfaces of the core material of relatively low density polymer foam. The structures can be stiff or flexible. The foam layers improve the softness of the surfaces of the core material.

Abstract: The invention relates to polymer blends which can be used both in foamed and unfoamed states as a replacement for conventional EPDM and other elastomers. The composition of the blend includes a single-site catalyzed polyolefin resin having a density of below 0.878 g cm.sup.-3 and up to 40 weight percent a polyolefin including ethylene and propylene. The polymer blend is cross-linked. The polymer blends are formable and foamable. The use of sulfur to vulcanize the polymer blend is not necessary. The polymer blends can be used to make foam for floatation or for making gaskets.

Abstract: An extruded article having elongated variegations is described. The variegated extruded article has a plurality of elongated variegations that are substantially parallel to the direction of extrusion of the article. The number of elongated variegations in the article and the widths of the variegations can be adjusted by modifying processing conditions.

Abstract: Polymer structures having a laminated surface and enhanced physical properties that can be used for packaging, athletic gear (e.g., padding, water sport equipment), gaskets, and protective garments are described. The structures include a core of a relatively high density material and one or more layers laminated to the surfaces of the core material of relatively low density polymer foam. The structures can be stiff or flexible. The foam layers improve the softness of the surfaces of the core material.

Abstract: The invention relates to polymer blends which can be used both in foamed and unfoamed states as a replacement for conventional EPDM and other elastomers. The composition of the blend includes a single-site catalyzed polyolefin resin having a density of below 0.878 g cm.sup.-3 and up to 40 weight percent a polyolefin including ethylene and propylene. The polymer blend is cross-linked. The polymer blends are formable and foamable. The use of sulfur to vulcanize the polymer blend is not necessary. The polymer blends can be used to make foam for floatation or for making gaskets.

Abstract: New cross-linked polymeric foam compositions, and methods for making the same, are provided. The new compositions utilize novel cross-linked polyolefin copolymers and show improvements in strength, toughness, flexibility, heat resistance and heat-sealing temperature ranges as compared to conventional low density polyethylene compositions. The new compositions also show processing improvements over linear low density polyethylene. The novel polyolefins, which are essentially linear, comprise ethylene polymerized with at least one alpha-unsaturated C3 to C20 olefinic comonomer, and optionally at least one C3 to C20 polyene, and exhibit, in an uncross-linked sense, a resin density in the range of about 0.86 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.96 g/cm.sup.3, a melt index in the range of about 0.5 dg/min to about 100 dg/min, a molecular weight distribution in the range of from about 1.5 to about 3.5, and a composition distribution breadth index greater than about 45 percent.

Abstract: The invention relates to foam structures with enhanced physical properties which can be used in the areas of packaging, athletics, water sports, and construction. In general, the structures are laminated polymer foams that include a core of a low density foam and one or more skins of relatively high density foam covering the core. The skins provide improved physical properties to the foam structures by improving the flexural strength, resistance to bending, and resulting damage from bending in the laminated foam structure while modestly increasing the weight of the laminated structure, for example. Uses of the foam structures include, but are not limited to, packaging materials, gym mats, body boards, or eaves fillers.

Abstract: New cross-linked polymeric foam compositions, and methods for making the same, are provided. The new compositions utilize novel cross-linked polyolefin copolymers and show improvements in strength, toughness, flexibility, heat resistance and heat-sealing temperature ranges as compared to conventional low density polyethylene compositions. The new compositions also show processing improvements over linear low density polyethylene. The novel polyolefins, which are essentially linear, comprise ethylene polymerized with at least one alpha-unsaturated C3 to C20 olefinic comonomer, and optionally at least one C3 to C20 polyene, and exhibit, in an uncross-linked sense, a resin density in the range of about 0.86 g/cm3 to about 0.96 g/cm3, a melt index in the range of about 0.5 dg/min to about 100 dg/min, a molecular weight distribution in the range of from about 1.5 to about 3.5, and a composition distribution breadth index greater than about 45 percent.

Abstract: Open cell foamed articles including silane-grafted single-site inititiated polyolefin resins are described. The single-site initiated olefin polymer resin can be a polyethylene, a copolymer of ethylene, a C3-C20 alpha-olefin, or a copolymer of ethylene, a C3-C20 alpha-olefin and a C4-C20 diene. The open cell foamed articles have good cushioning properties and can be non-allergenic.

Abstract: The invention relates to physically-blown low density polyethylene (LDPE) foams that are blends of an LDPE resin and a silane-grafted single-site initiated polyolefin resin. The LDPE resin generally has a density between about 0.91 and about 0.93 g/cm.sup.3 and a melt index greater than 1, and the silane-grafted single-site initiated polyolefin resin generally is a copolymer of ethylene and a C.sub.3 -C.sub.20 alpha-olefin that has a density between about 0.86 and about 0.96 g/cm.sup.3 and a molecular weight distribution between about 1.5 and about 3.5.