Abstract: Laser-markable foamed pellets contain a composition (MI), containing a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE-1) and a color component as component (c1) selected from laser marking additives. A process can be used for producing said laser-markable foamed pellets. The laser-markable foamed pellets according to the present invention can be used for preparing a laser-markable molded body. A process for preparing a laser-markable molded body involves providing and fusing the laser-markable foal led pellets.

Abstract: A molded body contains foamed pellets, containing a composition (M1) containing a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE-1), having a ratio of average surface area to average volume of the pellets (A/V) determined according to method-example 1 and 2 in a range of from 1.4 to 3.0. A process for preparing the molded body involves providing the foamed pellets comprising the composition (M1), and fusing the foamed pellets to obtain the molded body. A molded body obtained or obtainable by the process is useful in furniture, seating, cushioning, car wheels or parts of car wheels, toys, animal toys, tires or parts of a tire, saddles, balls and sports equipment, sports mats, or as floor covering or wall paneling, especially for sports surfaces, track and field surfaces, sports halls, children's playgrounds, and pathways.

Abstract: Foamed pellets contain a thermoplastic polyurethane obtainable or obtained by a process. The process involves reacting a polyol composition (PZ-1) containing at least one hydroxy functionalized polyol (P1) with a maximum of 20% of primary hydroxyl groups with a polyisocyanate (I1), to obtain a polyol composition (PZ-2) containing a prepolymer (PP-1). The process then involves reacting the polyol composition (PZ-2) containing the prepolymer (PP-1) with a composition (C2) containing a chain extender (CE) with a molecular weight<500 g/mol. Foamed pellets are obtained or obtainable by the process. The foamed pellets can be used for the production of a molded body.

Abstract: Molded articles contain a foam composed of a thermoplastic elastotner (TPE-1). The foam has a storage modulus (G modulus) at 25° C. and 1 Hz within the range from 0.01 to 0.5 MPa, a molding density within the range from 20 to 400 kg/m3, and a comfort factor of greater than 4. A process produces molded articles of this kind, and the molded article can be used for producing floors, mattresses, seating furniture, bicycle saddles, car seats, motorcycle seats, components of a shoe, shoe inserts, packaging, shock absorbers, protectors, fall protection mats, elastic insulating material, or sealing material.

Abstract: A process can be used for producing a thermoplastic polyurethane, where the process at least involves converting at least one isocyanate composition and a polyol composition, to obtain a prepolymer having isocyanate groups, and reacting the resulting prepolymer with at least one chain extender. The at least one isocyanate composition contains an isocyanate selected from naphthylene 1,5-diisocyanate (NDI), diphenylmethane 4,4?-diisocyanate (MDI), p-phenyl diisocyanate (PPDI), o-tolidine diisocyanate (TODI), ethylene diphenyl diisocyanate (EDI), or mixtures thereof. The polyol composition contains a polytetrahydrofuran or a derivative thereof. A thermoplastic polyurethane obtained or obtainable by such a process is useful, and a foamed pellet material can be produced containing such a thermoplastic polyurethane. The foamed pellet material of the invention can be used for production of a molded article.

Abstract: A foamed pellet material contains a composition (Z1) that contains a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU-1) and at least one plasticizer (W). The composition (Z1) has a Shore hardness within a range from 15 A to 43 A. A process can produce a foamed pellet material of this kind. The foamed pellet material can be used for the production of a molded article.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a molding (FK), comprising the production of a thermoplastic polyurethane, comprising the reaction of at least one polyisocyanate composition, at least one chain extender, and at least one polyol composition, the production of a molding (FK*) from the thermoplastic polyurethane, the heating of the molding (FK*) to a temperature below the temperature at which the molding (FK*) is permanently deformable, and above the switching temperature of the thermoplastic polyurethane, the compressing of the heated molding (FK*) to give a molding (FK), and the cooling of the molding (FK) to a temperature below the switching temperature of the thermoplastic polyurethane, and also to the moldings obtainable or obtained by such a process.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are expanded thermoplastic polyurethane beads polymerized from an isocyanate, an isocyanate-reactive compound having a molecular weight between 500 and 10 000 g/mol and a chain extender, wherein customary adjuvants may be additionally present, and the thermoplastic polyurethane has a hard phase fraction ranging from 0.1 to 0.95 and the hard phase fraction is defined by: Hard ? ? phase ? ? fraction = ? x = 1 k ? ( ( m KVx M KV x ) · M Iso + m KVx ) m ges where MKVx represents a molar mass of chain extender x in g/mol, mKVx represents a mass of chain extender x in g, MIxo represents a molar mass of isocyanate in g/mol, mges represents a total mass of all starting materials without adjuvants, and k represents a number of chain extenders. Also disclosed herein are processes for producing expanded thermoplastic polyurethanes and processes for producing molded parts therefrom.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for production of expanded foam beads of one or more polyesters based on aliphatic or aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids and aliphatic diols, comprising the steps of: (a) melting the polyester and admixing the polyester with 1 to 3.5 wt %, based on the polyester, of a carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen blowing agent and also 0.1 to 2 wt % of a nucleating agent, and pressing the nucleated polyester melt, containing blowing agent, through a perforated disk controlled to a temperature between 150° C. and 185° C. and into a pelletizing chamber, (b) using a cutting device to comminute the polymer melt pressed through the perforated disk into individual expanding pellets, (c) discharging the pellets from the pelletizing chamber into a stream of water which is at a temperature of 5 to 90° C. and a pressure of 0.1 bar to 20 bar above ambient pressure.

Abstract: A process for producing foam particles composed of thermoplastic elastomers having polyamide segments, comprising the steps: (a) production of a suspension of pellets of the thermoplastic elastomer in a suspension medium, (b) addition of a blowing agent, (c) impregnation of the pellets with the blowing agent by heating of the suspension in a pressure vessel to an impregnation temperature IMT at an impregnation pressure IMP, depressurization of the suspension by emptying of the pressure vessel via a depressurization device and work-up of the foam particles obtained, and also foam particles obtainable by the process.

Abstract: A process for producing expanded pellets from a thermoplastic elastomer having an elongation at break of more than 100% measured to DIN EN ISO 527-2, comprising: (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 and/or N2 and the amount of blowing agent in the polymer melt is from 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, the pelletizing chamber (26) is traversed by a stream of liquid at a temperature between 5° C. and 90° C. and the pressure of 0.1 bar to 20 bar above ambient pressure such that the pellets are expanded in the pressurized liquid by the blowing agent, producing expanded pellets having an uninterrupted skin.

Abstract: A process for the production of expanded foam beads that are prepared from pellets comprising polyester mixture comprising a) from 50 to 99% by weight, based on components a and b, of a biodegradable polyester based on aliphatic, or a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic, dicarboxylic acids and an aliphatic diol, and b) from 1 to 50% by weight, based on components a and b, of polylactic acid, the process comprising the following steps: (i) providing an aqueous suspension of the polyester pellets, (ii) impregnating the pellets in the suspension of step (i) with at least one physical or chemical blowing agent to provide blowing-agent-loaded pellets in suspension, wherein the impregnation of the at least one blowing agent includes heating the mixture to a depressurization temperature IMT with stirring, and (iii) depressurizing the suspension obtained in step (ii) to provide the expanded foam beads.

Abstract: A process for producing expanded foam beads from pellets comprising at least one biodegradable polyester. The process comprises (i) producing a suspension comprising pellets in an aqueous suspension medium, (ii) impregnating the pellets present in the suspension from step (i) with at least one physical blowing agent by heating the pellet suspension to a depressurization temperature IMT, with stirring, to provide pellets laden with blowing agent in the suspension medium, and (iii) depressurizing the suspension obtained in step (ii) and cooling the depressurized suspension with a liquid aqueous coolant, in order to obtain the expanded foam beads. The blowing agent can be added in step I, or in step ii during the heating phase or following the heating phase. Following the heating phase, the suspension is maintained at a temperature in the range from IMT minus 5° C. to IMT plus 2° C. for 3 to 100 minutes, and the ratio of aqueous coolant to suspension medium is at least 0.3.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a molding (FK), comprising the production of a thermoplastic polyurethane, comprising the reaction of at least one polyisocyanate composition, at least one chain extender, and at least one polyol composition, the production of a molding (FK*) from the thermoplastic polyurethane, the heating of the molding (FK*) to a temperature below the temperature at which the molding (FK*) is permanently deformable, and above the switching temperature of the thermoplastic polyurethane, the compressing of the heated molding (FK*) to give a molding (FK), and the cooling of the molding (FK) to a temperature below the switching temperature of the thermoplastic polyurethane, and also to the moldings obtainable or obtained by such a process.

Abstract: A process for the production of expanded foam beads that are prepared from pellets comprising polyester mixture comprising a) from 50 to 99% by weight, based on components a and b, of a biodegradable polyester based on aliphatic, or a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic,dicarboxylic acids and an aliphatic diol, and b) from 1 to 50% by weight, based on components a and b, of polylactic acid, the process comprising the following steps: (i) providing an aqueous suspension of the polyester pellets, (ii) impregnating the pellets in the suspension of step (i) with at least one physical or chemical blowing agent to provide blowing-agent-loaded pellets in suspension, wherein the impregnation of the at least one blowing agent includes heating the mixture to a depressurization temperature IMT with stirring, and (iii) depressurizing the suspension obtained in step (ii) to provide the expanded foam beads.

Abstract: A process for producing expanded foam beads from pellets comprising at least one biodegradable polyester. The process comprises (i) producing a suspension comprising pellets in an aqueous suspension medium, (ii) impregnating the pellets present in the suspension from step (i) with at least one physical blowing agent by heating the pellet suspension to a depressurization temperature IMT, with stirring, to provide pellets laden with blowing agent in the suspension medium, and (iii) depressurizing the suspension obtained in step (ii) and cooling the depressurized suspension with a liquid aqueous coolant, in order to obtain the expanded foam beads. The blowing agent can be added in step I, or in step ii during the heating phase or following the heating phase. Following the heating phase, the suspension is maintained at a temperature in the range from IMT minus 5° C. to IMT plus 2° C. for 3 to 100 minutes, and the ratio of aqueous coolant to suspension medium is at least 0.3.

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 invention relates to a stall floorcovering comprising a foam mat comprising expanded thermoplastic polyurethane-bead foam, to processes for producing same, and also to the use of expanded thermoplastic polyurethane-bead foam for producing the stall floorcovering.

Abstract: The invention relates to foam beads of propylene polymers which comprise more than 40% of open cells. They are produced by impregnating propylene polymer minigranules which comprise from 1 to 40% by weight of a cell opener with a volatile blowing agent in aqueous suspension and subsequently decompressing the mixture.

Abstract: The invention relates to expandable polyolefin beads which comprise blowing agent and have been coated with from 0.01 to 3% by weight of a salt and/or ester of a long-chain fatty acid, preferably with calcium stearate, to prevent caking during foaming.