Abstract: An extruded polymer foam has a polymer matrix with styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer and infrared attenuator and cell having an average size in the foam vertical direction of 150 micrometers or less, a ratio of vertical cell size to extrusion direction cell size that is greater than one and a cell anisotropic ratio that is greater than 1.1; the foam having a P-Ratio of 0.7 or less, less than 0.2 moles of hydrocarbon blowing agent in the cells per kilogram of foam; a density of 20-48 kilograms per cubic meter and a 25-year thermal conductivity that is 0.030 Waters per meter-Kelvin or less when free of fluorinated blowing agents and less than 0.029 Watts per meter-Kelvin when containing fluorinated blowing agent.

Abstract: Polymer foam contains a continuous matrix of styrenic polymer that has metal oxide particulates selected from a group consisting of alumina boehmite and magnesium oxide and brominate styrene/butadiene copolymer dispersed therein.

Abstract: An extruded polymer foam has a polymer matrix with styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer and infrared attenuator and cell having an average size in the foam vertical direction of 150 micrometers or less, a ratio of vertical cell E size to extrusion direction cell size that is greater than one and a cell anisotropic ratio that is greater than 1.1; the foam having a P-Ratio of 0.7 or less, less than 0.2 moles of hydrocarbon blowing agent in the cells per kilogram of foam; a density of 20-48 kilograms per cubic meter and a 25-year thermal conductivity that is 0.030 Waters per meter-Kelvin or less when free of fluorinated blowing agents and less than 0.029 Watts per meter-Kelvin when containing fluorinated blowing agent.

Abstract: Prepare extruded thermoplastic polymer foam by preparing a foamable polymer mixture containing thermoplastic polymer and blowing agent at a mixing pressure, cooling the foamable polymer mixture and extruding it through a foaming die at a die pressure at least 90 bars lower than the mixing pressure and out through a die opening having cross sectional dimensions of 2.5 millimeter or more and a cross sectional area of at least 700 square millimeters at a flow rate greater than 500 kilograms per hour and allow it to expand into a polymer foam between shaping elements while restraining the extrusion rate with a restraining device so as to form polymer foam having 96 volume percent or less void volume, anisotropic cell size, a thickness of 50 millimeter or greater, compressive and tensile moduli in the thickness dimension greater than 35 mega pascals and an average shear modulus greater than 16 mega pascals.

Abstract: Prepare a closed-cell alkenyl aromatic polymer foam by an extrusion process using a blowing agent composition that contains at least 30 weight-percent of the chlorine-free hydrofluorocarbon blowing agent such that the foam has a density of 48 kilograms per cubic meter or less, contains more than 50 weight-percent styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer based on total polymer weight and at least eight weight-percent of a chlorine-free hydrofluorocarbon blowing agent that has a lower solubility in polystyrene than 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134).

Abstract: Prepare extruded thermoplastic polymer foam by preparing a foamable polymer mixture containing thermoplastic polymer and blowing agent at a mixing pressure, cooling the foamable polymer mixture and extruding it through a foaming die at a die pressure at least 90 bars lower than the mixing pressure and out through a die opening having cross sectional dimensions of 2.5 millimeter or more and a cross sectional area of at least 700 square millimeters at a flow rate greater than 500 kilograms per hour and allow it to expand into a polymer foam between shaping elements while restraining the extrusion rate with a restraining device so as to form polymer foam having 96 volume percent or less void volume, anisotropic cell size, a thickness of 50 millimeter or greater, compressive and tensile moduli in the thickness dimension greater than 35 mega pascals and an average shear modulus greater than 16 mega pascals.

Abstract: Prepare an extruded polymeric foam by extruding a foamable polymer composition through a foaming die and allowing the foamable polymer composition to expand into a polymer foam as it travels through and is constrained in its thickness dimension by at least two constraining sections, the first having opposing essentially parallel forming plates and the second constraining section having forming plates spaced further apart than the first constraining section.

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: 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 article of manufacture having an extruded thermoplastic polymer foam defining at least one cavity, the cavity containing aerogel material by providing a polymer foam defining a cavity and placing the aerogel material into the cavity.

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 a polymeric foam by expanding a foamable polymer composition comprising alumina boehmite.

Abstract: Prepare an extruded polymeric foam by extruding a foamable polymer composition through a foaming die and allowing the foamable polymer composition to expand into a polymer foam as it travels through and is constrained in its thickness dimension by at least two constraining sections, the first having opposing essentially parallel forming plates and the second constraining section having forming plates spaced further apart than the first constraining section.

Abstract: Attach a thermoplastic polymeric foam to multiple spaced apart structural support members of a structure wherein the foam has a resistance to water vapor permeability (mu) that is less than 50, a thermal conductivity that is less than 40 milliwatts per meter*Kelvin, a compressive strength that is greater than 80 kilopascals, and a density of 48 kilograms per cubic meter or less to provide insulation while also providing water vapor-permeability and structural durability to the structure.

Abstract: Prepare a closed-cell alkenyl aromatic polymer foam by an extrusion process using a blowing agent composition that contains at least 30 weight-percent of the chlorine-free hydrofluorocarbon blowing agent such that the foam has a density of 48 kilograms per cubic meter or less, contains more than 50 weight-percent styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer based on total polymer weight and at least eight weight-percent of a chlorine-free hydrofluorocarbon blowing agent that has a lower solubility in polystyrene than 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134).

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.