Abstract: The invention discloses utilizing isostatic-press (IP) processes apply a polymeric material (e.g, a PTFE foil) to uncoated razor blade edges forming thin, dense, and uniform coatings on blade edges which in turn exhibit low initial cutting forces correlating with more comfortable shaves. The isostatic press may be a hot isostatic press (HIP) or a cold isostatic press (CIP) or any other isostatic press process. The HIP conditions may include an environment of elevated temperatures and pressures in an inert atmosphere. The CIP conditions may include room temperature and elevated pressure. The polymeric material may be a fluoropolymer or non-fluoropolymeric material or any composite thereof. The lower surface of the polymeric material may be modified (e.g., chemical etching) to enhance adhesion to the blade edge. Two or more layers of polymeric material of similar or different properties may be isostatically-pressed onto the uncoated blades.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle soundproofing part having a body that includes a plurality of interlaced and/or bonded fibers. The body includes, in its thickness: a porous upper region of granular elements dispersed between the fibers; and a porous lower region with no dispersed granular elements, or formed of a concentration of dispersed granular elements lower than the concentration in dispersed granular elements of the porous upper region. The porous upper region has an air passage resistance at least 100 N·m?3·s greater than the air passage resistance of the porous lower region.

Abstract: Regarding a skin in which pores are formed for passage of a current of air generated by an air blower, the present invention properly ensures strength around the pores. A vehicle seat includes a skin forming a part of a seat body facing an occupant and an air blower attached to the seat body. The skin is provided with a top layer provided on a side of the skin facing the occupant in a thickness direction and a fabric layer provided at a position on a side opposite to the top layer. A plurality of pores allowing passage of a current of air generated by the air blower are formed in both the top layer and the fabric layer. A part of the fabric layer positioned at an edge of the pore is made of a fabric constituted by urethane resin-impregnated fibers being knitted.

Abstract: Provided are a molded foam (1) that is lightweight and can be manufactured at low cost, and can reduce abnormal noise due to friction with a vehicle structure effectively and for a long time, and a mold (10) that can mold a molded foam that is beautiful and attractive in appearance.

Abstract: There are provided expandable polystyrene resin particles formed by granulating a polystyrene resin containing an expanding agent, wherein the weight-average molecular weight Mw of the polystyrene resin is in the range of 120,000 to 270,000, and the expanding agent contains, as an essential component, pentane at a proportion of 3 to 8 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the polystyrene resin, while the composition of the pentane is in the range of isopentane:normal pentane=10:90 to 80:20 by mass ratio. These expandable polystyrene resin particles can utilize a recycled raw material, and can produce a molded foam product having sufficient mechanical strength, while the expandable polystyrene resin particles have a long bead life and excellent low pressure moldability.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing foamed thermoplastic films and trash bags wherein a foaming agent is added to a base thermoplastic resin. The resultant foaming agent/base resin mixture is extruded to form a single-ply foamed thermoplastic film. The film may be formed into bag, such as a trash bag.

Abstract: A conductive plastic article (31) is disclosed suited for a housing that offers improved shielding against electromagnetic interference or that offers improved electrostatic discharge properties. The plastic article is made by means of low pressure injection molding. The article (31) comprises at least 0.25 volume percent of electrically conductive additives (38). The article (31) comprises a cellular structure. The cellular structure is created by the use of a blowing or foaming agent. At least 0.25 weight percent of blowing or foaming agent is used in the production of the conductive plastic article (31).

Abstract: Provided is a resin foam which has satisfactory strain recovery, is particularly resistant to shrinkage of its cell structure caused by the resinous restitutive force at high temperatures, and exhibits superior high-temperature strain recovery. The resin foam according to the present invention is obtained from a resin composition including an elastomer and an active-energy-ray-curable compound. The resin composition gives an unfoamed measurement sample having a glass transition temperature of 30° C. or lower and a storage elastic modulus (E?) at 20° C. of 1.0×107 Pa or more, each determined by a dynamic viscoelastic measurement.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermoplastic resin foam which is obtained by subjecting a thermoplastic resin composition containing a thermoplastic elastomer and an active-energy-ray-curable resin to foam molding to give a foamed structure, and irradiating the foamed structure with an active energy ray to allow the active-energy-ray-curable resin to form a cross-linked structure in the foamed structure. Also disclosed is a thermoplastic resin foam which is obtained by subjecting a thermoplastic resin composition containing a thermoplastic elastomer, an active-energy-ray-curable resin, and a thermal cross-linking agent to foam molding to give a foamed structure, irradiating the foamed structure with an active energy ray to allow the active-energy-ray-curable resin to form a cross-linked structure in the foamed structure, and heating the resulting foamed structure bearing the cross-linked structure to thereby allow the thermal cross-linking agent to form another cross-linked structure in the foamed structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a thermoplastic resin foam excellent in strength, flexibility, cushioning properties, strain recovery, and appearance, and exhibiting little shrinkage of the cell structure under a high temperature condition and a high expansion ratio. The process includes a foamed structure formation step of foam molding a thermoplastic resin composition containing a thermoplastic elastomer and an active energy-ray curable compound to thereby obtain a foamed structure; a foamed structure conveyance step of continuously conveying the foamed structure by a carrier sheet having a surface roughness (Ra) of 1 ?m or larger and a tensile break strength of 30 N/15 mm or higher, after the foamed structure formation step; and an active energy-ray irradiation step of irradiating the foamed structure with an active energy ray to thereby form a crosslinked structure by the active energy-ray curable compound in the foamed structure.

Abstract: There is provided a thermoplastic resin foam being excellent in strength, flexibility, cushioning properties, strain recovery and the like, particularly being low in the shrinkage of the cell structure due to the resilience of the resin, and being good in productivity. There is also provided a process for producing a thermoplastic resin foam which can produce, with good productivity, the thermoplastic resin foam being excellent in strength, flexibility, cushioning properties, strain recovery and the like, particularly being low in the shrinkage of the cell structure due to the resilience of the resin. The thermoplastic resin foam according to the present invention is obtained from a thermoplastic resin composition containing a thermoplastic elastomer, an active energy-ray curable compound and a radical trapping agent.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a foam material containing natural plant fibers includes: providing a plurality of plant fibers, a foaming agent, a thickening agent, a filler, and a flame retardant in a mixing tank for mixing and stirring, so as to form a homogeneous mixture; filling or injecting the homogeneous mixture into a forming container or a forming mold; utilizing a pressurizing device for applying a predetermined pressure; and heating the homogeneous mixture to a temperature higher than the foaming temperature of the foaming agent, such that foaming of the foaming agent takes place, and consequently a large amount of gas is generated, the homogeneous mixture being transformed to a plant fiber foam material having a porous foam structure. The manufacturing method can be easily carried out through existing equipments, and the plant fiber foam material is made from the natural plant fibers capable of being decomposed naturally.

Abstract: A method of forming a hardened skin on one or more surfaces of a molded article. In an exemplary method, a formable material is mixed with a blowing agent to form a foam material. The foam material is placed in a flow molding apparatus such that a first surface of the foam material is in contact with a first mold section and a second surface of the foam material is in contact with a second mold section. In operation, an alternating dielectric field is applied across the foam material to form the molded article. At the end of the molding cycle, the first and/or second surfaces of the foam material remain under the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent and are not blown so as to form one or more thicknesses of hardened skin on the molded article.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hydrophobic aerogel using a process of reforming a wet gel into a hydrophobic aerogel by a generally known normal temperature and pressure method, including: directly providing a reticular basket in a reactor; introducing a wet gel into the basket; providing an ultrasonic generator under the reactor to emit ultrasonic waves; and providing a nitrogen injection unit under the ultrasonic generator to inject nitrogen into the reactor upwards, thereby accelerating a reaction. An apparatus for manufacturing a hydrophobic aerogel, including: a reactor for reforming a wet gel into a hydrophobic gel, the reactor being provided therein with a support to allow a basket to be disposed therein, an ultrasonic generator which is provided under the reactor; and a nitrogen injection unit which is provided under the ultrasonic generator.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved method of cold forming a shaped foam article having a shape with a high degree of draft with improved surface aesthetics, specifically reduced surface cracking and articles made therefrom. The improvement is using a mold with a reduced-slip cavity surface, preferably a textured cavity surface.

Abstract: Polymeric foams having nanocellular morphology are formed from a polymeric material having structural units derived from 2-hydrocarbyl-3,3-bis(hydroxyphenyl)phthalimidine compound. The foams include a plurality of cells having an average diameter of less than 1 micron. Processes for forming the foams include melting a polymeric material having structural units derived from 2-hydrocarbyl-3,3-bis(hydroxyphenyl)phthalimidine compounds; diffusing a blowing agent into the polymeric material to form a mixture; nucleating bubbles in the mixture is at a sufficient temperature and pressure to enable the production of cells having an average diameter of less than 1 micron; stabilizing the cells; and forming the mixture into a desired shape.

Abstract: A method of forming a hardened skin on a surface of a molded article. In an exemplary method, a formable material is mixed with a blowing agent to form a foam material. The foam material is placed in a flow molding apparatus such that the top surface of the foam material is in contact with the top mold of the apparatus and the bottom surface of the foam material is in contact with the bottom mold of the apparatus. In operation, an alternating dielectric field is applied across the foam material to form the molded article. At the end of the molding cycle, the bottom surface of the foam material remains under the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent so as to form a hardened skin on the molded article.

Abstract: A method of forming a hardened skin on one or more surfaces of a molded article. In an exemplary method, a formable material is mixed with a blowing agent to form a foam material. The foam material is placed in a flow molding apparatus such that a first surface of the foam material is in contact with a first mold section and a second surface of the foam material is in contact with a second mold section. In operation, an alternating dielectric field is applied across the foam material to form the molded article. At the end of the molding cycle, the first and/or second surfaces of the foam material remain under the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent and are not blown so as to form one or more thicknesses of hardened skin on the molded article.

Abstract: The foamed laminate based on olefin according to the present invention is composed of a substrate layer of a foamed body made of either an ethylenic thermoplastic elastomer comprising a polyethylene resin and an ethylene/?-olefin copolymer having a Mooney viscosity ML1+4 (100° C.) of 90-250 and an ethylene content of 70-95 mole % or an ethylenic thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising 100 parts by weight of an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer and 1-20 parts by weight of an olefinic thermoplastic resin and, under lamination thereon, a skin layer made of either an ultrahigh molecular weight polyolefin resin having an intrinsic viscosity of 3.5-8.3 dl/g or made of an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer and a lubricant.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive adhesive includes a substantially continuous polymer phase having pressure sensitive adhesive properties, and a plurality of pores arranged within the substantially continuous polymer phase and disposed to permit fluid to pass from a first side through at least a portion of the plurality of pores to a second side. The plurality of pores is substantially resistant to cold flow. A method of forming a porous pressure sensitive adhesive tape includes providing a solution for forming an adhesive having pressure sensitive adhesive properties, the solution including a pore forming material, casting a film comprising the solution, laminating a liner on the film, and exposing the adhesive to an energy source to form pores in the adhesive and cure the adhesive to form the pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing inorganic porous materials, mainly composed of glass or glass-ceramic components. The glass or glass-ceramic components can have interconnected continuous macropores with a median diameter larger than 0.1 &mgr;m, and mesopores in the walls of said macropores, said mesopores having a median diameter between 2 and 100 nm. The process can include dissolving a water-soluble polymer or some other pore forming agent and a precursor for a matrix dissolving agent in a medium for mixing with a metalorganic compound.