Expandible System Contains Two Or More Solid Polymers Or At Least One Solid Polymer And At Least One Polymer-forming System Patents (Class 521/59)
  • Publication number: 20020183408
    Abstract: The composition of the invention comprises an ethylene/&agr;-olefin copolymer (A), a blowing agent (B), and optionally, an organic peroxide and a crosslinking assistant. The ethylene/&agr;-olefin copolymer (A) comprises an ethylene/&agr;-olefin copolymer (A1) having a density of not less than 0.880 g/cm3 and less than 0.900 g/cm3 and MFR (190° C.) of 0.1 to 50 g/10 min and an ethylene/&agr;-olefin copolymer (A2) having a density of 0.900 to 0.930 g/cm3, MFR (190° C.) of 0.1 to 50 g/10 min and a main melting point peak at a position of not higher than 110° C., in a specific ratio. The foamed product of the invention is obtained by heat treatment of the composition. This foamed product may be further subjected to secondary compression. The laminate of the invention has a layer comprising the foamed product and a layer comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of a polyolefin, a polyurethane, a rubber, a leather and an artificial leather.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: Takanori Sueda, Masayoshi Yamaguchi, Atsushi Komoriya, Kouichi Kizu
  • Patent number: 6476089
    Abstract: The invention relates to expandable olefin bead polymers which comprise a blowing agent with a boiling point of from −5 to 150° C., selected from the group consisting of alkanes, alkanols, ketones, ethers and esters. The particles are unfoamed and have a bulk density above 500 g/l, and can be foamed to a bulk density below 200 g/l after storage for one hour at room temperature in free contact with the atmosphere. They are prepared by impregnating polyolefin pellets in suspension in a pressure vessel with the blowing agent, cooling the batch below 100° C., reducing the pressure and isolating the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Maletzko, Klaus Hahn, Isidor de Grave, Gerd Ehrmann, Franz-Josef Dietzen
  • Patent number: 6461550
    Abstract: A method for providing a uniformly dense polymer foam body having a density between about 0.013 g/cm3 to about 0.5 g/cm3 is disclosed. The method utilizes a thermally expandable polymer microballoon material wherein some of the microballoons are unexpanded and some are only partially expanded. It is shown that by mixing the two types of materials in appropriate ratios to achieve the desired bulk final density, filling a mold with this mixture so as to displace all or essentially all of the internal volume of the mold, heating the mold for a predetermined interval at a temperature above about 130° C., and then cooling the mold to a temperature below 80° C. the molded part achieves a bulk density which varies by less then about ±6% everywhere throughout the part volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Sandia National Laboratories
    Inventor: Leroy Whinnery, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6448300
    Abstract: The invention relates to expandable olefin bead polymers which comprise a blowing agent with a boiling point of from −5 to 150° C., selected from the group consisting of alkanes, alkanols, ketones, ethers and esters. The particles are unfoamed and have a bulk density above 500 g/l, and can be foamed to a bulk density below 200 g/l after storage for one hour at room temperature in free contact with the atmosphere. They are prepared by impregnating polyolefin pellets in suspension in a pressure vessel with the blowing agent, cooling the batch below 100° C., reducing the pressure and isolating the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Maletzko, Klaus Hahn, Isidor de Grave, Gerd Ehrmann, Franz-Josef Dietzen
  • Patent number: 6417240
    Abstract: Foams prepared from a blend of a syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) resin and a foamable thermoplastic polymer resin are provided which exhibit a combination of desirable properties which have heretofore been difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. The foams of the present invention are useful in applications such as thermal insulation, packaging, and the formation of molded articles such as cups, and trays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Chung Poo Park
  • Publication number: 20020072547
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for making beads of expandable polystyrene by utilizing as an additive in the suspension polymerization process, a small amount of a low-molecular-weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of around 2000.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Applicant: Fina Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Barron, Jose M. Sosa
  • Patent number: 6384094
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of expandable able styrene polymers containing particles of graphite by polymerization merization of styrene in aqueous suspension in the presence of particles of graphite having a mass density of less than 1.8 g/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Guiscard Glück
  • Patent number: 6369120
    Abstract: An acoustical insulation foam having, either with or without elastification, an Asker C hardness of less than about 65, a density of about 5 to about 150 kg/m3, a cell size of about 0.05 to about 15 mm, an open cell content of 0 to about 100 volume percent, a thickness of about 1 to about 200 mm, and a width of about 100 to about 3000 mm; comprising; (A) one or more alkenyl aromatic polymers, (B) one or more substantially random interpolymers and (C) optionally, one or more nucleating agents and (D) optionally, one or more other additives; and (E) one or more blowing agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bharat I. Chaudhary, Russell P. Barry, Chung P. Park, Martin Reimers
  • Publication number: 20020037992
    Abstract: Bush 1 comprises back metal layer 2 made from a steel plate and porous sintered metal layer 4 made from copper, provided on the surface of back metal layer 2 through copper plating layer 3 and impregnated and coated with sliding material 5 within and on the surface of porous sintered metal layer 4, where sliding material 5 comprises PTFE as the main component (not less than 50 vol. % of the entire material), 3-40 vol. % of Bi particles and/or Bi alloy particles, 1-40 vol. % of injection moldable fluororesin such as PFA, etc., 0.1-20 vol. % of hard particles such a W, Al2O3, etc., and 0.1-20 vol. % of a solid lubricant such as graphite, etc. The sliding material based on PTFE as the main component is free from lead and can further improve the wear resistance, while maintaining good sliding characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: DAIDO METAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Takahiro Niwa, Hideki Iwata, Nobutaka Hiramatsu, Takayuki Shibayama
  • Patent number: 6360807
    Abstract: Copolymers are formed by suspension polymerization of monomers, including one or more styrenic monomers, and one or more acrylic monomers. The monomers can be polymerized in the presence of polymeric seeds. The polymerization can be carried out in the presence of one or more blowing agents, producing polymers that can be expanded. The methods are useful, for example, in forming expandable polymeric particles. The expandable polymer particles are useful in processes such as forming patterns for lost foam molding techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: StyroChem Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred Sonnenberg, Richard Anton Schwarz
  • Patent number: 6358580
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optionally foamed sealing composition for preformed seals which can swell when treated with water. The invention also relates to a method for the production thereof out of natural rubber and/or elastomers with a matrix comprised of natural rubber/elastomer components and particle-shaped water absorbing material stored therein. The water absorbing material is a combination of (A) polysaccharide(s) selected from cellulose, starch, starch derivatives removed from grafted starch, amylose, amylopectin, dextran, pectin, inulin, chitin, xanthan, alginic acid, alginates, carrageenan, pustulan, callose, laminarin, guluronic acid, pullulan, lichenin or mixtures of the same with (B) a highly water absorbent synthetic polymer selected from polymers based on (meth)acrylate, poly(meth)acrylic acid and the salts thereof, polyacrylamide, polyalcohols or copolymers of said synthetic polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignees: Datwyker A.G. Gummi & Kunststoffe
    Inventors: Thomas Mang, Günter Preiser, Jürgen Dahm
  • Patent number: 6340713
    Abstract: Particulate expandable styrene polymers contain homogeneously distributed graphite particles and can be processed to give self-extinguishing foams having a density of ≦35 g/l.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Guiscard Glück, Klaus Hahn, Knut Kaempfer, Dieter Naegele, Frank Braun
  • Patent number: 6326409
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an in-mold foaming article of a propylene resin composition having improved productivity and stable quality in internal molding, and simultaneously a compressive strength and a tensile strength thereof at high density range are improved at the same time. The in-mold foaming article is obtained by using a pre-foamed particle having a density of 90 to 300 g/L and an open cell ratio of at most 12%, wherein the pre-foamed particle comprises a resin composition having (A) 100 parts by weight of a polypropylene resin and (B) 0.01 to 20 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer as a base material resin, and water as a foaming agent, the pre-foamed particle having at least two endothermic peaks in a DSC curve obtained in differential scanning calorimetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Mihayashi, Yutaka Yanagihara, Takayuki Goda
  • Patent number: 6316509
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermoplastic material made from (a) recycled rubber particles, (b) expandable microspheres and (c) a thermoplastic resin other than (b) or (c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Rolf Innovatios Corporation
    Inventor: Rolf Degerman
  • Patent number: 6313184
    Abstract: Propylene resin beads for molding expansion molded articles having improved high temperature resistance include as base resin metallocene-catalyzed copolymers of propylene with at least one or more of ethylene and ∝-olefins of 4 to 20 carbon atoms. The metallocene-catalyzed propylene copolymers are isotactic random copolymers characterized by a melting point higher than 140° C. to 160° C. and a melt flow rate (MFR) of not higher than 12 g/10 minutes, especially, 0.5 to 12 g/10 minutes. Expansion molded articles produced by expansion molding the expanded beads have a high temperature degree of deflection which is lower than that of metallocene-catalyzed propylene homopolymers and lower than that of Ziegler-Natta-catalyzed random propylene copolymers having the same comonomers and melting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: JSP Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sasaki, Masakazu Sakaguchi, Mitsuhiro Akiyama, Hisao Tokoro
  • Publication number: 20010016610
    Abstract: The invention relates to expandable olefin bead polymers which comprise a blowing agent with a boiling point of from −5 to 150° C., selected from the group consisting of alkanes, alkanols, ketones, ethers and esters. The particles are unfoamed and have a bulk density above 500 g/l, and can be foamed to a bulk density below 200 g/l after storage for one hour at room temperature in free contact with the atmosphere. They are prepared by impregnating polyolefin pellets in suspension in a pressure vessel with the blowing agent, cooling the batch below 100° C., reducing the pressure and isolating the particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Applicant: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Maletzko, Klaus Hahn, Isidor de Grave, Gerd Ehrmann, Franz-Josef Dietzen
  • Patent number: 6231795
    Abstract: A soft foam having an Asker C hardness of less than about 65, comprising; (A) from about 30 to about 70 percent by weight (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of one or more alkenyl aromatic polymers and wherein at least one of said alkenyl aromatic polymers has a molecular weight (Mw) of from about 100,000 to about 500,000; and (B) from about 30 to about 70 percent by weight (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of one or more substantially random interpolymers having an I2 of about 0.1 to about 50 g/10 min, an Mw/Mn of about 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: The Dow chemical Company
    Inventors: Bharat I. Chaudhary, Lawrence S. Hood, Russell P. Barry
  • Patent number: 6225366
    Abstract: Polyolefin foam materials of high dimensional stability at elevated temperatures are produced from modified polypropylenes and unmodified polypropylenes. The modified polypropylenes used are produced by mixing polypropylene particles with thermally decomposing free radical-forming agents, absorbing readily volatile bifunctional monomers and heating and melting the mixture. Areas of application for the polyolefin foam materials of high dimensional stability at elevated temperatures are the packaging sector, motor vehicle parts, sports and leisure equipment, industrial applications, as well as applications in the building sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Borealis AG
    Inventors: Manfred Raetzsch, Hartmut Bucka, Achim Hesse, Ulf Panzer, Norbert Reichelt
  • Patent number: 6221926
    Abstract: Foamable modified polystyrene resin particles (E) comprising a particle of a modified polystyrene resin (C) containing a blowing agent (D), wherein the modified polystyrene resin (C) comprises conjugated diene polymer rubber particles (B) dispersed uniformly throughout a polystyrene resin (A) and when the foamable modified polystyrene resin particle (E) is expanded, there is substantially no deformation of the rubber particles (B) before and after the expansion. A foamed article of a modified polystyrene resin which has a cell membrane of the modified polystyrene resin comprising a polystyrene resin and conjugated diene polymer rubber particles dispersed uniformly throughout the polystyrene resin and has a fusion rate of not less than 50%, wherein the rubber particles maintain substantially spherical form in the cell membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Hidekazu Oohara, Hidehiro Yamaguchi, Kyoichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6214896
    Abstract: There is provided a pre-expanded particle having a high expansion ratio and excellent flexibility and cushioning property. The in-mold articles made thereof do not lose mechanical strength, heat resistance, and water resistance, without conventional volatile organic foaming agents or carbon dioxide gas. A pre-expanded particle of a polypropylene resin is prepared by pre-expanding a water-containing propylene resin composition comprising (A) 100 parts by weight of a polypropylene resin having melt flow rate (230° C., 2.16 kg load) of 10 to 70 g/10 min and tensile elongation at break of at least 300%, (B) 0.05 to 10 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer and (C) 0 to 3 parts by weight of a filler and having a water content of 1 to 20% by weight under a water vapor pressure at the melting point of the polypropylene resin, said particle having an apparent expansion ratio of 25 to 70 times, a closed cell content of at least 85% and an average cell diameter of 50 to 500 &mgr;m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Mogami, Yasumitsu Munakata, Kenichi Senda
  • Patent number: 6187232
    Abstract: An acoustical insulation foam having, either with or without elastification, an Asker C hardness of less than about 65, a density of about 5 to about 150 kg/m3, a cell size of about 0.05 to about 15 mm, an open cell content of 0 to about 100 volume percent, a thickness of about 1 to about 200 mm, and a width of about 100 to about 3000 mm; comprising; (A) one or more alkenyl aromatic polymers, (B) one or more substantially random interpolymers and (C) optionally, one or more nucleating agents and (D) optionally, one or more other additives; and (E) one or more blowing agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bharat I. Chaudhary, Russell P. Barry, Chung P. Park, Martin Reimers
  • Patent number: 6166096
    Abstract: A pre-expanded particle made of a blend of 10 to 90% by weight of a polypropylene resin having a melt index of 6 to 10 g/10 minutes and 90 to 10% by weight of a polypropylene resin having a melt index of 0.5 to 3 g/10 minutes. The melt index of the blend being within the range of 2 to 5 g/10 minutes. The pre-expanded particles can be molded by an in-mold foaming method in a short time without causing sink to give polypropylene resin cellular molded articles having good surface property and good melt adhesion of the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Tadayuki Ichimura, Kyoichi Nakamura, Kenichi Senda
  • Patent number: 6139961
    Abstract: A hollow sphere organic pigment in which a core containing a void is encapsulated by a first shell polymer having a glass transition temperature greater than 50.degree. C., the first shell having polymerized thereon a second shell polymer having a glass transition temperature of -15.degree. C. to -50.degree. C. is provided. Also provided is a paper or paperboard coating composition containing the hollow sphere organic pigment, a method for improving the strength and opacity of a paper or paperboard coating by using the coating composition dried, a coated paper or paperboard bearing the dried coating composition, and a method for improving the strength and opacity of paper or paperboard by incorporating a particular hollow sphere organic pigment into the formed wet sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: Robert Mitchell Blankenship, William Christopher Finch, Lubomir Mlynar, Barbara Jean Schultz
  • Patent number: 6133333
    Abstract: A soft foam having an Asker C hardness of less than about 65, comprising;(A) from about 30 to about 70 percent by weight (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of one or more alkenyl aromatic polymers and wherein at least one of said alkenyl aromatic polymers has a molecular weight (M.sub.w) of from about 100,000 to about 500,000; and(B) from about 30 to about 70 percent by weight (based on the combined weight of Components A and B) of one or more substantially random interpolymers; and(C) optionally, one or more nucleating agents; and(D) optionally, one or more other additives; and(E) one or more blowing agents present in a total amount of from about 0.4 to about 5.0 gram-moles per kilogram (based on the combined weight of Components A and B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bharat I. Chaudhary, Lawrence S. Hood, Russell P. Barry
  • Patent number: 6130266
    Abstract: There is provided pre-expanded particles of a propylene resin having a high expansion ratio and excellent molding adhesion without using a volatile blowing agent or increasing an expansion pressure. The pre-expanded particles of a propylene resin are prepared by the process comprising dispersing resin particles comprising a propylene resin composition, which contains 100 parts by weight of (A) a random copolymer of ethylene and propylene having an ethylene content of 1.5 to 4.5% by weight and 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Mihayashi, Nobuhisa Ota, Naruhiko Akamatsu, Yutaka Yanagihara, Takeshi Satoh
  • Patent number: 6077878
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a foamed article comprising a modified polypropylene resin which is a graft copolymer of a polypropylene resin and an aromatic vinyl monomer and has an average number of the grafted aromatic vinyl chains of not less than 1 in one molecule of the graft copolymer and a weight average molecular weight of the grafted aromatic vinyl chains of not less than 200, and relates to a process for preparation thereof. According to the present invention, the foamed article comprising the polypropylene resin and having a high closed cell content, a high expansion ratio and good external appearance can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Kanegafuchi Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Okura, Mitsuharu Kourogi, Yoshifumi Fukui, Hesun Kim, Haruo Tomita, Osamu Miyama, Taizo Aoyama
  • Patent number: 6051617
    Abstract: A foamed, non-crosslinked resin particle having a bulk density of not greater than 0.045 g/cm.sup.3 and an average cell diameter of at least 200 .mu.m. The non-crosslinked resin includes a polypropylene resin to which a vinyl comonomer is graft-polymerized in such an amount that the weight ratio of the polypropylene resin to the grafted polymer of the vinyl comonomer is in the range of 97:3 to 65:35. The foamed resin particles are produced by grafting a vinyl comonomer to polypropylene resin particles at a temperature of less than 90.degree. C. in the presence of a specific radical polymerization initiator to obtain modified polypropylene resin particles and, then, expanding the modified polypropylene resin particles. The initiator used requires a temperature of not higher than 70.degree. C. for obtaining a half life of 10 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: JSP Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Sasaki, Masakazu Sakaguchi, Hisao Tokoro
  • Patent number: 6048909
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to improved alkenyl aromatic polymer foams (and processes for their preparation) having increased heat distortion temperature and improved dimensional stability while maintaining good tensile/tear, creep and environmental dimensional change properties.The closed cell low density alkenyl aromatic polymer foams exhibit increased heat distortion temperature, when substantially random interpolymers of about 21 to about 65 mol % styrene are blended in. When these same alkenyl aromatic polymer foams are made without these interpolymers, the heat distortion temperature is not improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bharat I. Chaudhary, Russell P. Barry, Stephanie C. Cirihal
  • Patent number: 6043319
    Abstract: Provided is a method of preparing a light-weight and inexpensive void type plastic pigment having enhanced hiding power and whiteness relative to inorganic pigments such as titanium oxide or organic pigments such as conventional styrene polymeric plastic pigments by regulating the content of each monomer in the sheath polymerization after core polymerization and controlling the glass transition temperature of the first sheath which is the shell obtained by initial polymerization less than that of the core by 70 to 120.degree. C., thus increasing the difference of refractive index between the polymeric matrices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Korea Kumho Petrochemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: HoSull Lee, Kyo-Dong Jo, Kill-Soo Jang, Min-Seok Cho
  • Patent number: 6040348
    Abstract: Composition for expanded granules, which comprises, per 100 parts by weight,from 60 to 90 parts by weight of a propylene homopolymer (A) having a melt flow index (MFI) from 0.1 to 20 g/10 min andfrom 40 to 10 parts by weight of a propylene random copolymer (B) containing from 3 to 20 mol % of ethylene and/or of an .alpha.-olefin having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, the MFI of which ranges from 25 to 3000 g/10 min.Process for obtaining this composition and use of this composition for the manufacture of expanded granules and cellular articles obtained by molding these granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Solvay Poloyolefins Europe-Belgium (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Emmanuel Delaite, Jean Charlier, Giuliano Bertozzi
  • Patent number: 6022902
    Abstract: Porous organic articles having no surface functionality may be treated by remote plasma discharge to thereby introduce functionality to the surface of the article. The functionality is introduced throughout the article's surface, including the exterior surface and the surfaces of the pores. Little or no degradation of the porous organic article occurs as a result of the functionalization. Amino, hydroxyl, carbonyl and carboxyl groups may be introduced to the article. In this way, an essentially inert hydrophobic porous article, made from, for example, polyethylene, can have its surface modified so that the surface becomes hydrophilic. The remote plasma discharge process causes essentially no change in the bulk properties of the organic article. The remote plasma discharge process is preferably conducted so that no photons, and particularly no ultraviolet radiation, is transmitted from the plasma glow to the porous article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Steven L. Koontz
  • Patent number: 6013687
    Abstract: Polyolefinic foam beads which can be processed over a wide temperature range to give molded articles where a ratio of the areas of low-temperature peak and high-temperature peak in the DSC curve during the first heating has a value of not more than 3, and where the heat of fusion of the secondary crystals is greater than 10 J/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Huels Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Reinhard Wirobski, Michael Traeger, Bernd Guenzel
  • Patent number: 5942551
    Abstract: Resin particles made from a resin mixture of 30 to 70 wt % of a linear low-density polyethylene I having a resin density of 0.930 to 0.935 g/cm.sup.3 and an MI of 1 g/10 minutes or higher and 70 to 30 wt % of a linear low-density polyethylene II having a resin density of 0.915 to 0.925 g/cm.sup.3 and an MI of 2 g/10 minutes or higher are impregnated under pressurization with a volatile expansion agent, and released into a low-pressure atmosphere to yield non-crosslinked linear low density polyethylene preexpanded particles, which, when subjected to expansion molding inside a mold, exhibit good moldability, and yield molded articles that have an attractive external appearance and exhibit outstanding cushioning properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Tadayuki Ichimura, Minori Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5939198
    Abstract: This invention relates to porous polyfluoroethylene (PTFE), shaped articles prepared therefrom, and to methods of preparing said articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Edward George Howard, Jr., Arthur Zenker Moss
  • Patent number: 5932336
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved golf shoe which incorporates a spike socket spine frame system that extends throughout the shoe sole for receiving all of the spike receptacles and is embedded in the outsole. The spine frame provides improved shoe performance and spike location and is made of a material that is stiffer than the outsole material. More particularly, the shoe sole is comprised of a spike socket spine having seventeen spike socket locations: three spike sockets in the toe section, six spike sockets in the metatarsal section, four spike sockets in the shank section and four spike sockets in the heel section, for receiving the posts of the golf spikes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Bernie Allen, Zoran Petrovic
  • Patent number: 5925686
    Abstract: Expanded polyolefin particles are produced by impregnation of polyolefin granules with a volatile blowing agent in suspension under pressure and subsequent decompression. The blowing agent used is ammonia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfram Kogel, Isidoor De Grave, Klaus Hahn, Joachim Fischer
  • Patent number: 5905096
    Abstract: A continuous process for preparing bead-form expandable styrene polymers in which the styrene is prepolymerized in bulk to a conversion of 10 to 80%, the prepolymer is dispersed in liquid form in an aqueous phase in the presence of suspension stabilizers, and the polymerization of the prepolymer is completed in an aqueous suspension to a residual styrene content of less than 2000 ppm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Nikolaus Lay, Swen Ruck, Michael Schiessl, Michael Witt, Hans Dieter Zettler, Michael Baumgartel, Gerhard Dembek, Klaus Hahn, Jan Holoch, Wolfram Husemann, Knut Kaempfer
  • Patent number: 5900320
    Abstract: The present invention aims to improve soundproof and heat insulating properties of a foamed plastic by reducing internal cells pressure inside foamed resins. A base polymer such as a polyester-based polyol and a volatile foaming agent having an conjugate unsaturated group (i.e., conjugate double carbon bonds and/or triple carbon bonds) such as chloroprene (bp. 51.degree. C.) and calcium stearate were blended and then mixed with a hardening agent such as hexamethylene diisocyanate. The volatile foaming agent existing in open cells of the foamed plastic sealed in the Al laminated film and between the film and the foamed plastic, i.e., gap, possesses an unsaturated group, such as isoprene. Thus polymerization may occur by irradiating with electron rays, and the inside of the foams and the gap region may be reduced in pressure while the bag of the laminated film retains its shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazufumi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 5889069
    Abstract: Foamed polymeric materials exhibiting improved heat resistant properties and improved mechanical properties, as compared with known foamed styrene polymer materials, are obtained by expanding a polymer blend including a syndiotactic styrene polymer and an amount of an amorphous polymeric material which will impart enhanced heat resistant properties to the blend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kyung W. Suh, Creston D. Shmidt, Daniel D. Imeokparia, Alan E. Platt, Thomas E. Wessel
  • Patent number: 5883141
    Abstract: A process for preparing polyolefin resin pre-expanded particles comprising imparting expandability to polyolefin resin expanded particles having a crystal structure which shows two melting points in a DSC curve and heat expanding expanded particles having expandability, in which the relation between heat expansion temperature and the amount of a fusion preventing agent being attached to the surface of the polyolefin resin expanded particles is represented by the inequality: t-T.sub.V .ltoreq.49.1C-27.0 (t is heat expansion temperature, C is the amount of the fusion preventing agent being attached to the surface of the polyolefin resin expanded particles and T.sub.V is saddle temperature between two peaks showing two respective melting points in the DSC curve), and t is within the temperature range represented by the inequality: T.sub.L -30.ltoreq.t.ltoreq.T.sub.V (T.sub.V is the same as defined above and T.sub.L is lower melting point of the two melting points).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Mihayashi, Hideshi Ito
  • Patent number: 5880166
    Abstract: Expandable, rubber-modified styrene polymers for elastic polystyrene foams comprisea) a continuous phase comprising polystyrene or a styrene copolymer containing at most 50% of copolymerized comonomers andb) from 5 to 30% by weight of a butadiene-styrene block copolymer dispersed therein,and also a low-boiling blowing agent. The rubber particles have a compact lamellar structure without polystyrene inclusions. The expandable styrene polymers are prepared by polymerization of styrene in the presence of the block copolymer and impregnation with the blowing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Guiscard Gluck, Klaus Hahn, Rolf Henn, Karl-Heinz Wassmer, Hermann Gausepohl, Konrad Knoll, Karl-Heinz Batscheider
  • Patent number: 5874042
    Abstract: The present invention aims to improve soundproof and heat insulating properties of a foamed plastic by reducing internal cells pressure inside foamed resins. A base polymer such as a polyester-based polyol and a volatile foaming agent having an conjugate unsaturated group (i. e., conjugate double carbon bonds and/or triple carbon bonds) such as chloroprene (bp. 51.degree. C.) and calcium stearate were blended and then mixed with a hardening agent such as hexamethylene diisocyanate. The volatile foaming agent existing in open cells of the foamed plastic sealed in the Al laminated film and between the film and the foamed plastic, i.e., gap, possesses an unsaturated group, such as isoprene. Thus polymerization may occur by irradiating with electron rays, and the inside of the foams and the gap region may be reduced in pressure while the bag of the laminated film retains its shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazufumi Ogawa, Tadashi Ohtake
  • Patent number: 5840775
    Abstract: This invention relates to porous polyfluoroethylene (PTFE), shaped articles prepared therefrom, and to methods of preparing said articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Edward George Howard, Jr., Arthur Zenker Moss
  • Patent number: 5840780
    Abstract: A foamed isocyanate-based polymer having a cellular structure and comprising a non-surface cross-linked superabsorbent polymer, the foamed polymer being capable of: (i) absorbing at least about 10 times its weight of a 0.9 wt./wt. % aqueous NaCl solution maintained at a temperature of from about 20.degree. to about 25.degree. C., and (ii) retaining at least about 10 times its weight of absorbed aqueous NaCl solution which is bound to the superabsorbent polymer. A process for producing the foamed isocyanate-based polymer is also described. The process comprises the steps of: contacting an isocyanate, an active hydrogen-containing compound, an aqueous blowing agent, a catalyst and a non-surface cross-linked superabsorbent polymer, the superabsorbent polymer being capable of absorbing at least about 10 times its weight of a 0.9 wt./wt. % aqueous NaCl solution maintained at a temperature in the range of from about 20.degree. to about 25.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Woodbridge Foam Corporation
    Inventor: Robert N. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5837740
    Abstract: Expandable ABS resin beads containing a volatile blowing agent are disclosed which have an internal-water content of 5% by weight or lower and, when expanded in an expansion ratio of 30, give expanded beads each having a non-expanded surface layer having a thickness of not more than 50 .mu.m. A process for producing the expandable ABS resin beads is also disclosed which comprises dispersing ABS resin beads into an aqueous medium in a closed vessel and impregnating a volatile blowing agent into the ABS resin beads, said aqueous medium containing an electrolyte at least during the impregnation of the volatile blowing agent, with the concentration of the electrolyte in the aqueous medium being from 0.01 to 2 mol/l. The expandable resin beads are capable of giving an expanded molded article excellent in chemical resistance and toughness and especially in surface appearance and heat resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical BASF Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Haraguchi, Takanori Suzuki, Yoshinari Itoh
  • Patent number: 5817703
    Abstract: A rebond foam comprising a plurality of isocyanate-based polymeric foam pieces bonded to one another with an isocyanate-based binder is disclosed. A superabsorbent material is comprised in one or both of the isocyanate-based polymeric foam pieces and the isocyanate-based binder. The rebond foam is capable of: (i) absorbing at least about 5 times its weight of a 0.9 wt./wt. % aqueous NaCl solution maintained at a temperature of from about 20.degree. to about 25.degree. C., and (ii) retaining at least about 5 times its weight of absorbed aqueous NaCl solution which is bound to the superabsorbent material. A process for producing a rebond foam is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Woodbridge Foam Corporation
    Inventors: G. Ronald Blair, Harold R. Attfield, Robert N. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5763498
    Abstract: A continuous process for making moldable foam beads comprising a non-crosslinked or crosslinked thermoplastic polymer foam are produced by mixing a composition comprising a non-crosslinkable or crosslinkable thermoplastic polymer or a thermoplastic polymer with a crosslinking agent, additives to achieve specific properties, a blowing agent, extruding the admixture under pressure, crosslinking, when applicable, the admixture under pressure, modulating the admixtures temperature to achieve the desired foaming properties, and then expanding the admixture in a zone of lower pressure to form a foam bead that can be molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Inventor: Dennis A. Knaus
  • Patent number: 5744505
    Abstract: Prefoamed polyolefin beads, produced by extrusion followed by granulation, have a crystal structure with a double peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Fischer, Franz-Josef Dietzen, Gerd Ehrmann, Isidoor De Grave, Jens Rieger
  • Patent number: 5736585
    Abstract: The application relates to polyethylene and/or polypropylene foam moldings for packaging which consist of more than 50% of recycled material, and to a process for the production thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Merck Patent Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Harald Meyer, Hans Bossler, Josef Scherer
  • Patent number: 5721283
    Abstract: This invention relates to porous polyfluoroethylene (PTFE), shaped articles prepared therefrom, and to methods of preparing said articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Edward George Howard, Jr., Arthur Zenker Moss