Abstract: A resin composition containing heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein and at least one base resin selected from rubbers, olefin resins and thermoplastic elastomers. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer of a polymerizable component containing N-substituted maleimide and a nitrile monomer containing methacrylonitrile. Also disclosed are molded articles manufactured by molding the resin composition.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is a copolymer produced from a polymerizable component containing 15 to 90 wt % of acrylonitrile, 3 to 50 wt % of an acrylate ester monomer (A) represented by formula (1) shown below, and 3 to 70 wt % of a methacrylate ester monomer (B) represented by formula (2) shown below. The weight ratio of the acrylate ester monomer (A) represented by formula (1) to the methacrylate ester monomer (B) represented by formula (2) in the polymerizable component (A:B) ranges from 10:90 to 90:10: H2C?CH—COOR1??(1) H2C?C(CH3)—COOR2??(2). Also disclosed are hollow particles manufactured by expanding the heat-expandable microspheres; a composition containing a base compound and the heat-expandable microspheres or the hollow particles; and a formed product manufactured by molding or applying the composition.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer of a polymerizable component containing a cross-linkable monomer (A) which has at least two (meth)acryloyl groups per molecule and a reactive carbon-carbon double bond in addition to the (meth)acryloyl groups and has a molecular weight of at least 500. Also disclosed are hollow resin particles manufactured by expanding the heat-expandable microspheres; fine-particle-coated hollow resin particles including the hollow resin particles; a composition including a base component and the heat-expandable microspheres, or hollow resin particles, or fine-particle coated hollow resin particles; and a formed article manufactured by forming the composition.

Abstract: A masterbatch for foam molding which contains a base resin and heat-expandable microspheres. The base resin contains EPDM and the masterbatch contains the heat-expandable microspheres in an amount ranging from higher than 300 parts by weight to 750 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the base resin and has a Moony viscosity ML 1+4 (100° C.) ranging from 15 to 90. Also disclosed is a method for producing a masterbatch for foam molding, a resin composition containing the masterbatch for foam molding, and a foam-molded product manufactured by molding the resin composition.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres which have a blowing agent encapsulated efficiently therein so as to prevent the blowing agent from escaping out of the microspheres during storage at high temperature, a process for producing the same, and applications thereof.

Abstract: A sizing agent for matrix-resin-reinforcement fibers that simultaneously attains excellent cohesion and abrasion resistance of sized fibers, uniform size application on fiber surface and good bonding between sized fiber and a matrix resin; a synthetic fiber strand sized therewith; and a fiber-reinforced composite material reinforced by the sized fiber strand. The sizing agent contains a polyamide (A), a carbodiimide group-containing compound (B) and water (C), wherein the polyamide (A) has a melt viscosity ranging from 100 to 15,000 mPa·s at 150° C. and the compound (B) has at least two carbodiimide groups per molecule. The polyamide (A) is preferably a water-soluble polyamide.

Abstract: Hollow resin particles for thermosensitive recording media containing a thermoplastic resin shell and a hollow part surrounded by the shell. The hollow resin particles contain a thermally-vaporizable hydrocarbon in an encapsulation ratio of at least 0.2 wt %. The hollow resin particles preferably have a mean volume particle size ranging from 0.1 to 10 ?m.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer of a polymerizable component containing a cross-linkable monomer (A) which has at least two (meth)acryloyl groups per molecule and a reactive carbon-carbon double bond in addition to the (meth)acryloyl groups and has a molecular weight of at least 500. Also disclosed are hollow resin particles manufactured by expanding the heat-expandable microspheres; fine-particle-coated hollow resin particles including the hollow resin particles; a composition including a base component and the heat-expandable microspheres, or hollow resin particles, or fine-particle coated hollow resin particles; and a formed article manufactured by forming the composition.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres containing a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer of a polymerizable component containing acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile and acrylate ester and which satisfies specific conditions 1 and 2, where Condition 1: the amount of the acrylonitrile (A)<the amount of the methacrylonitrile (B), and Condition 2: the total amount of the acrylonitrile (A), the methacrylonitrile (B) and the acrylate ester (C) in the polymerizable component ranges from 61 to 100 wt %. Also disclosed are hollow resin particles manufactured by expanding the heat-expandable microspheres, a composition containing a base component and at least one selected from the heat-expandable microspheres and the hollow resin particles, and a formed article manufactured by forming or molding the composition.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is a copolymer produced from a polymerizable component containing 15 to 90 wt % of acrylonitrile, 3 to 50 wt % of an acrylate ester monomer (A) represented by formula (1) shown below, and 3 to 70 wt % of a methacrylate ester monomer (B) represented by formula (2) shown below. The weight ratio of the acrylate ester monomer (A) represented by formula (1) to the methacrylate ester monomer (B) represented by formula (2) in the polymerizable component (A:B) ranges from 10:90 to 90:10: H2C?CH—COOR1??(1) H2C?C(CH3)—COOR2??(2). Also disclosed are hollow particles manufactured by expanding the heat-expandable microspheres; a composition containing a base compound and the heat-expandable microspheres or the hollow particles; and a formed product manufactured by molding or applying the composition.

Abstract: A sizing agent for matrix-resin-reinforcement fiber, a synthetic fiber strand sized therewith, and a fiber-reinforced composite material reinforced by the sized fiber strand. The sizing agent for reinforcement fiber contains a polyamide (A), a carbodiimide group-containing compound (B) and water (C), wherein the polyamide (A) has a melt viscosity ranging from 100 to 15,000 mP·s at 150° C. and the compound (B) has at least two carbodiimide groups per molecule. The polyamide (A) is preferably a water-soluble polyamide.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres and applications thereof, the heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein. The thermoplastic resin is produced by polymerizing a polymerizable component containing (A) a nitrile monomer including methacrylonitrile, (B) a carboxyl-group-containing monomer and (C) a monomer having a functional group reactive with the carboxyl group. The polymerizable component satisfies the following conditions 1 and 2: Condition 1: The weight fraction of the monomers (A), (B) and (C) in the polymerizable component satisfy the inequality shown below. Weight fraction of the monomer (C)<Weight fraction of the monomer (A)?Weight fraction of the monomer (B)??Inequality (I) Condition 2: The ratio by weight of the monomer (B) to the monomer (C) ranges from 600:1 to 3:1.

Abstract: A resin composition containing heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein and at least one base resin selected from rubbers, olefin resins and thermoplastic elastomers. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer of a polymerizable component containing N-substituted maleimide and a nitrile monomer containing methacrylonitrile. Also disclosed are molded articles manufactured by molding the resin composition.

Abstract: Hollow resin particles, a production process for producing the same and application thereof. The hollow resin particles include a thermoplastic resin shell and a hollow part surrounded by the shell. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer produced from a polymerizable component containing 0.6 to 3.0 wt % of a crosslinkable monomer having at least two polymerizable carbon-carbon double bonds per molecule and 97 to 99.4 wt % of an uncrosslinkable monomer having one polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond per molecule. A blowing agent is encapsulated in the hollow resin particles. The blowing agent contains 50 to 100 wt % of an organic compound having a vapor pressure higher than 100 kPa at 25° C. Further, the encapsulation ratio of the blowing agent ranges from 3 to 13 wt % of the hollow resin particles.

Abstract: A process for producing heat-expandable microspheres which enables constant and high-yield production of heat-expandable microspheres having a mean particle size ranging from 0.01 to 10 ?m without deteriorating their expansion performance, and the application thereof. The process produces heat-expandable microspheres containing a thermoplastic resin shell and the blowing agent encapsulated therein. The process includes a step of dispersing a polymerizable component and the blowing agent in an aqueous dispersion medium containing a polyester amide having an acid value (mgKOH/g) ranging from 95 to 140 and a step of polymerizing the polymerizable component.

Abstract: A rubber composition for vulcanization molding which can be manufactured into a rubber product with good dimensional stability, good appearance and sufficiently light weight, a process for manufacturing the same, and applications thereof. A rubber composition for vulcanization molding containing hollow particles and a base rubber, wherein the hollow particles are composed of a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein and have a specified further expansion ratio, and the base rubber has a Mooney viscosity ML (1+4) ranging from 5 to 90 at 100° C. Also disclosed is a process for manufacturing the rubber composition, hollow particles used for manufacturing the rubber composition, a masterbatch including the hollow particles and a rubber product manufactured from the rubber composition.

Abstract: Heat-expandable microspheres having an expansion temperature which can be decreased by a simple means without changing the polymerizable monomer and its ratio and/or changing the blowing agent and its ratio, and applications thereof. The heat-expandable microspheres are composed of a thermoplastic resin shell and a core material encapsulated therein. The core material contains a thermally-vaporizable blowing agent which imparts a swelling degree of less than 5% as defined by the following formula (I) and a component (A) which imparts a swelling degree of 5 to 30% as defined by the following formula (I), wherein an amount of the component (A) ranges from 0.0001 to 30 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the blowing agent: Swelling degree (%)={(M2?M1)/M1}×100??(I) wherein M2 and M1 are as defined herein.

Abstract: A synthetic fiber finish includes a lubricant (A), a polyhydric alcohol fatty acid ester having at least one hydroxyl group per molecule (B), and an organic sulfonic acid compound (C). The lubricant (A) includes a sulfur-containing ester (A3). The amount of the lubricant (A) ranges from 50 to 90 wt %, the amount of the ester (B) ranges from 1 to 20 wt % and the amount of the sulfur-containing ester (A3) ranges from 5 to 20 wt %, to a nonvolatile component of the finish.

Abstract: Hollow resin particles, a production process for producing the same and application thereof. The hollow resin particles include a thermoplastic resin shell and a hollow part surrounded by the shell. The thermoplastic resin is a polymer produced from a polymerizable component containing 0.6 to 3.0 wt % of a crosslinkable monomer having at least two polymerizable carbon-carbon double bonds per molecule and 97 to 99.4 wt % of an uncrosslinkable monomer having one polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond per molecule. A blowing agent is encapsulated in the hollow resin particles. The blowing agent contains 50 to 100 wt % of an organic compound having a vapor pressure higher than 100 kPa at 25° C. Further, the encapsulation ratio of the blowing agent ranges from 3 to 13 wt % of the hollow resin particles.

Abstract: A process for producing heat-expandable microspheres including a thermoplastic resin shell and a blowing agent encapsulated therein. The process includes the steps of dispersing a polymerizable component and the blowing agent in an aqueous dispersion medium having a pH of 7 or less and containing a fine-particle metal compound having a mean particle size ranging from 1.0 to 10 nm, and polymerizing the polymerizable component. The amount of the fine-particle metal compound ranges from 0.15 to 20 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the polymerizable component and the blowing agent. Also disclosed are heat-expandable microspheres produced by dispersing a polymerizable component and a blowing agent in an aqueous dispersion medium containing colloidal silica and polymerizing the polymerizable component.