Abstract: A first polymer (preferably in granular form) is exposed to a gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to introduce the gas into the polymer. This occurs at a temperature from the glass transition temperature to the melting temperature when the first polymer is crystalline or semi-crystalline in nature, or at a temperature below the glass transition temperature when the first polymer is amorphous in nature. Optionally, the gas-laden polymer may then be mixed with a second polymer. The polymer is then melted to produce a foamed article.

Abstract: There are provided a composition for silicone rubber foam, a manufacturing method of a silicone rubber foam, and a silicone rubber foam in which it is possible to control the foaming states. The composition for silicone rubber foam contains: (A) 100 parts by mass of polyorganosiloxane having a degree of polymerization of 4,000 to 10,000 and having two or more alkenyl groups at a content of 0.001 mmol/g or more and less than 0.3 mmol/g; an amount of polyorganohydrogensiloxane having an average of two or more Si-atom-bonded hydrogen atoms so that a molar ratio of the hydrogen atoms to the alkenyl groups in the (A) component is 0.001 to 5; 0.1 to 10 parts by mass of an organic foaming agent with a decomposition temperature of 50 to 250° C.; 5 to 200 parts by mass of silica powder; and a catalyst amount of a platinum-based metal catalyst activated with ultraviolet rays.

Abstract: Provided is a material that can be easily biaxially oriented, homogeneously stretched even with a high draw ratio, and formed into a polytetrafluoroethylene porous membrane with low pressure loss. The present invention relates to a polytetrafluoroethylene mixture comprising: a modified polytetrafluoroethylene; and a fibrillable polytetrafluoroethylene homopolymer, the modified polytetrafluoroethylene having an extrusion pressure to a cylinder, at a reduction ratio of 1600, of 70 MPa or higher.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a high heat radiation composite material including a hybrid filler comprising expanded graphite filled with expandable polymeric beads, and a fabrication method thereof. In the method, a dispersion solution is prepared by dispersing expandable polymeric beads in ethanol. Expanded graphite is immersed in the dispersion solution, and heat-treated to remove ethanol, thereby producing the hybrid filler. The hybrid filler is dispersed into the matrix polymer via an extrusion/injection process, thereby producing the composite material.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is concerned with a stimuli-responsive polymer membrane and method of making the same. The method and making the membrane is a new one The entire body of the responsive membrane is a gel. Gels are used as membranes because they are permeable-swollen network. This disclosure discusses a new combination of cylindrical pores in a swollen network. When the network swells or shrinks the cylindrical pores open or close. Thus, inside the network, one can introduce ligands, function groups which due to specific interaction with some signaling molecules in the surrounding environment can cause swelling or shrinking the membrane and this way they open or close pores. With cylindrical pores in a gel there is the ability to regulate pore size in a broad range and an ability to arrange response by adding some functional groups inside the gel body.

Abstract: Low density, buoyant materials, in particular hydrophobic aerogels, may be used to absorb hydrophobic liquids. The materials are adapted to float on aqueous solutions and can absorb oils or other hydrophobic liquids from the surface of the solution without absorbing appreciable amounts of the aqueous solution. Methods for creating and using the materials are disclosed.

Abstract: An improvement over known hydraulic fracturing fluids. Boundary layer kinetic mixing material is added to components of fracturing fluid wherein kinetic mixing material is a plurality of particles wherein at least 25% of particles are several types, i.e., having surface characteristics of thin walls, three dimensional wedge-like sharp blades, points, jagged bladelike surfaces, thin blade surfaces, three-dimensional blade shapes that may have shapes similar to a “Y”, “V” or “X” shape or other geometric shape, slightly curved thin walls having a shape similar to an egg shell shape, crushed hollow spheres, sharp bladelike features, 90° corners that are well defined, conglomerated protruding arms in various shapes, such as cylinders, rectangles, Y-shaped particles, X-shaped particles, octagons, pentagon, triangles, and diamonds.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising at least one component, the at least one component comprising a rubber composition, the rubber composition comprising: at least one diene based elastomer; and from 1 to 30 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), of a particulate composite comprising ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, an inorganic filler, and a network of interconnecting pores communicating throughout the particulate composite, the pores constituting at least 35 percent by volume of the particulate composite.

Abstract: Biocomposite compositions and compositions, which include dried distillers solubles, and which can be used in making biocomposite compositions are described. Methods for preparing the compositions are also described.

Abstract: A method for preparing a conjugated microporous polymer comprises the coupling of an alkynyl aryl monomer having a plurality of terminal alkyne groups with an iodo-or bromo-aryl monomer having a plurality of halogen atoms in the presence of a palladium (0) catalyst. The conjugated microporous polymer comprises nodes comprising at least one aryl unit and struts comprising at least one alkyne unit and at least one aryl unit, wherein a node is bonded from its aryl unit or units to at least two struts via alkyne units. Such polymers are useful in numerous areas such as separations, controlled release, gas storage and supports for catalysts.

Abstract: Grafted compounds are formed by reacting (1) a first compound having both an aziridinyl group and a polymeric group with (2) a second compound having at least one acidic group. This reaction results in the opening of the aziridinyl ring on the first compound by the acidic group on the second compound and the formation of an attachment group that connects polymeric group of the first compound to the second compound. In some embodiments, the second compound is a polymeric material having multiple acidic groups and the product of the reaction of the first compound with the second compound results in the formation of a grafted copolymer.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a microporous polyolefin film useable as a battery separator, which is easy to control strength, permeability and shrinking properties of the microporous film and embodies excellent quality uniformity and production stability in fabricating the microporous film.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer advanceable by solid state polymerization is blended with at least one dissimilar thermoplastic polymer, or an organic or inorganic particulate filler. The blend is solid state polymerized to provide a modified polymer alloy or filled polymer blend having at least one physical or chemical property different from that of the blend before solid state polymerization. A substrate is coated with an adherent layer of the modified polymer alloy or filled polymer blend. The modified polymer alloy or filled polymer blend may also be coextruded with a layer of thermoplastic extrusion polymer having a melt viscosity similar to that of the modified polymer alloy or filled polymer blend and applied to a substrate to form an adherent coating.

Abstract: Provided is an electret having high piezoelectric properties. An electret sheet of the invention is characterized in that it comprises a synthetic resin sheet is electrified by injecting electric charges thereinto, that the synthetic resin sheet comprises two types of synthetic resins incompatible with each other, and that these synthetic resins form a phase separated structure and are cross-linked through a polyfunctional monomer. Therefore, positive and negative charges in an apparently polarized state are present in the interfacial portions between the two types of synthetic resins incompatible with each other. By applying an external force to the electret sheet to deform it, the relative positions of these positive and negative charges are changed, and these changes cause a favorable electrical response. Therefore, the electret sheet has high piezoelectric properties.

Abstract: A composition comprising a fluid, and a material dispersed in the fluid, the material made up of particles having a complex three dimensional surface area such as a sharp blade-like surface, the particles having an aspect ratio larger than 0.7 for promoting kinetic boundary layer mixing in a non-linear-viscosity zone. The composition may further include an additive dispersed in the fluid. The fluid may be a thermopolymer material. A method of extruding the fluid includes feeding the fluid into an extruder, feeding additives into the extruder, feeding a material into the extruder, passing the material through a mixing zone in the extruder to disperse the material within the fluid wherein the material migrates to a boundary layer of the fluid to promote kinetic mixing of the additives within the fluid, the kinetic mixing taking place in a non-linear viscosity zone.

Abstract: A process for preparing a polyisocyanurate polyurethane material, which process comprises reacting a polyisocyanate and an isocyanate-reactive composition, wherein the reaction is conducted at an isocyanate index of 1600 to 100,000 and in the presence of a trimerization catalyst, wherein the polyisocyanate comprises a) 75-100% by weight of diphenylmethane diisocyanate comprising at least 40%, preferably at least 60% and most preferably at least 85% by weight of 4,4?-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and/or a variant of said diphenylmethane diisocyanate which variant is liquid at 25° C.

Abstract: A resin foam having fine foam cells is provided at low cost. A method of producing the foam includes preparing a molten resin composition and continuous extrusion foaming of the molten resin composition. The molten resin composition is prepared by melting a resin mixture of resins (A) and (B) by dissolving a foaming agent into the resin mixture. Resins (A) and (B) respectively have appropriately selected glass transition temperatures and resin (B) particles of appropriate diameter are dispersed in resin (A).

Abstract: Compounds are described that have both an aziridinyl group as well as a polymeric group. Methods of making these compounds are also described. The aziridinyl group of the compound can be reacted with an acidic group on a second compound resulting in the opening of the aziridinyl ring and the attachment of the polymeric group to the second compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to blowing agent compositions comprising (1) at least one hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) and (2) at least one hydrochlorofluoroolefin (HCFO) used in the preparation of foamable thermoplastic compositions. The HFOs of component (1) include, but are not limited too, 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HFO-1243zf), 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene (HFO-1225ye), cis- and/or trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234ze), and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO 1234yf), and mixtures thereof. The HCFOs of component (2) include, but are not limited to, 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HCFO-1233zd), 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HCFO-1233xf) and mixtures thereof. The blowing agent compositions are useful in the production of low density insulating foams with improved k-factor.

Abstract: A phenolic foam is made by foaming and curing a foamable phenolic resin composition that comprises a phenolic resin, a blowing agent, an acid catalyst and an inorganic filler. The blowing agent comprises a blend of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon containing 2 to 5 carbon atoms and an aliphatic hydrocarbon containing from 3 to 6 carbon atoms mixed in a ratio of 60/40 to 5/5 parts by weight. The inorganic filler is at least one selected from a metal hydroxide, a metal oxide, a metal carbonate and a metal powder. The phenolic foam has a pH of 5 or more and a water uptake less than 1 kg/m2. A phenolic foam with a higher pH value compared with conventional phenolic foam reduces corrosion risk when in contact with metallic materials. The phenolic foam maintains excellent long-term stable thermal insulation performance, low water uptake and fire resistance performance and by using the said blowing agent, does not harm the environment as an ozone or global warming depleting material.