Abstract: To provide a type of phenol foam characterized by the fact that the phenol foam is formed by using a hydrocarbon as the foaming agent. The phenol foam has excellent heat-insulating performance, high compressive strength and other mechanical strengths, improved brittleness and is friendly to the environment of the earth.

Abstract: An extruded, coalesced foam strand propylene polymer material that is either open-celled and useful for sound insulation applications or close celled and useful for thermal insulation applications. An apparatus suitable for preparing such foams with an expanded cross-section.

Abstract: An extruded thin sheet foam is disclosed prepared from a polyolefin resin in which the blowing agent comprises a blend of from about 1 to 25% by weight of carbon dioxide and the balance of C3 to C4 VOCs. Thin foam sheets produced with the blowing agent age about twice as fast as foams prepared with VOCs, are remarkably stable, and can be produced at high throughputs.

Abstract: This invention describes grafted blend compositions, processes for their preparation and fabricated articles, especially foams therefrom. The blends exhibit enhanced melt strength, melt elongation greater than or equal to about 20 mm/s, increased upper service temperature, increased modulus, and increased hardness. The grafted blend compositions have little or no high shear viscosity increase over a corresponding polymer of the same chemical composition absent the coupling agent.

Abstract: This invention describes grafted blend compositions, processes for their preparation and fabricated articles, especially foams therefrom. The blends exhibit enhanced melt strength, melt elongation greater than or equal to about 20 mm/s, increased upper service temperature, increased modulus, and increased hardness. The grafted blend compositions have little or no high shear viscosity increase over a corresponding polymer of the same chemical composition absent the coupling agent.

Abstract: A thermoplastic article, and the method for making the same. The article is formed of a closed cell foam thermoplastic or substantially solid thermoplastic strengthened with diatomaceous earth having less than about two percent moisture.

Abstract: Extruded, substantially closed-polystyrene foams that exhibit improved fire resistance yet contain lower levels of brominated fire retardant are disclosed. Methods of preparing the foams, comprising extruding the polystyrene with a novel fire retardant formulation comprising a mixture of a) a phosphate compound, preferably TPP; b) less than about 2.5 percent HBCD based on 100 percent polystyrene; and optionally c) a flow promoter such as dimethyldiphenylbutane, the extrusion process using a blowing agent which is preferably selected from carbon dioxide, mixtures of two or more of carbon dioxide, water, alcohol, ether and hydrocarbons, or a mixture of hydrofluorocarbons, alcohols, and hydrocarbons, are also disclosed. Use of the phosphate compound in the fire retardant formulation allows a reduction in the amount of brominated compound required and a reduction in the foaming temperature, resulting in lower density foams.

Abstract: A flexible polyimide foam having an apparent density of 70 kg/m3 or less and a glass transition temperature of 300° C. or higher can be prepared by mixing an aromatic tetracarboxylic acid comprising 2,3,3′,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride a portion of which is converted into its mono- or di-lower primary alcohol ester with an aromatic polyamine containing diaminodisiloxane in an amount of 0.1 to 10 mol. %, based on the amount of total amine compounds, to give a solid of polyimide precursor; and heating the solid of polyimide precursor to a temperature of 300° C. to 500° C.

Abstract: Disclosed are organo polysilica dielectric materials having low dielectric constants useful in electronic component manufacture are disclosed along with methods of preparing the porous organo polysilica dielectric materials. Also disclosed are methods of forming electronic devices containing such porous organo polysilica dielectric materials without the use of antireflective coatings.

Abstract: A porous material suitable for use in a bearing rolling element. The porous material is obtained by a process which includes mixing degreased bran derived from rice bran with a thermosetting resin before kneading, subjecting a kneaded mixture to a primary firing in an inert gas at a temperature in a range of 700 to 100° C., pulverizing the kneaded mixture after the primary firing into carbonized powders sieved through a screen of 100-mesh, mixing the carbonized powders or the carbonized powders and ceramic powders with a thermosetting resin before kneading, pressure-forming a kneaded mixture thus obtained at a pressure in a range of 20 to 30 MPa, and applying a heat treatment again to a formed kneaded mixture in the inert gas at a temperature in a range of 100 to 1100° C.

Abstract: In a process for preparing expandable polymer beads based on a mixture made from A. a biodegradable aliphatic/aromatic copolyester and B. a biodegradable naturally occurring polymer, the mixture A+B is melted in an extruder, mixed with a volatile organic blowing agent, extruded and pelletized.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process comprising the following phases: the feeding and melting of polypropylene to obtain a molten polymer; addition to the molten polymer of possible additives; mixing of the molten polymer with the additives; introduction of the expanding agent CO2 into the molten polymer; extrusion of the molten polymer, expanding agent and possible additives to produce an expanded polypropylene, wherein the polypropylene fed and melted in the first phase consists of a polypropylene which contains a quantity ranging from 15 to 25% of high melt strength polypropylene and wherein the temperature is lowered to a value of about 160° C. immediately after introducing the CO2 gas into the molten polymer.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of expandable polyvinylarene particles in which compact polyvinylarene particles are impregnated by an inorganic N2- and/or O2-containing gas at a temperature below 95° C. and at a pressure of 100 to 2,000 kPa gauge.

Abstract: A process to make particles by anaerobic reaction of a water-insoluble solution of organic compounds comprising (a) a monomer selected from C2-4 alkylene glycol esters of a C3-6 acrylic acid and a divinyl benzene; (b) a polyfluorinated vinyl monomer; (c) a monomer selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and esters thereof; (d) a free radical initiator; and (e) a water-insoluble, organic solvent-soluble porogenic material, the weight ratio of comonomers (a) plus (b) plus (c) to the porogenic material being from 0.5:1 to 2:1. The adsorbent particles produced by the process are useful in carrying out chromatographic separations, or in the production of medical devices.

Abstract: Foamable compositions which exhibit reduced surface tack and better handling characteristics are obtained through the use of specific combinations of epoxy resins. One or more solid epoxy resins are utilized together with liquid and/or semi-solid epoxy resins. The compositions, which preferably contain hollow glass microspheres, are capable of providing foams which are useful in the manufacture of reinforced structural members.

Abstract: A method of increasing the amount of entrained vapor in fiber-reinforced resin composite materials, and in particular filament wound composites, wherein a particularly effective chemical foaming or blowing agent is incorporated into the resin matrix composition used to form the composites. The foaming agent creates vapor-filled voids throughout the resin matrix of the composite as it cures. The superior composites containing these vapor-filled voids demonstrate high burst strength retention and excellent resistance to cyclic fatigue. The invention also relates to composite materials and articles thereof.

Abstract: An extruded styrene resin foam obtained by extrusion-foaming of a styrene resin and excellent in environmental compatibility and excellent in flame retardant property and thermal insulating property, characterized in that it contains, as a blowing agent, 100 to 10% by weight of at least one of saturated hydrocarbons having 3 to 5 carbons and 0 to 90% by weight of other blowing agent, based on the total amount of the blowing agent, and contains (A) a halogenated flame retardant and (B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of phosphorus type flame retardants containing nitrogen atom in a molecule, tetrazole compounds, cyanuric acid and derivatives thereof, isocyanuric acid and derivatives thereof, metal borates, and boron oxides.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a support media from a cross-linked polymerisate based on vinyl compounds, and exhibiting residual vinyl groups. The characteristic feature of the method is that the polymerisate is subjected to a heating step that preferably is carried out under reduced access of oxygen. The use of the support media is also described.

Abstract: A breathable, stretch-thinned barrier film having improved strength, processability and/or breathability is formed from a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and cavated filler particles such as cyclodextrin. The cavated filler particles provide the film with enhanced breathability to water vapor due to their ring-like, conical, cylindrical or otherwise hollow molecular structure, yet the film remains substantially impermeable to aqueous liquids. The enhanced breathability occasioned by the cavated particles permits the use of relatively low filler levels and correspondingly high polymer levels, thereby enhancing the film strength. The filler may melt during extrusion of the molten polymer into a film, facilitating smooth processing, and re-crystallize into particles after the film is formed and cooled.

Abstract: A polyimide porous film obtained by drying and imidizing a polyimide precursor porous film which is substantially homogeneous on both sides, the polyimide porous film having pores on both sides wherein the pores all satisfy the conditions: 1) the difference in the mean pore size of both sides is less than 200% based on the smaller average value of the mean pore size, 2) the coefficient of variation for the pore size on each side is smaller than 70%, 3) the coefficient of variation for the pore centroid distance on each side is smaller than 50%, and 4) the mean pore size on each side is 0.05-5 &mgr;m.