Abstract: A porous carbonized film with fine continuous pores, obtained by carbonization of a highly heat-resistant resin porous film in an anaerobic atmosphere, and a process for its production.

Abstract: A suitable cross-linkable matrix precursor and a poragen can be treated to form a porous cross-linked matrix having a Tg of greater than 300° C. The porous matrix material has a lower dielectric constant than the corresponding non-porous matrix material, making the porous matrix material particularly attractive for a variety of electronic applications including integrated circuits, multichip modules, and flat panel display devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sulfonated polymer membrane and to a process for the preparation thereof. According to the process, a polymer film is irradiated, and the irradiated polymer film is sulfonated in order to link sulfonic acid groups thereto. According to the invention, the sulfonation is continued until the total concentration of sulfonic acid groups in the membrane is 0.4-3.0 meq/g and they are homogeneously distributed in the membrane material in such a manner that their concentration in the middle of the membrane is at minimum 0.2 meq/g. With the help of the invention, it is possible by a rapid and simple process to prepare membranes the chemical and mechanical properties of which can be regulated by means of the selection of the initial film, by irradiation and by the sulfonation process.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method for the production of a porous polymer from a water-in-oil type high internal phase emulsion (HIPE). By using an oil-soluble polymerization initiator as the polymerization initiator, the method for producing a porous polymer with outstanding characteristics in a very short period even when the porous polymer is produced from an HIPE exhibiting a viscosity of not more than 500 mPa second at the emulsion formation temperature or when the porous polymer to be produced possesses a number-average pore diameter of not less than 80 &mgr;m is provided.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, compositions and methods are provided in which the mechanical strength and durability of a precursor material having a plurality of pores is increased by a) providing a precursor material; b) treating the precursor material to form a nanoporous aerogel, preferably by using a supercritical drying process; c) providing a blending material having a reinforcing component and a volatile component; d) combining the nanoporous aerogel and the blending material to form an amalgamation layer; and e) treating the amalgamation layer to increase the mechanical strength of the layer by a substantial amount, and to ultimately form a low dielectric material that can be utilized in various applications.

Abstract: Pre-expanded particles of polyolefin resin having less fluctuation in expansion ratio, uniform particle size and low expansion ratio are provided without using any volatile foaming agent. The low expansion ratio means 2 to 10 times, preferably 3 to 8 times. Resin particles to be released are uniformly contacted with saturated vapor at the time of pre-expanding polyolefin resin particles by dispersing the resin particles into an aqueous dispersion medium in a closed vessel, heating the resin particles to temperature of at least the softening point of the polyolefin resin and releasing the particles from the closed vessel into an atmosphere of lower pressure than the inner pressure of the closed vessel.

Abstract: A durable, conformable, absorbent, hydrophilic, polymeric latex foam composition having a free absorbent capacity of at least 5 grams of a 0.9 weight percent aqueous saline solution per gram of foam and capable of vertically wicking said aqueous saline solution to a height of greater than about 5 cm. In a preferred embodiment, after compression, the latex foam composition remains thin until wet, whereupon it expands and exhibits a high free absorbent capacity and high vertical wicking height.

Abstract: Composition that can be used as a polymer blowing agent, comprising from 60 to 98% of HFC-134a and from 2 to 40% of cyclopentane; polymeric composition comprising it, and process for manufacturing an expanded polymer using it.

Abstract: A method of producing a thermally expansive microcapsule that is excellent in heat resistance and solvent resistance, narrow in breadth of the distribution of particle size, and extremely low in secondary cohesion of the particles when heated, wherein a polymer obtained from the component comprising not less than 80 weight % of monomer of nitrile series, less than weight % of monomer of non-nitrile series, and 0.05-1 weight % of at least tetrafunctional cross-linking agent and/or of long side chain of cross-linking agent is used to micro-encapsulate a volatile expanding agent that comes into its gaseous state at a temperature equal to or less than a softening point of the polymer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to thermo-expandable microspheres and to the expanded microballoons, microcellular foam or foamed composite material that results upon heating the microspheres. The thermo-expandable microsphere of the present invention is characterized by having a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets or particles of blowing agent or propellant within the microsphere. The polymeric wall may have reactive functional groups on its surface to give a fusible microsphere. When the microspheres are heated, they expand to form microballoons comprising polymeric shells surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, and when the microspheres are expanded while in contact with each other, a microcellular foam may be formed. The foam consists of a plurality of microballoons fused together, optionally aided by functional groups present on the surface of the heated microspheres that act to crosslink the material.

Abstract: Microcellular thermoplastic elastomeric polymeric structures are provided. The articles have an average cell size of less than 100 &mgr;m and a compression set ranging from less than about 30% to less than about 5%, and a rebound value of at least 50%. The articles may be formed from a thermoplastic elastomeric olefin, preferably metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene. The density of the articles ranges from less than 0.5 gm/cm3 to less than 0.3 gm/cm3.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sol-gel polymerization process for synthesizing metal-doped organic gels. The process polymerizes metal salts of hydroxylated benzenes or hydroxylated benzene derivatives with alkyl or aryl aldehydes to form metal-doped, wet, organic gels. The gels can then be dried by supercritical solvent extraction to form metal-doped aerogels or by evaporation to form metal-doped xerogels. The aerogels and xerogels can then be pyrolyzed.

Abstract: Foamable microspheres with a foaming agent enclosed in the shell of a polymer, wherein the average particle diameter of the microspheres is within a range of 3 to 100 &mgr;m, and the coefficient of variation of the particle diameter distribution thereof is at most 1.50%, and production process of foamable microspheres by a suspension polymerization process.

Abstract: An expandable vinyl chloride resin composition that the expansion ratio of a vinyl chloride resin can be greatly increased by the use of thermally decomposable inorganic blowing agents without the use of organic solvent blowing agents, and which comprises 100 parts by weight of a vinyl chloride resin, 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of, as a processing aid, a (meth)acrylic acid ester polymer having a specific viscosity of not less than 0.73 measured at 30° C. with respect to a solution of 0.1 g of the polymer dissolved in 100 ml of chloroform, and not less than 0.3 to less than 2 parts by weight of a thermally decomposable inorganic blowing agent such as sodium bicarbonate.

Abstract: A thermoplastic foam comprises a styrenic polymer and a blowing agent consisting of 100% carbon dioxide. The thermoplastic foam has no visible corrugations and an average cell size of 0.20 mm to 0.35 mm.

Abstract: Provided is a foamable composition adapted to form a cross-linked novolac-epoxy resin foam. The foamable composition is formulated from a composition comprising at least one novolac resin, at least one epoxy resin, and at least one blowing agent.

Abstract: What is disclosed herein are physically cross-linked, cellular hydrogels and methods for their preparation. The cellular materials are highly resilient, hydrophilic materials having broad uses. The cellular materials are prepared by the physical crosslinking of frothed polymers and providing materials that have cellular pores provided by the use of removable materials during the formation of the cellular materials.

Abstract: Polyvinyl chloride resin compositions and methods of preparation and use thereof for increasing the degree of whiteness in finished polyvinyl chloride foam. The resin compositions contain sulfur compounds selected from sulfonic acid derivatives, sulfinic acid derivatives, and mercapto acetic acid sodium salt, and optionally contain water soluble salts and/or t-butyl hydroperoxide.

Abstract: A foamed closure for a container, wherein the closure consists essentially of (a) a major proportion of at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene and copolymers of ethylene; and (b) a minor proportion of at least one resilient compound. The resilient compound is preferably selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, metallocene catalyzed polyolefins, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymers or styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymers.

Abstract: A melamine molded foam is produced by heat-compressing a melamine foam to a thickness of {fraction (1/1.2)} to {fraction (1/12)} to cause plastic deformation and temporarily fixing the shape; the heat-compression is performed under the conditions of from 210 to 350° C. for 3 minutes or longer; the heat-compression is preferably performed at a temperature within the range of lower than the decomposition temperature of the melamine monomer by 140° C. or less; in some of such molded foams, the shape recovery in the direction of thickness with the lapse of time is observed depending upon the heat-compression conditions; and the dimensional recovery ratio is 40% or less when allowed to stand at 23° C. for 200 hours.