Abstract: A building product and method for manufacturing a building product made from an oriented polymer composition which can be split to provide a surface of the building product with a plurality of visible fibrils to form an aesthetic representative of split wood.

Abstract: A building product and method for manufacturing a building product made from an oriented polymer composition which can be split to provide a surface of the building product with a plurality of visible fibrils to form an aesthetic representative of split wood.

Abstract: A solid state drawing die having a body with opposing entrance and exit ends, a shaping channel providing fluid communication entirely through the body from the entrance to exit end and having a converging profile, and at least one portion of the body that serves as a static protrusion extending into the but not all the way across the shaping channel is useful in a solid state drawing process for preparing oriented polymer compositions having indented or grooved profiles.

Abstract: Prepare an extruded filled polymer composite having a highly disperse and uniformly distributed filler by extruding a filled polymer composite through a die with a Flow Restriction Zone, a Flow Redistribution Zone and a Land Zone. The Flow Restriction Zone is proximate to the extruder and increases polymer melt backpressure in the extruder sufficient to induce high dispersion of the filler but not enough to cause undesirable degradation of the polymer melt components.

Abstract: A foam extrusion process using multiple independent restraining elements (50) by extruding a foamable composition from a die to form an expanding polymeric foam and then contact a surface of the foam with multiple independent restraining elements, each having a width less than the width of the expanding foam.

Abstract: Fabricate an insulated building structure by applying a compressible polymeric insulating (CPI) foam over sheathing material such that a portion of the CPI becomes compressed between a window frame and/or door frame or jamb.

Abstract: A unitary vent chute and insulation dam body for providing ventilation to an open attic space in a building structure that has a pitched roof and preventing insulating material, particularly loose fill insulation, from blocking that ventilation. The body, formed from a flexible polyolefin foam, includes surface channels, internal conduits or both that promote air flow between a soffit vent and an attic vent in the building structure. The body is flexible enough to bend without breaking, yet stiff enough that one end of the body rests against a roof deck without closing off the surface channels or grooves when the other end is fastened near the top of the structure exterior wall. The body is bent and inserted between adjacent rafters either before or after the end is fastened to the structure exterior wall.

Abstract: A shapeable vacuum insulation panel containing a single core component is particularly useful for preparing thermally insulating containers.

Abstract: The invention comprises a fully continuous process for shaping a high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) with a polymerizable continuous phase into dry foam, comprising 1) providing a high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) comprising (a) at least 70 percent by volume of an eternal phase comprising one or more polymerizable monomer; (b) a surfactant in an amount effective to produce a high internal phase emulsion; and (c) an internal phase; 20 depositing the emulsion onto a lower moving support substrate; 3) leveling the emulsion to a desired thickness above the support substrate; 4) polymerizing the monomers by running the emulsion and the lower moving support substrate through a heating zone for a time sufficient to polymerize at least 75% of the monomer in the HIPE by the end of the heating zone; and 5) drying the polymerized HIPE in a drying zone for a time sufficient to produce a foam having greater than 50% of the internal phase removed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compressed, evacuated, open-cell polymer foam, the foam having an open cell content of about 70 percent or more prior to compression, the foam having a thickness of about 40 to about 90 percent of the initial thickness of the foam prior to compression, the foam having an absolute cell gas pressure of about 10 torr or less in its open cells, the foam having a density of about 16 to about 250 kilograms per cubic meter. Further disclosed is an evacuated insulation panel employing the foam.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of enhancing open cell formation in making extruded alkenyl aromatic polymer foams of about 30 percent or more open cell content. Open cell formation is enhanced by incorporating into the foam an ethylene copolymer having a Vicat softening point of about 85.degree. C. or less. The ethylene copolymer is incorporated at from about 0.1 to about 7 percent based upon the weight of the alkenyl aromatic polymer material comprising the foam.

Abstract: Disclosed is an extruded, open-cell microcellular alkenyl aromatic polymer foam useful in insulating applications. The foam has an open cell content of about 70 percent or more. The foam has an average cell size of about 70 micrometers or less. The foam is particularly useful in evacuated or vacuum insulation panels. Further disclosed is a process for making the open-cell foam. Further disclosed is a fabricated foam article.

Abstract: Disclosed is an extruded, open-cell microcellular alkenyl aromatic polymer foam useful in insulating applications. The foam has an open cell content of about 70 percent or more. The foam has an average cell size of about 70 micrometers or less. The foam is particularly useful in evacuated or vacuum insulation panels. Further disclosed is a process for making the open-cell foam. Further disclosed is a fabricated foam article.

Abstract: There is an evacuated insulation panel comprising a corestock of an open-cell alkenyl aromatic polymer foam and a deformable receptacle. The foam has an open cell content of about 70 percent or more. The foam is situated within the receptacle. The receptacle is hermetically sealed. The open-cells of the foam and the interior of the receptacle are evacuated to an absolute pressure of about 10 torr or less. The foam has indentations therein which extend in two dimensions across a surface of the foam. The receptacle substantially conforms to the shape of the foam, including the indentations within. The panel has one or more surfaces which are substantially non-wrinkled. Further disclosed is a method for making the panel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compressed, evacuated, open-cell polymer foam, the foam having an open cell content of about 70 percent or more prior to compression, the foam having a thickness of about 40 to about 90 percent of the initial thickness of the foam prior to compression, the foam having an absolute cell gas pressure of about 10 torr or less in its open cells, the foam having a density of about 16 to about 250 kilograms per cubic meter. Further disclosed is an evacuated insulation panel employing the foam.

Abstract: Disclosed is an extruded, open-cell microcellular alkenyl aromatic polymer foam useful in insulating applications. The foam has an open cell content of about 70 percent or more. The foam has an average cell size of about 70 micrometers or less. The foam is particularly useful in evacuated or vacuum insulation panels. Further disclosed is a process for making the open-cell foam. Further disclosed is a fabricated foam article.

Abstract: A closed-cell polypropylene foam, with at least eighty percent closed cells and a foamability characteristic of less than about 1.8 is disclosed. Also disclosed are several methods for making such closed-cell polypropylene foams.

Abstract: Disclosed is a closed-cell, non-crosslinked foam structure of a ratio of minor dimension to major dimension of about 1/8 or less comprising a plurality of coalesced extruded strands or profiles of a foamed polyolefin composition having an average cell size of from 0.02 to 0.5 millimeters. The cross-sectional geometry of the foam structure substantially corresponds to the overall arrangement of the orifices of the die from which the foamed polyolefin composition was extruded. Further disclosed is a process for making the above foam structure comprising extruding a foamable polyolefin composition through the multiorifice die to form the structure.

Abstract: A method of providing closed-cell polyolefin foam having reduced blowing agent content to an end user including (a) extruding the polyolefin to form the essentially continuous foam structure defining a multiplicity of channels extending generally longitudinally therethrough; (b) intermittently crimping the essentially continuous foam structure such that the channels extending therethrough are intermittently substantially closed off; (c) intermittently severing the essentially continuous, intermittently crimped foam structure at the crimps therein to form discrete foam structure portions having crimped end portions; (d) cooling the crimped, discrete foam structure portions to an extent sufficient to prevent substantial shrinkage of the crimped, discrete foam structure portions upon initiation of release of the flammable blowing agent from the foam; (e) excising the crimped end portions from the remainder of the crimped, discrete foam structure portions to initiate release of the flammable blowing agent and for

Abstract: Polyolefin foams and films having improved electrostatic properties are provided by incorporating into the polyolefin foam or film a novel antistatic additive composition comprising 0.1 to 10 parts per hundred based on the weight of the olefin polymer of a quaternary ammonium salt and 0.1 to 10 parts per hundred based on the weight of the olefin polymer of a partial ester of a long-chain acid with a polyol. A method of making the foam containing the novel antistatic additive composition is also disclosed.