Abstract: Coated beads which exhibit anti-lumping properties upon pre-expansion and which are useful in the formation of soft expanded articles are prepared by coating initial polystyrene beads, in suspension, with a coating composition comprising styrene and a macromonomer of styrene and isoprene or styrene and butadiene, the coating compositions added to the suspension as an aqueous emulsion containing a catalyst and a polyoxyethylene ether of nonylphenol or octylphenol as surfactant.

Abstract: Coated beads which exhibit anti-lumping properties upon pre-expansion and which are useful in the formation of soft expanded articles are prepared by coating initial polystyrene beads, in suspension, with a coating composition comprising styrene and a macromonomer of styrene and isoprene or styrene and butadiene, the coating compositions added to the suspension as an aqueous emulsion containing a catalyst and a polyoxyethylene ether of nonylphenol or octylphenol as surfactant.

Abstract: Polymeric beads for use in forming soft molded articles of low density are produced by formation of a plasticized elastomer-styrene polymeric coating about initial styrene beads, by forming an aqueous suspension of the initial beads, adding thereto an aqueous emulsion of a coating composition consisting of styrenic monomer, a conjugated diene elastomer, and a plasticizer, containing a catalyst and a nonionic surfactant comprising an ethylene oxide condensate of an alkylphenol, the surfactant containing at least thirty moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alkylphenol, and polymerizing the coating composition about the initial beads.

Abstract: Expandable styrene polymer particles are surface-coated with conjugated diene elastomers to prevent the particles from lumping together during expansion. The coating is applied by adding 0.05-0.25 part of conjugated diene elastomer to an aqueous suspension containing 100 parts of polymer particles during the impregnation of the mixture with a blowing agent.

Abstract: A urea-formaldehyde resin based adhesive that is resistant to heat and hydrolysis and hence is useful for exterior use in plywood and laminated timbers consists of a resorcinol terminated urea-formaldehyde resin having the general formula: ##STR1## where .eta. = 0 to 10, that is cured by conventional hardeners under neutral or alkaline conditions.