Abstract: Expandable styrene polymer particles which have fast cooling rates during molding are produuced by suspending styrene polymer particles in an aqueous medium and impregnating a blowing agent into the particles in the presence of 0.1 to 0.6 parts of a synergistic mixture of surfactants per 100 parts of polymer particles.

Abstract: Expandable styrene polymer particles which have fast cooling rates during molding are produced by dry blending styrene polymer particles in the presence of 0.06 to 0.60 parts of a mixture of alkyl esters of fatty acids per 100 parts of polymer particles. The ester mixture may be added as sole fast cool agent or in addition to the known internal additives which impart fast cool properties.

Abstract: Expandable styrene polymer particles which have fast cooling rates during molding are produced by dry blending styrene polymer particles in the presence of 0.06 to 0.60 parts of decaglyceroloctaoleate per 100 parts of polymer particles. The oleate may be added as sole fast cool agent or in addition to the known internal additives which impart fast cool properties.

Abstract: Expandable styrene polymer particles which have fast cooling rates during molding are produced by dry blending styrene polymer particles in the presence of 0.06 to 0.60 parts of a mixture of alkyl esters of fatty acids per 100 parts of polymer particles. The ester mixture may be added as sole fast cool agent or in addition to the known internal additives which impart fast cool properties.

Abstract: Expandable styrene polymer particles are surface-coated with decaglyceroloctaoleate to prevent the particles from lumping together during expansion. The coating is applied by adding 0.02-0.05 part of decaglyceroloctaoleate to an aqueous suspension containing 100 parts of polymer particles subsequent to impregnating the mixture with a blowing agent, or by dry blending polymer particles with the octaoleate.

Abstract: An improved flame and fire retardant composition is obtained by reacting the appropriate ingredients in liquid form, drying the product to cake form and pulverizing to obtain a fire and heat retardant powder. This powdered form is advantageous in that it may be readily handled and may be associated or used with fire unstable materials that would be adversely affected by a liquid composition. The powdered form has a low bulk density and can thus create economies in the weight of material used to provide effective fire and heat retardant properties.

Abstract: Fire and heat resistant structures made by the use of fire retardant compositions of the type involving the reaction of phosphoric acid and a reducing sugar are rendered insensitive to moisture by heat curing using high frequency electric current during the production of the fire and heat resistance structures.

Abstract: Expanded styrene polymer sheet material is produced by extruding expandable and/or general purpose styrene polymer with a conventional blowing agent, a nucleating system and small amounts of finely divided hydrophilic silicon dioxide and alkaline earth metal oxide. The resulting product has very fine, uniformly sized pores and improved flexibility.

Abstract: Expanded styrene polymer sheet material is produced by extruding expandable and/or general purpose styrene polymer with a conventional blowing agent, a nucleating system and a small amount of finely divided hydrophobic silicon dioxide. The resulting product has very fine, uniformly sized pores and improved flexibility.

Abstract: The production of polymer beads by a suspension polymerization in which a vinyl aromatic monomer having a free-radical generating catalyst dissolved therein is suspended in an aqueous medium with the aid of from 0.2 to 1.0 per cent by weight, based on monomer, of a finely divided phosphate suspending agent and heated to cause the monomer to polymerize into polymer beads is improved by treated the aqueous medium containing the phosphate and any extender with ultrasound prior to adding the monomer and polymerizing. The resulting polymer bead size is thereby found to be smaller than would have been obtained without the use of ultrasound.