Abstract: Prepare a polymer foam having cells defined by cell walls having an average thickness and carbon nano-tubes having a length that exceeds the average thickness of the cell walls by incorporating the carbon nano-tubes into expandable polymer beads in a suspension polymerization process and then expanding the expandable polymer beads into a polymer foam.

Abstract: Expandable monovinylidene aromatic polymer, e.g., polystyrene, beads are prepared by a suspension polymerization process comprising polymerizing monovinylidene aromatic monomer, e.g., styrene, under suspension polymerization conditions with, based on the weight of the monomer: A. 0.05 to 0.60 percent by weight (wt %) of tricalcium phosphate, B. Greater than 0 to 0.1 wt % of calcium carbonate, C. 0.0002 to 0.005 wt % of co-stabilizer, D. 0.0001 to 0.01 wt % of a low molecular weight polyethylene wax, E. 0.4 to 0.9 wt % of a flame retardant, and F. 2 to 10 wt % of a C3-6 hydrocarbon blowing agent. The expandable beads are converted to foam having a low thermal conductivity by contacting the separated and dried expandable beads at foaming conditions with, based on the weight of the monomer: A. 0.05 to 0.65 wt % of a glyceride comprising units of fatty acids with a C8-26 chain length, and B. 0.005 to 0.30 wt % of a metal stearate.

Abstract: A process for preparing syndiotactic polymers of vinylaromatic monomers having improved melt flowability comprising contacting one or more vinylaromatic monomers with a catalyst system comprising a titanium coordination complex capable of preparing syndiotactic vinylaromatic polymers under addition polymerization conditions in the presence of hydrogen gas at a hydrogen partial pressure from 0.1 to less than 10 kPa.

Abstract: A process for preparing syndiotactic vinylidene aromatic polymers comprising contacting one or more vinylidene aromatic monomers with a hydrocarbylsilane or di(hydrocarbyl)silane adjuvant to form a monomer/silane mixture and contacting the monomer/silane mixture with a catalyst composition comprising a Group 4 metal complex and an activating cocatalyst.