Abstract: There is described an isocyanate-based polymer foam having a V-0 rating according to Underwriters' Laboratories Standard 94 Flammability Test after aging of separate samples of the foam (i) for 168 hours at 150° C., and (ii) for 600 hours at 120° C. The foam may be in the form of a molded foam or a slabstock foam. The foam may be used in vehicular applications, such as an under hood application.

Abstract: A laminate product comprising a foam core having a pair of opposed major surfaces and a cover layer secured with respect to each major surface is described. The cover layer comprises a polymeric substrate having disposed therein a plurality of reinforcing fibrous material. It has been found that it is possible to produce a foam laminate product having improved stiffness if a lower amount of reinforcing material is used for a given amount of polymer substrate. In particular, it has been found possible to provide an improved foam laminate product having a relatively high ratio of stiffness to weight of reinforcing fibrous material. It has been further discovered that the stiffness of the resulting foam laminate product can be increased when the polymer substrate and the reinforcing fibrous material are present in a weight ratio of greater than 2.5. This is believed to be the result of improved encapsulation of the reinforcing fibrous material by the polymer substrate.

Abstract: A laminate product comprising a foam core having a pair of opposed major surfaces and a cover layer secured with respect to each major surface is described. The cover layer is essentially free of fibreglass and comprises a polymeric substrate having disposed therein a plurality of porous material layers. It has been found that the use of fibreglass as a reinforcing material (and other sheet materials having a tensile modulus of greater than or equal to about 0.5 GPa when measured pursuant to ASTM D 5034) in a foam laminate product can be avoided by using a porous material layer in place of the fibreglass. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the porous material layer has a tensile modulus less than that of fibreglass mat yet can be used to produce a foam laminate product having significantly higher strength properties.

Abstract: A laminate product comprising a foam core having a pair of opposed major surfaces and a cover layer secured with respect to each major surface is described. The cover layer comprises a polymeric substrate having disposed therein a plurality of reinforcing fibrous material. It has been found that it is possible to produce a foam laminate product having improved stiffness if a lower amount of reinforcing material is used for a given amount of polymer substrate. In particular, it has been found possible to provide an improved foam laminate product having a relatively high ratio of stiffness to weight of reinforcing fibrous material. It has been further discovered that the stiffness of the resulting foam laminate product can be increased when the polymer substrate and the reinforcing fibrous material are present in a weight ratio of greater than 2.5. This is believed to be the result of improved encapsulation of the reinforcing fibrous material by the polymer substrate.

Abstract: A laminate product comprising a foam core having a pair of opposed major surfaces and a cover layer secured with respect to each major surface is described. The cover layer is essentially free of fibreglass and comprises a polymeric substrate having disposed therein a plurality of porous material layers. It has been found that the use of fibreglass as a reinforcing material (and other sheet materials having a tensile modulus of greater than or equal to about 0.5 GPa when measured pursuant to ASTM D 5034) in a foam laminate product can be avoided by using a porous material layer in place of the fibreglass. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the porous material layer has a tensile modulus less than that of fibreglass mat yet can be used to produce a foam laminate product having significantly higher strength properties.

Abstract: In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a foamed isocyanate-based polymer having a compression force deformation of greater than about 130 kPa at 10% deflection when measured pursuant to ASTM 1621 and a flexural displacement at yield of greater than about 5 mm when measured pursuant to ASTM D790-00. The present foamed polymer has a novel combination of hardness/stiffness and a flexibility.