Abstract: A molded product is made comprising a low-density product having an impermeable surface. The impermeable surface integral with the low density interior is suitable for receiving various types of brightly colored finishes. It is also contemplated that a non-porous plastic film may be molded in place on the surface of the molded product.

Abstract: A multilayer synthetic wood component comprised of a layer of a first synthetic wood composition that is secured to a layer of a second synthetic wood composition. As a result, the present invention may provide a component that utilizes the beneficial characteristics of each of the compositions. For instance, the component can have an improved combination of appearance, strength, durability, weight, weatherability, and other characteristics. Moreover, the present invention enables the ingredients of each layer to be tailored to the particular application. Consequently, certain ingredients can be conserved, thereby reducing the cost and/or the weight of the component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet or board like multiple layers laminated polyolefin foam having a plurality of polyolefin layers laminated on at least one side of a polyolefin foam by a coextrusion method. More specifically, the present invention relates to said multiple layers laminated polyolefin foam, wherein the thickness of the outermost layer constituting the plurality of polyolefin layers is 5 to 80 &mgr;m, and the density d (g/L) of the polyolefin foam, the melt flow rate × (g/10 min) of the polyolefin constituting the innermost layer among the plurality of polyolefin layers, and the thickness Y (&mgr;m) of the innermost layer of the multiple polyolefin layers satisfy the following relationships (1) to (4).

Abstract: An opaque, oriented polymeric film structure comprising: a core layer comprising a thermoplastic polymeric matrix material wherein the core layer has a first side and a second side, the core layer having a plurality of voids, substantially all or all of the voids being free from a void-initiating particle and at least some of the voids being interconnected with an adjacent void in the polymeric matrix material, the number of voids not containing a void-initiating particle being sufficient to impart a significant degree of opacity to the film structure, wherein the core layer comprises the interior of the film structure; and a first skin layer comprising a thermoplastic polymeric material and an effective amount of a high-melting incompatible additive to suppress cavitation in said first skin layer, wherein the first skin layer is exterior to the first side of the core layer.

Abstract: A polyimide porous film obtained by drying and imidizing a polyimide precursor porous film which is substantially homogeneous on both sides, the polyimide porous film having pores on both sides wherein the pores all satisfy the conditions: 1) the difference in the mean pore size of both sides is less than 200% based on the smaller average value of the mean pore size, 2) the coefficient of variation for the pore size on each side is smaller than 70%, 3) the coefficient of variation for the pore centroid distance on each side is smaller than 50%, and 4) the mean pore size on each side is 0.05-5 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A nanoporous polymer comprises hollow structures fabricated from crosslinked polymeric strands. The hollow structures are further coupled to other crosslinked polymeric strands by a covalent bond. Particularly contemplated nanoporous polymers have a Tg of no less than 400° C. and a dielectric constant k of no more than 2.5.

Abstract: To facilitate the start of a process using a quartz glass crucible with a crucible body and an inner layer of quartz glass a quartz glass crucible is provided with an inner surface roughened at least in the starting zone region by multiple depressions disposed at a maximum distance of 5 mm from one another. Furthermore, a simple and inexpensive process for the manufacture of such a quartz glass crucible is described, by providing a crucible body with a smooth inner surface of quartz glass and subsequently roughening the inner layer in the starting zone region by multiple depressions disposed at a maximum of 5 mm from one another.

Abstract: Described herein is a differentiated sandwich laminate (comprising an outer layer, an intermediate layer or “center”, and an inner layer), in which the resin used for making the outer layer is different from, and incompatible with, the resin used for making the inner layer. The inner layer and outer layer of sandwich laminate of the adjacent layers of two different sandwich laminates, made according to the invention, are made to adhere in a watertight manner to each other using mechanical-assembly means.

Abstract: A biaxially oriented polyolefin multilayer film having a skin layer having oil-absorbing voids is disclosed. The film has substantially a small amount of void-initiating particles in the skin layer and typically no fillers in the core layer. Yet the film shows no visible distortion after exposure to food products such as potato chips.

Abstract: A molding press for simultaneously molding a product and laminating a pattern layer to the surface of the molded product comprising a bottom mold plate, a top mold plate, a mold ring element surrounding the mold plates and moveable independently of the top and bottom mold plates, an upper surface on said mold ring for engaging a peripheral edge of the top mold plate, and a flat groove in said mold ring upper surface which is slightly deeper than the thickness of a pattern layer to be laminated to the top surface of the final molded product.

Abstract: The present invention provides recyclable protective wraps with crease retention useful in protecting metal objects from atmospheric corrosion and moisture. The protective wraps comprise an outer barrier layer, a flexible woven substrate and an inner barrier layer. All layers are preferably of polypropylene. The outer barrier layer may further comprise ultraviolet light inhibitors. The woven substrate is preferably a tight weave. The inner barrier layer may further comprise vapor phase corrosion inhibitors. When so present, the VCIs containing inner barrier layer is identified with by the addition of a pigment of different color or shade than that of the outer barrier layer.

Abstract: Biaxially oriented films having a substantially non-voided pigmented core layer of a propylene homopolymer, an intermediate layer of a voided propylene homopolymer, and two outer layers of a heat sealable olefin polymer. Such films can be heat sealed to form seals with high seal integrity.

Abstract: A process for producing a foamed article of a thermoplastic resin composition having a relatively thicker solid skin layer exhibiting better appearance without occurrence of swirl mark and having a foam structure of relatively uniform foam cell size with better foam cell configuration, which is light-weighing and superior in the stiffness, in an easy and efficient manner, by causing the said resin composition to foam up in a cavity of a mold, which process comprises

Abstract: A foamed thermoplastic resin fiber reinforced part is provided. The part comprises a member formed of thermoplastic resin, a plurality of cells and a plurality of reinforcing fibers dispersed within the member, and a skin formed on at least one exterior surface of the member. The skin is substantially devoid of cells. Here, the reinforcing fibers have a length of about 25 mm in an amount of about 10% by weight of the foamed thermoplastic resin fiber reinforced part. At least one of a cell density and a cell size of the plurality of cells is inversely proportional to the amount of the reinforcing fibers dispersed within the member.

Abstract: A foamed polyethylene product has an outer sheath of non-foamed polyethylene fused to an underlying foamed body portion. Preferably, the product is produced in an in-line method when the foam body is extruded and subsequently the skin is extruded directly on the body portion. This process only causes limited thermal degradation of an outer layer of the body portion which improves adhesion of the skin to the body portion.

Abstract: An opaque, oriented polymeric film structure comprising: a core layer comprising a thermoplastic polymeric matrix material wherein the core layer has a first side and a second side, the core layer having a plurality of voids, substantially all or all of the voids being free from a void-initiating particle and at least some of the voids being interconnected with an adjacent void in the polymeric matrix material, the number of voids not containing a void-initiating particle being sufficient to impart a significant degree of opacity to the film structure, wherein the core layer comprises the interior of the film structure; and a first skin layer comprising a thermoplastic polymeric material and an effective amount of a high-melting incompatible additive to suppress cavitation in said first skin layer, wherein the first skin layer is exterior to the first side of the core layer.

Abstract: In a simultaneous molding to one piece, at a time of heat molding of a surface skin material 3, after an edge part of the surface skin material 3 is folded back to an inside direction of the mold pattern and is formed up a folded back part 7 along a mold pattern for folding back 6 which is placed as in a manner of projecting from an opening edge 2b of a cavity face 2a toward the inside direction of the mold pattern, the mold pattern for folding back 6 is removed, and then at a time of the expansion molding, one face 7a of the folded back part 7 is melt united to one piece with a back face 5b of the cellular molded article in a mold pattern 5, and at the same time, a folded returning part 8, which is in a state that an outer edge part of the surface skin material 3 is folded returning toward an outside direction of the mold pattern from a tip 7c of this folded back part 7, is pressed so as to pile on the other face 7b of the above-mentioned folded back part 7.

Abstract: A composite sheet having a first, foamed polycarbonate resin layer and a second, non-foamed polycarbonate resin layer provided on at least one surface of the first layer and having a melt tension of at least 2.45 cN at 250° C.

Abstract: A fabric-less part and a method of making same are disclosed. The fabric-less part may include a flexible polyurethane foam body, a high-density polyurethane foam backing layer bonded to the foam body, and a polyurethane elastomer skin bonded to the backing layer. Alternatively, the backing layer may be eliminated and the polyurethane elastomer skin is directly bonded to the flexible polyurethane foam body. The fabric-less part may be an automotive interior part such as a pillar trim, headrest, trim panel, instrument panel, door panel, armrest, or part of an automotive seat such as a seat cushion.

Abstract: Polymeric materials having a plurality of cells formed therein are described. The polymeric materials include a foamed layer comprising a plurality of uniform microcells, nanocells or combinations thereof in a closed cell network, a transition layer positioned adjacent to the foamed layer, and at least one unfoamed outer layer positioned adjacent to the transition layer. The foamed layer may be present in a volume ranging from about 80 to about 99 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material, the transition layer may present in a volume ranging from about 0 to about 10 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material, and the at least one outer layer may be present in a volume ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material. Methods of making such polymeric materials are also described, as are apparatus for providing foamed polymeric materials.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for obtaining a substrate provided with a coating having photocatalytic properties, wherein the coating includes crystallized particles of an oxide of a metal A having photocatalytic properties. The crystallized particles are incorporated into the coating using a mineral binder comprising at least one oxide of a metal B also having photocatalytic properties in the crystallized state. The coating optionally includes at least oxide of a metal M devoid of photocatalytic properties and/or at least one silicon compound of the silicon oxide SiO2 type. The coating is deposited from liquid-phase dispersions containing the crystallized particles of the oxide of metal A and at least one precursor compound for the oxide of metal B of the binder and optionally a precursor compound for the oxide of metal M and for the Si compound, in a relative proportion A/(B+M+Si) by weight of the metals and Si ranging between 60/40 and 40/60.

Abstract: A reaction-injected foam molding comprising a skin coating film formed by the in-mold coating method and having an elongation at break of 20-200% (JIS K 6400: No. 1 dumb-bell test specimen) and a urethane foam body obtained by reaction injection molding and having a density of 0.35-0.60 g/cm3. Said molding permits easy removal of flashes even though the urethane foam body is of a high ratio expansion with a density of 0.35-0.60 g/cm3.

Abstract: The problem to be solved is to provide an automobile interior headliner member which is improved in the film forming property of a complex plastic material used as a base material of the automobile interior headliner member, and has high rigidity and excellent heat resistance, size stability and working efficiency upon attachment; and the base material.An automobile interior headliner molding or forming member which is obtained by kneading mica having a particle size of 10 to 100 µm with a polypropylene resin having a melt flow rate at 230°C of 3 to 40 g/10 min to obtain the corresponding resin having a mica content of 15 to 40 wt.%, molding or forming the resin into a mica-containing polypropylene sheet of 100 to 300 µm thick and then stacking this sheet over each of both sides of an expanded polypropylene sheet of 2 to 6 mm thick obtained at an expansion ratio of 5 to 50 times; and an automobile interior headliner member molded or formed from the molding or forming member.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a foamed polyolefin resin sheet which exhibits a high adhesive strength when laminated with a layer formed of a saponified ethylene-vinyl ester copolymer and which still exhibits a high adhesive strength even when laminated with a layer of a thermoplastic resin having relatively low polarity such as a polyolefin resin. This object is attained by a foamed polyolefin resin sheet including a foamed polyolefin resin layer and a non-foamed surface layer formed of a thermoplastic resin composition having an A1/A2 ratio falling within a range between 1×10−8 and 1×10−1, wherein A1 is a maximum absorbance of the infrared absorption spectrum of the thermoplastic resin composition within an infrared ray wave number region of from 1700 to 1750 cm−1 and A2 is a maximum absorbance of the infrared absorption spectrum of the thermoplastic resin composition within an infrared ray wave number region of from 1455 to 1465 cm−1.

Abstract: A fabric-less part and a method of making same are disclosed. The fabric-less part may include a flexible polyurethane foam body, a high-density polyurethane foam backing layer bonded to the foam body, and a polyurethane elastomer skin bonded to the backing layer. Alternatively, the backing layer may be eliminated and the polyurethane elastomer skin is directly bonded to the flexible polyurethane foam body. The fabric-less part may be an automotive interior part such as a pillar trim, headrest, trim panel, instrument panel, door panel, armrest, or part of an automotive seat such as a seat cushion.

Abstract: A low stress relaxation elastomeric material comprises a block copolymer having an elasotmeric soft block portion and thermoplastic hard block portions, at least one vinylarene resin and mineral oil. The elasotmeric material may be used in a film comprising an elastomeric layer and at least one substantially less elastomeric skin layer. The skin layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer such as polyolefins. The film exhibits desired elastic and stress relaxation properties at body temperature. The film is useful in forming a macroscopically-expanded, three-dimensional elastomeric web.

Abstract: A nanoporous polymer comprises hollow structures fabricated from crosslinked polymeric strands. The hollow structures are further coupled to other crosslinked polymeric strands by a covalent bond. Particularly contemplated nanoporous polymers have a Tg of no less than 400° C. and a dielectric constant k of no more than 2.5.

Abstract: In the present invention, for the production of a blow-molded foam, there is used a base resin which is mainly composed of a polypropylene resin and has, at 230° C., a melt tension (MT) of 10 gf or over and a melt flow rate (MFR) of 0.5 g/10 minutes or over. A foaming agent is added to the base resin, followed by melt kneading by means of an extruder under high temperature and high pressure conditions to provide a foamable melt. This melt is subjected to extrusion from a circular die 5 and expanded to form a cylindrical foamed parison 4. Thereafter, molds 6, 6 are clamped, and the parison 4 in a softened condition is placed in the molds 6, 6, and a pressurized gas is blown into the parison 4 from a gas blowing port 7 for blow molding in the form of a hollow shape conforming to the mold profile to produce a blow-molded foam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a biaxially oriented film having a water wettable surface, the film containing a water wettable porous high density polyethylene (HDPE) surface layer. The water wettable surface layer contains porous HDPE and a silicone glycol coating impregnated in the pore of the HDPE surface layer. The biaxially oriented water wettable film is useful for ink jet printing.

Abstract: A low stress relaxation elastomeric material comprises a block copolymer having an elasotmeric soft block portion and thermoplastic hard block portions, at least one vinylarene resin and mineral oil. The elasotmeric material may be used in a film comprising an elastomeric layer and at least one substantially less elastomeric skin layer. The skin layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer such as polyolefins. The film exhibits desired elastic and stress relaxation properties at body temperature. The film is useful in forming a macroscopically-expanded, three-dimensional elastomeric web.

Abstract: A polyvinyl acetal sponge sheet of a porous structure having fine continuous pores and a film on the surface thereof. This sponge sheet can be used for a wiping material for car washing which does not leave unwiped portions during wiping after car washing and has a small frictional resistance and a high working factor.

Abstract: An easily recyclable container obtained by subjecting a sheet L which is a laminate of a plurality of layers, to vacuum forming and/or pressure forming, in which container the sheet L has such two adjacent layers as to give the minimum peeling strength and can be manually separated into two portions at the interface of the two adjacent layers, and when the portion of the sheet L present from the interface of said two adjacent layers to the inner surface of the container is named as film portion F and the portion of the sheet L present from said interface to the outer surface of the container is named as sheet portion S, the peeling strength required for peeling of the film portion F from the sheet portion S is set at 2 to 45 g/15 mm (width) by allowing said two adjacent layers giving the minimum peeling strength to be constituted by respective particular resins or resin compositions.

Abstract: A thin diamond film layer is formed on a substrate with good adherence. A heatsink includes a substrate of a sintered compact including Cu and W, and a thin diamond film layer formed on the surface of the substrate. The Cu content in the substrate is at least 5% by weight. In an X-ray diffraction chart obtained by irradiating the thin diamond film layer with an X-ray, the diffraction peak intensity of the (110) plane of W is at least 100 times the diffraction peak intensity of the (200) plane of Cu.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lightweight fiber-reinforced thermoplastic molding containing reinforcing fibers whose average fiber length is maintained at 1 mm or more and having, as a sectional structure in its thickness direction, a skin layer having almost no voids, a foamed or expanded layer with a percentage of void of 10-50 vol % and a beam-supported structure layer with a percentage of void higher than that of the foamed or expanded layer in which the reinforcing fibers are intertwined complicatedly with each other and the fibers are fixed to each other with the thermoplastic resin in the vicinity of their contacts, said lightweight fiber-reinforced thermoplastic molding having a high percentage of void and is lightweight and excellent in bending rigidity.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cushioned dust control mat article wherein the mat comprises at least two distinct layers of rubber, one comprising foam rubber, the other comprising solid rubber. The solid rubber layer is present over the foam rubber layer on the side of the mat in which at least one integrated rubber protrusion is present to provide cushioning characteristics. The solid rubber layer acts as a cap or barrier for the foam rubber layer, particularly over the integrated protrusion or protrusions, in order to provide a mat which is resilient, will not easily degrade in its modulus strength after appreciable use and/or washing within industrial cleaning processes, and will not exhibit appreciable cracking or breaking, particularly within the integrated protrusion(s), after standard use for pedestrian traffic. A method of producing such an inventive cushioned floor mat article is also provided.

Abstract: A foam layer can be formed at a temperature at which the surface quality of a surface layer is not deteriorated, and a molding technique that is excellent in adhesiveness of a foam layer and a surface layer or/and a base member is developed. For the purpose of obtaining a polypropylene resin molding composite for automobile, the present invention is characterized by a polypropylene resin molding composite for automobile comprising a surface layer and a foam layer, or a surface layer, a foam layer, and a base member, wherein the surface layer comprises a surface layer of a polypropylene resin and a laminate of a cushioning material, where the cushioning material is a polypropylene resin expanded sheet, and the foam layer comprises thermoplastic resin expanded particles comprising a core that is made of a polypropylene resin and is in an expanded state and a polyethylene resin coat layer covering the core and is in a substantially non-expanded state.

Abstract: The problem to be solved is to provide an automobile interior headliner member which is improved in the film forming property of a complex plastic material used as a base material of the automobile interior headliner member, and has high rigidity and excellent heat resistance, size stability and working efficiency upon attachment; and the base material. An automobile interior headliner molding or forming member which is obtained by kneading mica having a particle size of 10 to 100 &mgr;m with a polypropylene resin having a melt flow rate at 230° C. of 3 to 40 g/10 min to obtain the corresponding resin having a mica content of 15 to 40 wt. %, molding or forming the resin into a mica-containing polypropylene sheet of 100 to 300 &mgr;m thick and then stacking this sheet over each of both sides of an expanded polypropylene sheet of 2 to 6 mm thick obtained at an expansion ratio of 5 to 50 times; and an automobile interior headliner member molded or formed from the molding or forming member.

Abstract: A low stress relaxation elastomeric material comprises a block copolymer having an elasotmeric soft block portion and thermoplastic hard block portions, at least one vinylarene resin and mineral oil. The elasotmeric material may be used in a film comprising an elastomeric layer and at least one substantially less elastomeric skin layer. The skin layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer such as polyolefins. The film exhibits desired elastic and stress relaxation properties at body temperature. The film is useful in forming a macroscopically-expanded, three-dimensional elastomeric web.

Abstract: A compact veneer is based on a reaction mixture comprising

Abstract: A three-layer extrusion of polymer material forming a decorative composite panel, with an outer and inner solid polymer layer of relatively high density, and a central polymer layer of lower density or a filled central polymer layer of higher density. The three layers are coextruded, and each face of the center layer is fused to a respective face of the outer and inner solid polymer layers, forming a solid panel that meets ASTM standards for Rigid Poly(vinyl chloride) Siding. The three layer panel can be coextruded with two extruders (ABA configuration) or three extruders (ABC configuration). The specific layer compositions result in cost savings and material reductions or in performance enhancement of the panel or in providing a higher heat distortion panel or for scrap reclamation.

Abstract: A quartz glass component for a reactor chamber, especially of a plasma etching device, comprises a substrate of a first quartz glass quality with an inner surface having an average roughness depth Ra of more than 1 &mgr;m, facing the inside of the reactor. To minimize particles in the reactor chamber, and to give the inner surface high adhesiveness for layers deposited on it and a long service life, a roughness zone is formed on the substrate by an open pore bubble layer made of a second quartz glass quality. The quartz glass component may be made by forming a blank from a granulate containing SiO2, and partial or complete vitrification of the blank by heating to a temperature above 1,000° C. During the forming of the inner surface of the blank, an additional constituent is added to the granulate containing siO2 in a roughness zone. The additional constituent reacts during the vitrification to release a gas, which forms a bubble layer during vitrification of the roughness zone.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a first body part with a seal support flange thereon that supports a unitary seal construction having a flexible bulb seal portion engageable with second vehicle body part including a hood or other vehicle body part for sealing against leakage between the first and second vehicle body parts and an integrally formed base portion and wherein the flexible bulb seal is hollow and is formed of a soft low density thermoplastic foam and the integrally formed base portion is integrally extruded with the flexible bulb seal and is formed solely from polymeric material having spaced walls defining a recess for fitting the unitary seal construction in place on the support flange.

Abstract: Molded, soft composite articles such as seat cushions are made by (a) applying a composition which forms a soft elastomer to all interior walls of an open mold, (b) introducing a composition which will react to form a low density, high resiliency, flexible foam under molding conditions into the mold in a manner such that the foam-forming composition will be substantially completely within the elastomer-forming composition; (c) closing the mold (i) prior to introduction of the foam-forming composition or (ii) at some point during or subsequent to introduction of the foam-forming mixture but before foam formation is completed and (d) allowing the foam-forming mixture to form a foam. The composite articles produced by this simple one-step process are characterized by good cushioning characteristics, good abrasion resistance and good mold reproducibility. This molding process generates less waste and requires less labor and equipment than current commercial processes.

Abstract: A composite structural panel includes a cover sheet laminated onto a three-layered substrate including a thermoplastic foam core sandwiched between two composite outer layers. Each composite outer layer includes natural fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. The thermoplastic material of all layers is preferably polypropylene, and the core consists of an expanded cellular polypropylene rigid foam. In a method for forming the composite structural panel, a first preheated outer layer is laminated and molded onto the foam core in a first molding step, and then the second preheated outer layer and the cover sheet are laminated and molded onto the foam core in a second molding step, with a cooling-down time allowed between the two molding steps. In this manner, each preheated outer layer provides enough heat to thermally fuse the outer layer onto the foam core, without overheating the foam core to the point of softening or melting the foam core.

Abstract: The present invention provides a foamed thermoplastic resin article having light weight and high stiffness suitable for interior members for automobile, as well as having soft feel of a skin layer, which is formed by integrally laminating a skin material and a thermoplastic resin foamed base material while forming the same, wherein the thermoplastic resin foamed base material is composed of a foamed core layer, a skin layer of the skin material side and a skin layer of the backside, and when thickness of the skin layer of the skin material side is defined as A, and thickness of the skin layer of the backside is defined as B, the A and B satisfy the relationship of A<B.

Abstract: A rubber glove is produced by sequentially performing the step of immersing a glove mold in a coagulating synthetic rubber latex containing synthetic rubber in latex form, thermally expansible microcapsules, and a rubber coagulant to form a coagulant-containing synthetic rubber film on the surface of the glove mold; the step of immersing the glove mold in rubber-incorporating latex to form a gelled rubber layer; the step of heating a rubber laminate composed of the synthetic rubber film and the gelled rubber layer to vulcanize the rubber laminate; and the step of turning the vulcanized rubber laminate inside out, and removing it from the glove mold. This method produces a rubber glove, which is excellent in anti-blocking properties and grip under dry or wet conditions, by a simple procedure and for a low cost.

Abstract: A porous cellulose sheet which has a structure less likely to develop curl and twist, and which can be continuously and stably manufactured, and a method for manufacturing such a sheet. The sheet has pores inside and formed with skin layers on both sides. The difference in thickness between the skin layers is not more than 50%.

Abstract: There is provided a laminated sheet comprising: (i) a foamed sheet containing a polypropylene resin; and (ii) a non-woven fabric, wherein the foamed sheet has an expansion ratio, &khgr;, of from about 2 to 10, a cell diameter of not more than about 300 &mgr;m, and a thickness, h (cm), satisfying the following formula (1), (100/E(1−(1−1/&khgr;)⅔))⅓≦h≦2  (1) wherein E (kgf/cm2) is a modulus of elasticity in bending of the resin which is to be a constituent of the foamed sheet and is not yet foamed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an oriented multi-layer film which comprises a voided layer and at least one non-voided layer on at least one surface of the voided layer. In one embodiment, the voided layer comprises a Ziegler-Natta or metallocene-catalyzed substantially isotactic propylene polymer in a polymer matrix with a cavitation initiator. In a second embodiment, the non-voided layer comprises a Ziegler-Natta or metallocene-catalyzed substantially isotactic polypropylene polymer. In a third embodiment, both the voided core layer and at least one non-voided layer comprise a metallocene-catalyzed substantially isotactic polypropylene polymer.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced vehicle interior trim and a method of manufacturing interior trim in a one-step molding process. A skin material and fibrous reinforcement mat are located in a molding tool. A moldable foam-forming material is applied to the tool between the skin material and the fibrous reinforcement mat. The foam-forming material penetrates the mat and expands and cures such that the foam binds to both the skin and the reinforcement mat to produce a molded interior trim piece.