The Dow Chemical Company

Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Dow Deutschland Inc.

Andrew N Paquet

Kyung W Suh

Chau Van Vo

Bharat Indu Chaudhary

William Gerald Stobby

Martin K Hitchcock

Arnold M Bartz

Michael J Mullins

H Craig Silvis

Clark H Cummins

James M Roe

Andy I Laiho

Duane B Priddy, Sr

Jerry L Hahnfeld

Warren H Griffin

William C Pike

Myron J Maurer

Gavin D Vogel

Charles A Berglund

Steven B Swartzmiller

Masayuki Wakabayashi

Vo V Chau

Cushions for dynamic impact applications include anisotropic cellular polymers made in an extrusion, expanded bead or reactive foaming process. The anisotropic behavior represented by C/C, C/Cand C/C, wherein C, Cand Crepresent the compressive strength of the cellular polymer in each of three orthogonal directions E, V and H, respectively, as measured by compressing a 25-50 mm thick sample of the cellular polymer at a strain rate of 0.08 sto 25% strain, Crepresents the sum of C, Cand C, and at least one of C/C, C/Cand C/Chas a value of at least 0.40, up to about 0.80. The cellular polymer also preferably has density of 1.75 to 2.35 pounds/cubic foot and a compressive stress in the direction of maximum compressive strength of 290-600 kPa at 25% strain when used for headliner countermeasure applications. The cushions are useful in automotive applications such as automotive headliners, door panels, knee bolsters, pillars, headrests, seat backs, load floors or instrument panels.

Impact-absorbing members for dynamic impact applications

Disclosed is an extruded, dimensionally stable, closed cell alkenyl aromatic polymer foam. The foam comprises an alkenyl aromatic polymer material greater than 50 percent by weight of alkenyl aromatic monomeric units. The foam has a density of about 16 to about 64 kilograms per cubic meter. The foam has a thickness in cross section of 15 millimeters or more. The foam has a blowing agent composition comprising a primary blowing agent of about 70 to about 95 weight percent 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane and a secondary blowing agent comprising about 30 to about 5 weight percent based upon the total moles of the blowing agent composition. The secondary blowing agent being selected from the group consisting essentially of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, and water. Further disclosed is a process for making the foam.

Foams comprising HFC-134 and a low solubility co-blowing agent and a process for making

The invention includes a process comprising steps of (1) forming a admixture of (a) a vinyl aromatic polymer and (b) a coupling amount of at least one poly(sulfonyl azide); (2) introducing the vinyl aromatic polymer or admixture into a melt processing device; (3) melting the vinyl aromatic polymer or admixture, and thereafter (4) exposing the admixture to a temperature, hereinafter, melt process temperature, sufficient to result in coupling of the vinyl aromatic polymer. The invention also includes a process of increasing the molecular weight of a vinyl aromatic polymer by heating an admixture of at least one vinyl aromatic polymer and a coupling amount of at least one poly(sulfonyl azide). Alternatively the invention is a process comprising steps of (1) forming, under a first pressure, a mixture of a vinyl aromatic polymer, a blowing agent and at least one poly(sulfonyl azide), with the mixture at a temperature at which the viscosity of the mixture is sufficient to retain the blowing agent when the mixture is allowed to expand; (2) extruding the mixture into a holding zone maintained at a temperature and second pressure which does not allow the mixture to foam, the holding zone having an outlet die defining an orifice opening into a zone of a third pressure lower than the first or second pressures at which the mixture foams, and an openable gate closing the die orifice; (3) periodically opening the gate; (4) substantially concurrently applying mechanical pressure by a movable ram on the mixture to eject the mixture from the holding zone through the die orifice into the zone of third pressure, at a rate greater than that at which substantial foaming in the die orifice occurs and less than that at which substantial irregularities in cross-sectional area or shape occurs; and (5) permitting the ejected mixture to expand unrestrained in at least one dimension to produce an elongated thermoplastic cellular body. The invention also includes any composition comprising a product formed by a process of the invention, said composition preferably comprising a foam or polymer and any article formed from such a composition.

Vinyl aromatic polymer coupling and foams

Low molecular weight alkenyl aromatic polymer foam

Disclosed is an extruded, linear, bimodal monovinyl aromatic polymer foam having a weight average molecular weight of from about 100,000 to about 200,000, greater than 5 percent by weight of its polymer chains having a weight average molecular weight of 500,000 to 1,000,000, and less than 5 percent by weight of its polymer chains having a weight average molecular weight of greater than 1,000,000. Use of the polymer enables process pressure drop to be significantly reduced and allows the formation of a foam of lower density and larger cross-section. Further disclosed is a process for making the extruded foam.

Extruded foams having a monovinyl aromatic polymer with a broad

Disclosed is a compatibilized carbon black useful in melt processing of plastic material. The carbon black is coated with a compatibilizing agent which enhances the dispersibility of the carbon black in a melt of the plastic material. Further disclosed are processes for making plastic foam structures with the compatibilized carbon black.

Compatibilized carbon black and a process and a method for using

A process for making a closed-cell, alkenyl aromatic polymer foam structure having enlarged cell size. An alkenyl aromatic polymer material is heated to form a melt polymer material. An amount of a non-waxy cell size enlarging agent is incorporated into the melt polymer material. The enlarging agent is present in an amount sufficient to enlarge the stabilized cell size of the formed foam structure by 20 percent or more over a corresponding foam structure made without the enlarging agent. Further, the enlarging agent is incorporated in a quantity such that the formed foam structure has physical properties substantially the same degree as the corresponding foam structure. A blowing agent is incorporated into the melt polymer material at an elevated pressure to form a foamable gel. The foamable gel is expanded in a zone of lower pressure to form the foam structure. Further, disclosed is a foam structure corresponding to the above.

Method of forming thermoplastic foams using cell size enlarging agents

Disclosed is a foamable styrenic polymer gel capable of forming a closed-cell foam structure, comprising: a) a flowable melt of a styrenic polymer material comprising greater than 50 percent by weight styrenic monomeric units and about 0.1 to about 40 percent by weight of oxygen-containing monomeric units based upon the total weight of the styrenic polymer material; and b) a blowing agent comprising about 5 weight percent or more carbon dioxide based upon the total weight of the blowing agent. Further disclosed is a process for making the foam structure. The oxygen-containing comonomer content in the styrenic polymer material enables process operating pressures to be significantly reduced when using carbon dioxide as a blowing agent compared to a styrenic polymer material without comonomer content. The foam structure formed is of low density and of good quality.

Foamable styrenic polymer gel having a carbon dioxide blowing agent and

Disclosed is a foamable styrenic polymer gel containing an aqueous blowing agent capable of forming a closed-cell, unimodal foam structure. The gel composes in admixture the flowable melt of a polymer composition having greater than 50 percent by weight of a styrenic polymer and a blowing agent having about 1 percent or more by weight water based upon the total weight of the blowing agent. The styrenic polymer has a degree of water solubility sufficient to ensure formation of a unimodal foam structure instead of a bimodal foam structure. The unimodal cell size distribution provides desirable fabricability and machinability characteristics for the foam structure.

Foamable gel with an aqueous blowing agent expandable to form a unimodal

Disclosed is a flexibilized, insulative styrenic polymer foam structure comprising a foam of a polymeric composition of a styrenic polymer greater than 50 percent by weight styrenic monomeric units, the foam having relatively larger primary cells with an average cell size range of about 0.05 to about 1.2 millimeters and relatively smaller secondary cells ranging in cell size from about 5 percent to about 50 percent of the average cell size of the primary cells. The primary and secondary cells constitute at least about 90 percent of the total cell volume within the foam structure. Between 1 and 30 percent by number of the cells have microscopic 'pinholes' between them. The presence of the pinholes enhances the flexure of the foam structure. Further disclosed is a method of insulating a surface comprising applying to the surface an insulating panel fashioned from the structure of claim 1.

Growing community of inventors

Granville, OH, United States of America

Andrew N Paquet