Basf Se Corporation

Brad Joseph Martin

Mihai Manitiu

Garry Balthes

Guenter Scholz

Guido Bilges

Mark Paul Kujawski

DianJun Chen

Karl Richard Nicholas

This disclosure provides an article having a density of from 0.03 to 0.45 g/cc and including a plurality of anisotropic tubular particles that are randomly oriented in the article. The tubular particles include a thermoplastic elastomer foam and a polymer disposed on an exterior surface of the thermoplastic elastomer foam as an outermost layer of the particles. Each of the thermoplastic elastomer foam and the polymer independently has a softening temperature determined according to DIN ISO306. The softening temperature of the polymer is at least 5&#xb0; C. lower than the softening temperature of the thermoplastic elastomer foam.

Article comprising tubular particles

An article has a density of from 0.03 to 0.45 g/cc. The article includes a plurality of anisotropic tubular particles that are randomly oriented in the article. The tubular particles include a thermoplastic elastomer foam and a non-foamed polymer disposed on an exterior surface of the thermoplastic elastomer foam as an outermost layer of the tubular particles. Each of the thermoplastic elastomer foam and the non-foamed polymer independently has a softening temperature determined according to DIN ISO 306. Moreover, the non-foamed polymer includes an additive that is responsive to non-heat energy to selectively heat the non-foamed polymer to its softening temperature prior to the thermoplastic elastomer foam reaching its softening temperature.

A thermoplastic polyurethane foamed article has a plurality of bubbles distributed throughout the thermoplastic polyurethane foamed article and comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane composition and an epoxy-functional styrene acrylic copolymer which are foamed in the presence of a blowing agent. The epoxy-functional styrene acrylic copolymer is present in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5% of the total combined weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane composition and the epoxy-functional styrene acrylic copolymer. The thermoplastic polyurethane foamed article has an average diameter of the plurality of bubbles ranging from 50 to 120 &#x3bc;m with at least 75% of the plurality of bubbles having a diameter of less than 200 &#x3bc;m.

Thermoplastic polyurethane foamed articles comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane composition and an epoxy, functional styrene acrylic copolymer

A panel construction suitable for automotive parts comprises (a) a first composite fiber mat layer (b) adjacent to and covering a face of the fiber mat, a thermoplastic polymer film and optionally (c) adjacent to and covering the thermoplastic film, a second composite fiber mat layer, where the fiber mats comprise non-woven fibers or fabrics and a cured acrylic resin binder. The thermoplastic film is preferably a thermoplastic polyurethane film. The construction preferably contains no adhesive layer between components (a), (b) and (c).

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Brad Joseph Martin