The Dow Chemical Company

Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Other

Chung Poo Park

Bharat Indu Chaudhary

Lawrence S Hood

Yunwa Wilson Cheung

Martin J Guest

Suresh Subramonian

John J Gathers

Russell P Barry

Johan A Thoen

Rene Broos

Sandrine Burgun

Kyung W Suh

Christopher P Christenson

Daniel D Imeokparia

Martin H Tusim

Martin C Cornell

Martin Reimers

James C Stevens

Francis J Timmers

Pak-Wing Steve Chum

William Gerald Stobby

Georges Eschenlauer

Michael E Schaller

Jean-Francois Koenig

George P Clingerman

Kevin D Sikkema

Michel Brucker

Jonathan Kammerer

The present invention concerns a method of manufacturing flame-retardant polyethylene or polypropylene foam using a derivative of carboxylic acid of phenylphosphinic acid and the flame-retardant polymer foam made thereby. More specifically, this invention concerns a method of manufacturing highly expanded flame-retardant polymer foam prepared by mixing the above mentioned phosphorous flame retardant in a polymer resin and expanding the mixture with a volatile blowing agent or by applying a solution of an organic phosphorous compound to an already-made highly expanded foam and then drying the highly-expanded polymer foam, and the flame-retardant foam prepared thereby.

Method of manufacturing flame-retardant polymer foam comprising a phosphorous flame retardant and flame-retardant foam produced thereby

A cellular thermoplastic polyolefin foam comprising at least one particulate additive in admixture with a polymer matrix is disclosed, along with a process and foamable gel for manufacturing the same, wherein the polyolefin matrix comprises at least one polymer resin graft-modified with at least one polar group selected from the group consisting of acid, acid ester, and acid anhydride, and salts thereof. The invention facilitates the manufacture of macrocellular foams useful for acoustic absorption having increased amounts of particulate additives that provide certain desired properties difficult to achieve without the particulate additives, such as improved flame retardancy.

Macrocellular acoustic foam containing particulate additive

A macrocellular foam is described having improved cell size and Fire-test-response Characteristics, among other features, which is obtained by selecting a particle size less than 1 micron for the flame retardant adjuvant. The inventors found that the amount of fire retardant adjuvant can be increased for a given foam cell size or the foam cell size can be increased for a given amount of fire retardant adjuvant, allowing the production of foams having exceptionally large, well-formed, cells that have excellent Fire-test-response Characteristics. The benefits are especially noteworthy in relation to thermoplastic foams and inorganic flame retardation adjuvants, due to the unexpected reduction in the nucleation effect of the adjuvant. The foams are useful for improving the acoustic performance of products that are required to meet certain Fire-test-response Characteristics. It may be used in automotive and other transportation devices, building and construction, household and garden appliances, power tool and appliance and electrical supply housing, connectors, and aircraft as acoustic systems for sound absorption and insulation.

Fire resistance acoustic foam

Polymer foams having a good balance of high sound absorption, low thermal conductivity and generally low water absorption are disclosed which are obtainable by perforating (i.e., hole punching) a polymer foam having a moderately large cell size (1.5 mm to 4 mm) and an open content not greater than 40 percent to increase the open cell content of the foam by at least about 10 percent relative to the non-perforated foam, the polymer foam matrix preferably made of a thermoplastic foam, such as a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) resin, a high melt strength (HMS) polypropylene resin (PP), or a blend of an HMS PP resin and an LDPE resin, optionally containing a cell size enlarging agent such as glycerol monostearate, an antioxidant, carbon black and/or flame retardant additives, using a volatile organic compound, e.g. isobutane, as blowing agent. These foams are useful for applications in which a combination of acoustic absorption, thermal insulation and possibly low water absorption is needed, such as outdoor, motor vehicle and marine applications. They exhibit a noise reduction coefficient greater than 0.3, a thermal conductivity not greater than 90 mW/m&#xb0; K measured at an average temperature of 10&#xb0; C. according to DIM52616 and a low (less than 10, such as less than 1.5, percent by volume) water absorption when measured according to EN 12088 at a 50&#xb0; C. temperature gradient for an exposure test period of 14 days.

Acoustic absorption polymer foam having improved thermal insulating performance

Thermoplastic polymer foams having sound deadening properties satisfactory for demanding applications are provided which have mechanical strength, which are economical to manufacture, and which are hydrolytically stable. Methods of preparing these foams are also provided. The foams are useful in sound management, cushion packaging, filtering, and fluid absorption and exhibit one or more of the following properties: 1) average cell size greater than about 2 mm; 2) substantially open-cell structure and 3) relatively large pores connecting the cells. In order that the foam be acoustically active, the foam should possess a substantially open-cell structure and a relatively low airflow resistivity. Foams with substantially open-cell structure and relatively low airflow resistivity are prepared by mechanically opening a foam having an average cell size greater than about 2 mm. In most cases, such mechanical opening creates relatively large pores connecting the cells.

Perforated foams

Thermoplastic polymer foams having sound deadening properties satisfactory for demanding applications are provided which have mechanical strength, which are economical to manufacture, and which are hydrolytically stable. Methods of preparing these foams are also provided. The foams are useful in sound management, cushion packaging, filtering, and fluid absorption and exhibit one or more of the following properties: 1) average cell size greater than about 2 mm; 2) substantially open-cell structure and 3) relatively large pores connecting the cells. In order that the foam be acoustically active, the foam should possess a substiantially open-cell structure and a relatively low airflow resistivity. Foams with substantially open-cell structure and relatively low airflow resistivity are prepared by mechanically opening a foam having an average cell size greater than about 2 mm. In most cases, such mechanical opening creates relatively large pores connecting the cells.

Preparation of a macrocellular acoustic foam

Macrocellular polyolefin foams that can withstand temperatures above 110&deg; C. are described for use in sound absorption and insulation applications, especially in elevated temperature and/or moist environments. These foams have a large cell size (&gE;1.5 mm), are open or closed-cell foams, and preferably have at least one perforation per square centimeter and/or a density less than 25 kg/m . They are obtainable by extruding a high melt strength (HMS) polypropylene resin (PP), or preferably a blend of a HMS PP resin and a free radical polymerized ethylene polymer present in the blend in a weight ratio of at least 35:65, optionally another polymer such as a substantially random interpolymer, a cell size enlarging agent such a glycerol monostearate, an antioxidant, carbon black and/or flame retardant additives, using a volatile organic compound, e.g. isobutane, as blowing agent.

Macrocellular polyolefin foam having a high service temperature for acoustical applications

Polyolefin foam useful for sound and thermal insulation

This invention provides an expanded open-cell foam polymer composition comprising at least one linear or modified linear polyolefin, at least 50% of the cells being open, and the cells having an average size of at least 1 millimeter. It is desirable that the composition have a sound absorption coefficient as determined by ASTM D 1050 at 1,000 Hz which is greater than 0.15. In preferred foams the composition has an airflow resistivity of less than about 800,000 Rayls/m.

Acoustical open-cell polylefins and process for making

Foams prepared from a blend of a syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) resin and a foamable thermoplastic polymer resin are provided which exhibit a combination of desirable properties which have heretofore been difficult, if not impossible, to achieve. The foams of the present invention are useful in applications such as thermal insulation, packaging, and the formation of molded articles such as cups, and trays.

Foams prepared from blends of syndiotactic polypropylenes and thermoplastic polymers

A latex or fiber comprising a blend of polymeric materials consisting of one or more &agr;-olefin/ vinylidene monomer non-crosslinked substantially random interpolymers, wherein the distribution of the monomers of said interpolymers can be described by the Bernoulli statistical model or by a first or second order Markovian statistical model, and one or more homopolymers or copolymers of monomer components comprising aliphatic &agr;-olefins having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, or aliphatic &agr;-olefins having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and containing polar groups.

Blends of &agr;-olefin/vinylidene aromatic monomer or hindered aliphatic vinylidene monomer interpolymers with polyolefins

Acoustical insulation foams

This invention pertains to a composition and a process for preparing a closed cell alkenyl aromatic polymer foam having enlarged cell size, comprising one or more alkenyl aromatic polymers, one or more substantially random interpolymers, one or more blowing agents having zero ozone depletion potential and optionally one or more co-blowing agents, and optionally, one or more nucleating agents and optionally, one or more other additives. This combination allows the manufacture of closed cell, low density alkenyl aromatic polymer foams of enlarged cell size, when blowing agents of relatively high nucleation potential are employed. When such blowing agents are used with alkenyl aromatic polymers in the absence of the substantially random interpolymers, small cell foams result.

ENLARGED CELL SIZE FOAMS MADE FROM BLENDS OF ALKENYL AROMATIC POLYMERS AND ALPHA-OLEFIN/VINYL OR VINYLIDENE AROMATIC AND/OR STERICALLY HINDERED ALIPHATIC OR CYCLOALIPHATIC VINYL OR VINYLIDENE INTERPOLYMERS

A foam comprising a blend of polymeric materials consisting of one or more &agr;-olefin/vinylidene monomer non-crosslinked substantially random interpolymers, wherein the distribution of the monomers of said interpolymers can be described by the Bernoulli statistical model or by a first or second order Markovian statistical model, and one or more homopolymers or copolymers of monomer components comprising aliphatic &agr;-olefins having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms, or aliphatic &agr;-olefins having from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and containing polar groups.

Growing community of inventors

Baden-Baden, Germany

Chung Poo Park