Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.

Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC

Mitchell Zane Weekley

Raymond Marshall Breindel

Larry Michael Miller

Yadollah Delaviz

Roland R Loh

Thomas Earl Cisar

Bharat B Patel

Mark E Polasky

Barbara A Fabian

Klin Aloysius Rodrigues

Byron Jeffrey Hulls

John Frank Budinscak, Jr

Sheree L Bargabos

Kerry Jerome Prince

J Patrick Rynd

Xiangmin Han

Manoj Choudhary

Jeffrey Scott Thomas

Chase J Boudreaux

S Thomas Brammer

Barbara Ann Fabian

Disclosed is a blowing agent composition comprising a hydrofluoroolefins (HFO) and a branched hydrocarbon, and a foamable polymer composition comprising the blowing agent composition. Also disclosed is a method of making a polymer foam utilizing a blowing agent composition comprising an HFO and a branched hydrocarbon.

Blowing agent compositions for insulating foams

Disclosed is a method for making polystyrene foam which utilizes one or more atmospheric gases, particularly CO, as the blowing agent in combination with a polymer processing aid (PPA), typically an ester that is relatively non-volatile at the extrusion temperature range. The blowing agent and the PPA may both be introduced into the molten thermoplastic polystyrene resin or the PPA may be incorporated in the solid source polystyrene resins. The resulting foam will be substantially free of residual blowing agent and dimensionally stable at ambient temperatures.

Method of manufacturing polystyrene foam with polymer processing additives

Polymer extruded foams that contain cell size enlarging agents are provided. The inventive composition includes a foamable polymer material, at least one blowing agent, and at least one cell size enlarging agent. The blowing agent utilized in the inventive composition is preferably selected such that the composition has a zero ozone depletion and low global warming potential. Examples include any inorganic blowing agents and/or non-hydrogenated chlorofluorocarbons (non-HCFCs). The foamable polymer material is preferably polystyrene. The cell size enlarging agent may be chosen from ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and/or ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA). The cell size enlarging agent permits the formation of a foam with large cell sizes that are desirable to achieve a high insulation value and to optimize the physical properties of the foamed product. In addition, the cell size enlarging agent provides an increased cell size to the foamed product without detracting from the physical and thermal properties.

Cell size enlargers for polystyrene foams

Polymeric foam and polymeric foam products that contain a foamable polymer material, at least one blowing agent, a polystyrene/polyethylene oxide copolymer, and optionally, an infrared attenuating agent, are provided. In exemplary embodiments, the blowing agent includes at least one hydrofluorocarbon blowing agent. The maleic anhydride-styrene copolymer grafted with polyethylene oxide provides a water vapor permeability of 1.1 perm inch or greater in the extruded foam product without detrimentally affecting physical or thermal properties of the product. Additionally, the copolymer of maleic anhydride-styrene grafted with polyethylene oxide has a positive affect on the processability of the blowing agent(s) in the composition by both widening the process window and enhancing the solubility of the blowing agent in the polymer melt. Thus, the polystyrene/polyethylene oxide copolymer present in the inventive composition acts as a cell enlarger, a plasticizer, and a processing aid. A method of forming an extruded foam product is also provided.

Polystyrene/polyethylene oxide copolymer for enhancing water vapor permeability in thermoplastic foam

This invention relates to foam insulating products, particularly extruded polystyrene foam, with increasing the cell orientation and reducing cell anisotropic ratio, as well as the process method for making the products thereof for improving the insulating properties and for reducing the manufacturing cost of the foam products. Alternatively, foam insulating products having increased cell compressive strength may be made by decreasing the cell orientation and increasing the cell anisotropic ratio.

To enhance the thermal insulation of polymeric foam by reducing cell anisotropic ratio and the method for production thereof

Disclosed is a method for making polystyrene foam which utilizes one or more atmospheric gases, particularly combinations of HFCs and CO, as the blowing system in combination with a polymer processing aid (PPA), typically an ester that is relatively non-volatile at the extrusion temperature range. The blowing system and the PPA may both be introduced into the molten thermoplastic polystyrene resin or the PPA may be incorporated in the solid source polystyrene resins. The resulting foams will typically exhibit improved dimensional stability at ambient temperatures.

This invention relates to foam insulating products, particularly extruded polystyrene foam, containing asphalt as an infrared attuation and process additives for improving the insulating properties and for reducing the manufacturing cost of the foam products.

Asphalt-filled polymer foams

Asphalt filled polymer foam

The present invention generally relates to processes for preparing extruded foam products and more particularly to a process for producing such products wherein surface defects are minimized. There has been a movement to replace conventional halo-carbon blowing agents in favor of purportedly more environmentally safe halo-carbon free blowing agents such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon, water, air, nitrogen, and helium. However, these halo-carbon free blowing agents, in particular carbon dioxide, have higher foaming rates and higher volatility leading to greater surface defects in the extruded foam. The present invention employs polyethylene wax to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of surface defects where halo-carbon free blowing agents are employed in an extruded foam manufacture process. The polyethylene wax containing extruded foam products of this invention are characterized by a generally smooth substantially defect free surface and contain a majority of closed cells which are free of any trapped halo-carbon blowing agents.

Extruded foam product with reduced surface defects

The present invention generally relates to methods for preparing extruded foam products and more particularly to a methods for producing such products with a blowing agent containing 134a and an alcohol.

Extruded foam product with 134a and alcohol blowing agent

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for preparing foam board or sheet including the steps of (A) forming a foamable mixture of (1) a major amount of a styrenic polymer having a high melt index, (2) a minor amount of a low melt index styrenic polymer, and (3) a blowing agent containing a major amount of carbon dioxide under a pressure sufficient to prevent prefoaming of the mixture, and (B) foaming the mixture into a region of reduced pressure to form a foam product.

Process for producing extruded foam products having polystyrene blends with high levels of CO2 as a blowing agent

In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for preparing a foam product involving the steps of (A) forming a foamable mixture of (1) a polymer comprising about 10% to about 90% monomers of at least one of meta-substituted styrene and para-substituted styrene and 0% to about 90% monomers of styrene, and (2) a blowing agent containing a major amount of carbon dioxide under a pressure sufficient to prevent prefoaming of the mixture and (B) foaming the mixture into a region of reduced pressure to form the foam product.

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Tallmadge, OH, United States of America

Mitchell Zane Weekley