The Dow Chemical Company

Russell P Barry

Bharat Indu Chaudhary

Chung Poo Park

Lawrence S Hood

Martin Reimers

Brian W Walther

Martin J Guest

Susan J Babinec

Martin H Tusim

Stephanie C Cirihal

Mechelle A Blanchard

COMPOSITIONS OF INTERPOLYMERS OF &agr;-OLEFIN MONOMERS WITH ONE OR MORE VINYL OR VINYLIDENE AROMATIC MONOMERS AND/OR ONE OR MORE HINDERED ALIPHATIC OR CYCLOALIPHATIC VINYL OR VINYLIDENE MONOMERS BLENDED WITH A CONDUCTIVE ADDITIVE

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

Soft and flexible 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 polymer blend foam having smooth skin and/or an open-cell content of at least 20 volume percent, a crosslinked gel content of no greater than 10 percent, a minimum cross-sectional area of at least 1000 mm.sup.2, and a density of no greater than 250 kg/m.sup.3. The blend includes (A) a substantially random interpolymer having polymerized therein (1) a vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomer and/or a sterically hindered aliphatic or cycloaliphatic vinyl or vinylidene monomer, and (2) one or more of ethylene and a C.sub.3-20 aliphatic .alpha.-olefin; and (B) an olefin polymer based on one or more of ethylene, C.sub.3-20 aliphatic .alpha.-olefins, and C.sub.3-20 aliphatic .alpha.-olefins containing polar groups. The olefin polymer (B) lacks any of the vinyl or vinylidene aromatic monomers found in (A).

Olefin polymer and .alpha.-olefin/vinyl or .alpha.-olefin/vinylidene

A soft foam having an Asker C hardness of less than about 65, comprising;

Soft and flexible foams made from blends of alkenyl aromatic polymers

The present invention pertains to improved alkenyl aromatic polymer foams (and processes for their preparation) having increased heat distortion temperature and improved dimensional stability while maintaining good tensile/tear, creep and environmental dimensional change properties. The closed cell low density alkenyl aromatic polymer foams exhibit increased heat distortion temperature, when substantially random interpolymers of about 21 to about 65 mol % styrene are blended in. When these same alkenyl aromatic polymer foams are made without these interpolymers, the heat distortion temperature is not improved.

Foams having increased heat distortion temperature made from blends of

Enlarged cell size foams made from blends of alkenyl aromatic polymers

Growing community of inventors

Baden Wuertenburg, Germany

Russell P Barry