Abstract

Disclosed is a low-temperature supercritical foaming process, comprising the following steps: (1) bringing a polyolefin material or a thermoplastic elastomer material into contact with at least one inert gas in a reactor at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to drive the gas into the material, the pressure holding temperature of the polyolefin material or thermoplastic elastomer material being lower than the melting temperature of the material by 5-40° C.; (2) reducing the pressure to expand the material so as to produce a primary foamed material, and taking out the primary foamed material; and (3) taking out the primary foamed material and putting same into a tunnel furnace for secondary foaming, the temperature of the tunnel furnace being higher than the melting temperature of the material. Compared with the prior art, the present invention features high production efficiency, energy saving, and improvement of the reactor utilization rate.

IPC Classes  ?

• C08J 9/12 - Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent by a physical blowing agent
• C08J 9/36 - After-treatment

Abstract

An ETPU cushioning midsole and rubber outsole integral molding process, comprising the following steps: (1) cutting a rubber sheet according to an actually required shape and performing washing and drying in sequence to obtain a rubber outsole; (2) opening a molding mold of a foam molding machine and placing the rubber outsole at the bottom of the molding mold; (3) closing the molding mold of the foam molding machine, using a feeder to feed ETPU particles to the top of the rubber outsole in the molding mold, and injecting water vapor to heat the ETPU particles to melt the surface of the ETPU particles, performing pressing to bond adjacent ETPU particles together so that the ETPU particles and the rubber outsole are also bonded; and (4) performing cooling and demolding to obtain a sole integrally formed by an ETPU cushioning midsole and the rubber outsole.

IPC Classes  ?

• A43B 13/04 - Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• A43B 13/18 - Resilient soles
• B29D 35/12 - Producing parts thereof, e.g. soles, heels or uppers, by a moulding technique

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention is a method for preparing an ultra-light thermoplastic elastomer foaming material, comprising the following steps: (1) placing a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer in a first reaction kettle, introducing carbon dioxide to implement first supercritical foaming, and releasing the pressure to obtain a foaming intermediate product; (2) placing the foaming intermediate product in a second reaction kettle, introducing nitrogen to implement second supercritical foaming, and releasing the pressure to obtain a foaming product with a density of 0.05-0.1 g/cm3. Compared to the prior art, the present invention uses a two-step method, the first step using carbon dioxide for nucleation and the second step using nitrogen for foaming to obtain a foaming material with extremely low density, low shrinkage, good elasticity, and stable performance.

IPC Classes  ?

• C08J 9/12 - Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent by a physical blowing agent
• C08L 75/04 - Polyurethanes

Abstract

Disclosed is an environment-friendly thermoplastic elastomer foaming and setting process, comprising the following steps: (1) enabling a thermoplastic elastomer material to contact at least one inert gas in a reaction kettle having the pressure higher than atmospheric pressure so that the gas is driven to enter the material, the pressure maintaining temperature of the reaction kettle is 5-40℃ lower than the melting temperature of the material; (2) maintaining the temperature and then decreasing the pressure so that the thermoplastic elastomer material is formed into a primary foaming material, and then taking the primary foaming material out from the reaction kettle; and (3) transferring the primary foaming material into a mold of a setting machine, heating for secondary foaming and performing mold setting to obtain a finished product. Compared with the prior art, in the present invention, because the thermoplastic elastomer material is not subjected to a crosslinking operation, the finished product molded thereby can be conveniently recycled; in addition, because foaming and setting are implemented in one step in the mold of the setting machine, the problem that the material shrinks due to setting is solved.

IPC Classes  ?

• B29C 44/08 - Shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. swelling or foaming for articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles using several expanding steps
• B29C 44/34 - Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• B29C 44/38 - Feeding the material to be shaped into a closed space, i.e. to make articles of definite length
• B29L 31/50 - Footwear, e.g. shoes or parts thereof

Abstract

Provided in the present invention are a foam molding process and apparatus for an environment-friendly shoe sole. The foam molding process comprises the following steps: heating thermoplastic elastomer particles in a heating apparatus until the temperature reaches above a softening point; placing the softened thermoplastic elastomer particles in a pressurizing tank, and making the softened thermoplastic elastomer particles contact with at least one inert gas in the pressurizing tank with the pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure; conveying to a setting machine the thermoplastic elastomer particles saturated with the inert gas in a conveying mechanism under the condition of pressure maintaining, and in the conveying process, heating the thermoplastic elastomer particles saturated with the inert gas, wherein the heating temperature is higher than the melting temperature of 10-40 degree centigrade of the thermoplastic elastomer particles; and keeping the described temperature in a mold of the setting machine, then reducing the pressure, and obtaining the finished shoe sole after foaming and mold setting. The present invention uses the manner of heating and softening the thermoplastic elastomer particles and then placing same into the other container to be pressurized and injected with gas, thus having higher efficiency.

IPC Classes  ?

• B29C 44/02 - Shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. swelling or foaming for articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
• B29C 44/34 - Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• B29C 44/38 - Feeding the material to be shaped into a closed space, i.e. to make articles of definite length
• B29L 31/50 - Footwear, e.g. shoes or parts thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides an environment-friendly foaming process and molding device for a thermoplastic elastomer. The method comprises the following steps: heat thermoplastic elastomer particles until the temperature reaches a softening point or above; convey the softened thermoplastic elastomer particles to a setting machine in a conveying mechanism under the condition that pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure, enable the softened thermoplastic elastomer particles to be in contact with at least one inert gas in a conveying process, and meanwhile heat the softened thermoplastic elastomer particles; and the conveying mechanism guides a thermoplastic elastomer which is full of the inert gas and is in a molten state into a mold of the setting machine, and obtain a finished product after foaming and mold setting. According to the present invention, a spiral conveyor is adopted for conveying and foaming the thermoplastic elastomer particles, the spiral conveyor continuously rotates, so that the thermoplastic elastomer particles can be stirred to be evenly heated while being conveyed, and make full contact with the gas, thereby improving the foaming efficiency.

IPC Classes  ?

• B29C 44/02 - Shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. swelling or foaming for articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
• B29C 44/34 - Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• B29C 44/38 - Feeding the material to be shaped into a closed space, i.e. to make articles of definite length
• B29L 31/50 - Footwear, e.g. shoes or parts thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is a low-temperature supercritical foaming process, comprising the following steps: (1) bringing a polyolefin material or a thermoplastic elastomer material into contact with at least one inert gas in a reactor at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to drive the gas into the material, the pressure holding temperature of the polyolefin material or thermoplastic elastomer material being lower than the melting temperature of the material by 5-40°C; (2) reducing the pressure to expand the material so as to produce a primary foamed material, and taking out the primary foamed material; and (3) taking out the primary foamed material and putting same into a tunnel furnace for secondary foaming, the temperature of the tunnel furnace being higher than the melting temperature of the material. Compared with the prior art, the present invention features high production efficiency, energy saving, and improvement of the reactor utilization rate.

IPC Classes  ?

• C08J 9/12 - Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent by a physical blowing agent
• C08L 23/06 - Polyethene
• C08L 23/12 - Polypropene
• C08L 23/08 - Copolymers of ethene
• C08L 75/04 - Polyurethanes
• C08L 67/00 - Compositions of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• C08L 77/00 - Compositions of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention is a method for preparing PEBAX into a TPV foam material, and a TPV foam material, said method comprising the following steps: ① pre-vulcanization of PEBAX/MPU or PEBAX/EPDM-MAH: mixing a vulcanizing agent and an alkaline filler evenly to prepare a mixture, and plasticizing MPU or EPDM-MAH into softened MPU or EPDM-MAH; kneading the mixture and the plasticized MPU or EPDM-MAH until the components are evenly mixed to obtain a kneaded material; blending the kneaded material and PEBAX to obtain a TPV material, and performing a vulcanization operation on the TPV material to obtain a pre-vulcanized TPV material; ② supercritical foaming: after cooling to room temperature, placing the pre-vulcanized TPV material in a high-pressure reaction vessel and performing supercritical foaming to obtain a TPV foam material. The TPV foam material obtained in the present invention combines excellent performance of two types of material, is lightweight and flexible, and has good resilience. Tensile strength, tearing strength, peel strength and adhesiveness are all greatly improved relative to PEBAX, and the material has good formability, excellent energy absorption and shock absorbing performance, and is more suited for fields such as the manufacturing of shock absorbing components or shock absorbing packaging material.

IPC Classes  ?

• C08L 77/00 - Compositions of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• C08L 75/00 - Compositions of polyureas or polyurethanes; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• C08J 9/00 - Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof