Expanded pellets and method for manufacturing molded components using them

Method for the manufacture of molded components, comprising

• a. forming pellets of a foamed, expanded polymer material comprising:
• melting a polymer to form a melt,
• adding at least one blowing agent and a chain extender to the melt,
• expanding the melt through at least one die to produce a foamed, expanded polymer, and
• pelletizing the foamed, expanded polymer;
• b. loading the pellets of the foamed, expanded polymer material into a mold, wherein the foamed, expanded polymer material is selected from at least one of polyamide, polyester, polyetherketone, and polyolefin;
• wherein the polyamide is at least one of homopolyamide, copolyamide, polyetherblockamide, and polyphthalamide;
• wherein the polyester is at least one of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), thermoplastic polyester ether elastomer (TPEE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET);
• wherein the polyetherketone is at least one of polyether ketone (PEK), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), and polyetherketoneketone (PEKK);
• and/or
• wherein the polyolefin is at least one of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), olefin co-block polymer (OBC), polyolefin elastomer (POE), polyethylene co-vinyl acetate (EVA), polybutene (PB), and polyisobutylene (PIB);
• and
• c. connecting the pellets by providing heat energy;
• wherein the pellets are connected to one another at their surfaces while substantially retaining their individual pellet shapes.