# US 2021/0277214 A1 · Foam bead and sintered foam structure

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- Number: US 2021/0277214 A1
- Document ID: US20210277214A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/255,221
- Filed: 2018-06-29
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-29
- Assignees: Dow Global Technologies LLC; Performance Materials NA, Inc.
- Applicants: Dow Global Technologies LLC; Performance Materials NA, Inc.
- Inventors: Haiyang Yu; Jinliang Yan; Yunfeng Yang; Jozef J.I. Van Dun
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277214A1

## CPC

- C08L 23/0876: Salts thereof, i.e. ionomers
- C08J 9/0061: {characterized by the use of several polymeric components}
- C08J 9/122: {Hydrogen, oxygen, CO2, nitrogen or noble gases}
- C08J 9/16: Making expandable particles
- C08J 9/232: by sintering expandable particles
- C08L 53/00: Compositions of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
- C08J 2203/06: CO2, N2 or noble gases
- C08J 2300/105: containing carboxyl groups
- C08J 2323/08: Copolymers of ethene (C08J2323/16 takes precedence)
- C08J 2353/00: Characterised by the use of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Derivatives of such polymers
- C08J 2400/105: containing carboxyl groups
- C08J 2423/08: Copolymers of ethene (C08J2423/16 takes precedence)
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)

## Abstract

A foam bead is formed from a composition comprising an ionomer comprising, in polymerized form, ethylene, an unsaturated acid comonomer and, optionally, an acrylate comonomer, wherein the unsaturated acid comonomer is at least partially neutralized with a neutralizing agent. A sintered foam structure is formed from foam beads that are formed from above composition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sintered foam structure formed from foam beads that are formed from a composition comprising:
an ionomer comprising, in polymerized form, ethylene, an unsaturated acid comonomer, and, optionally, an acrylate comonomer,
wherein the unsaturated acid comonomer is completely or partially neutralized with a neutralizing agent.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sintered foam structure of claim 1, wherein the ionomer has a crystallinity from 4% to 20%.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sintered foam structure of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises the ionomer to the exclusion of all other polymers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sintered foam structure of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises at least one additional polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene-based polymers, propylene-based polymers, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sintered foam structure of claim 1, wherein the ionomer is a terpolymer of ethylene, the unsaturated acid comonomer, and the acrylate comonomer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sintered foam structure of claim 1, having:
i) an Asker C hardness from 45 to 55;
ii) a foam density from 0.130 g/cc to 0.280 g/cc;
iii) a falling ball rebound from 55% to 65%;
iv) an average stress at break from 0.55 MPa to 1.00 MPa; and
v) a Type C Tear from 5.0 N/mm to 15 N/mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sintered foam structure of claim 1, wherein the ionomer has a density from 0.948 g/cc to 0.962 g/cc.

### Claim 8

A foam bead formed from a composition comprising:
(A) an ionomer comprising, in polymerized form, ethylene, an unsaturated acid comonomer, and, optionally, an acrylate comonomer,
wherein the unsaturated acid comonomer is completely or partially neutralized with a neutralizing agent.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The foam bead of claim 8, wherein the ionomer has (i) a density from 0.948 g/cc to 0.962 g/cc, (ii) a melt flow rate from 0.5 g/10 min to 10 g/10 min, and (iii) a melting point from 55° C. to 70° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

An article comprising at least one component formed from the sintered foam structure of claim 1.