Foams based on thermoplastic elastomers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11773231-B2
Application number	US-201917047166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2019
Priority date	Apr 20, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

The present invention relates to bead foams made of thermoplastic polyurethane and polystyrene produced moldings, to processes for the production of the bead foams and moldings, and also to the use of the moldings for shoe intermediate soles, shoe insoles, shoe combisoles, or cushioning elements for shoes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A molded body made of bead foam, the bead foam made of a composition (Z) comprising:
from 70 to 95% by weight of a thermoplastic polyurethane having a molecular weight Mw of 60,000 to 300,000 g/mol as determined by gel permeation chromatography as component I, and
from 5 to 30% by weight of a styrene polymer having a modulus of elasticity in tension of above 2,500 MPa according to DIN EN ISO 527-1/2, June 2012, as component II,
wherein the entirety of components I and II provides 100% by weight;
the molded body is at least one selected from the group consisting of an intermediate sole for a shoe, an insert for a shoe, and a cushioning element for a shoe and
a tensile strength of the molded body is above 600 kPa.

2. The molded body according to claim 1 , wherein the composition Z comprises
from 80 to 90% by weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane as component I, and
from 10 to 20% by weight of the styrene polymer as component II.

3. The molded body according to claim 1 , wherein the shoe is at least one selected from the group consisting of an outdoor shoe, a sports shoe, a sandal, a boot and a safety shoe.

4. The molded body according to claim 1 , wherein the elongation at break of the molded body is above 100%.

5. The molded body according to claim 1 , wherein the compressive stress of the molded body at 10% compression is above 15 kPa.

6. The molded body according to claim 1 , wherein the density of the molded body is from 75 to 375 kg/m 3 .

7. The molded body according to claim 1 , wherein the rebound resilience of the molded body is above 55%.

8. The molded body according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the density of the molded body to the bulk density of the bead foam is from 1.5 to 2.5.

9. A process for the production of a molded body according to claim 1 , comprising
introducing the bead foam into a mold, and
fusing the bead foam after the introducing.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the fusing is achieved in a closed mold.

11. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the fusing is achieved by means of at least one selected from the group consisting of steam, hot air, and high-energy radiation.

12. A shoe, comprising a molded body according to claim 1 .

13. A molded body comprising a bead foam, the bead foam comprising:
from 70 to 95% by weight of a thermoplastic polyurethane having a molecular weight Mw of 60,000 to 300,000 g/mol as determined by gel permeation chromatography as component I, and
from 5 to 30% by weight of a styrene polymer having a modulus of elasticity in tension of above 2,500 MPa according to DIN EN ISO 527-1/2, June 2012, as component II,
wherein the entirety of components I and II provides 100% by weight;
a tensile strength of the molded body is above 600 kPa, and
the molded body is a whole or a part of at least one selected from the group consisting of a shoe intermediate sole, a shoe insole, a shoe combisole, a cushioner for a shoe, a bicycle saddle, a bicycle tire, a damping element, a cushioning, a mattress, an underlay, a grip, a protective film, a component in the automobile interior sector, a component in the automobile exterior sector, a ball, a sport equipment, and a floorcovering.

14. The molded body according to claim 13 , which is a whole or a part of at least one selected from the group consisting of a shoe intermediate sole, a shoe insole, a shoe combisole, and a cushioner for a shoe,
wherein the shoe is at least one selected from the group consisting of an outdoor shoe, a sports shoe, a sandal, a boot, and a safety shoe.

Assignees

• Basf Se

Inventors

• Poeselt Elmar
• Gutmann Peter
• Rapp Florian Tobias
• Prissok Frank

Classifications

• C08J9/0061 Primary

  characterized by the use of several polymeric components · CPC title

• B29C48/40

  using two or more parallel screws {or at least two parallel non-intermeshing screws}, e.g. twin screw extruders · CPC title

• C08J9/18

  by impregnating polymer particles with the blowing agent · CPC title

• C08J9/24

  by surface fusion and bonding of particles to form voids, e.g. sintering (of expandable particles C08J9/232) · CPC title

• B29C2948/92704

  Temperature · CPC title