Claims
- 1. A solid molded article which comprises polymers obtained by bulk ring-opened polymerization of cycloolefin monomers having a norbornene functional group and having dispersed within these polymers expanded microspheres comprised of
- a synthetic thermoplastic resin shell having a softening point at a temperature below 180.degree. C. that encapsulates a liquid blowing agent when unexpanded, said synthetic thermoplastic shell being substantially impermeable to said liquid blowing agent.
- 2. A solid molded article as in claim 1 having at least two finished opposing surfaces with no voids.
- 3. A solid molded article as in claim 1 which is reinforced with a fiber mat wherein said fibers are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers and polyester fibers.
- 4. A solid molded article as in claim 1, wherein the blowing agent within the microspheres is selected from the group consisting of ethane, ethylene, propane, propene, butane, isobutane, neopentene, acetylene, hexane, heptane and mixtures thereof and the encapsulant is a synthetic resinous thermoplastic having a softening point within the range of 60.degree. to 120.degree. C.
- 5. A solid molded article as in claim 1 wherein unexpanded microspheres are present in a quantity ranging from 0.05 to 5.0 weight percent of the cycloolefin monomer charge used to form the solid molded article.
- 6. A solid molded article as in claim 5 wherein unexpanded microspheres are present in a quantity ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 weight percent of the cycloolefin monomer charge used to form the solid molded article.
- 7. A solid molded article as in claim 1 having a cross-sectional density gradient which corresponds to the cross-sectional temperature profile of the article during molding.
- 8. A solid molded article in accordance with claim 1 which is a foam comprising from 1.0 to 50.0 volume percent expanded microspheres.
- 9. A solid molded article as in claim 1 wherein the article is completely devoid of surfactant.
- 10. A solid molded article which comprises polymers obtained by bulk ring-opened polymerization of cycloolefin monomers having a norbornene functional group and having dispersed within these polymers unexpanded microspheres comprised of
- a synthetic thermoplastic resin shell having a softening point at a temperature below 180.degree. C. that encapsulates a liquid blowing agent when expanded, said synthetic thermoplastic shell being substantially impermeable to said liquid blowing agent.
- 11. A solid molded article as in claim 10 having at least two finished opposing surfaces with no voids.
- 12. A solid molded article as in claim 10 which is reinforced with a fiber mat wherein said fibers are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers and polyester fibers.
- 13. A solid molded article as in claim 10 wherein the blowing agent within the microspheres is selected from the group consisting of ethane, ethylene, propane, propene, butane, isobutane, neopentene, acetylene, hexane, heptane and mixtures thereof and the encapsulant is a synthetic resinous thermoplastic having a softening point within the range of 60.degree. to 120.degree. C.
- 14. A solid molded article as in claim 10 wherein expanded microspheres are present in a quantity ranging from 0.05 to 5.0 weight percent of the cycloolefin monomer charge used to form the solid molded article.
- 15. A solid molded article as in claim 14 wherein expanded microspheres are present in a quantity ranging from 0.02 to 1.0 weight percent of the cycloolefin monomer charge used to form the solid molded article.
- 16. A solid molded article as in claim 14 wherein the expanded microspheres are present in a quantity ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 weight percent of the cycloolefin monomer charge used to form the solid molded article.
- 17. A solid molded article as in claim 10 having a cross-sectional density gradient which corresponds to the cross-sectional temperature profile of the article during molding.
- 18. A solid molded article in accordance with claim 10 which is a foam.
- 19. A solid molded article as in claim 10 wherein the article is completely devoid of surfactant.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 07/425,610 filed Oct. 23, 1989 (now abandoned) which is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 304,215 filed Jan. 31, 1989 now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 212,703 filed June 28, 1988 (now abandoned).
US Referenced Citations (30)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
5998564 |
Jun 1984 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (9)
Entry |
Pierce & Stevens Industrial Group Product Information Publications Microlite 126 and Microlite 105. |
Pierce & Stevens Industrial Group Product Information Publication Miralite 177. |
Pierce & Stevens Industrial Group Product Information Publication |
Expancel Product Information Bulletin. |
Expancel Product Specification Publication . |
Pierce & Stevens Industrial Group Product Information Publication (4-84). |
The Society of Plastics Industry, Inc. "Organic Microspheres for Supertough Syntactic Foams", Melber et al., (1-16-84). |
Expancel publication (2-27-85). |
Expancel Product Program Publication. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
304215 |
Jan 1989 |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
425610 |
Oct 1989 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
212703 |
Jun 1988 |
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