There are provided processes for recycling waste such as polystyrene thermoplastic polymer waste and/or polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer waste as well as recycled polystyrene thermoplastic polymer and/or recycled thermoplastic copolymer that may, for example, be obtained from such processes. The processes can comprise the use of a reducing agent.

The present invention relates to: a method of producing a structure having a recessed pattern; a resin composition; a method of forming an electroconductive film; an electronic circuit; and an electronic device. The method of producing a structure having a recessed pattern includes the following steps (i) and (ii), and the recessed pattern has a film thickness that is thinner by 5% to less than 90% with respect to that of a coating film obtained in the step (i): (i) the step of forming a coating film on a non-flat surface of a structure using a resin composition which includes an acid-dissociable group-containing polymer and an acid generator; and (ii) the step of forming a recess by subjecting a prescribed part of a portion of the coating film to irradiation with radiation.

The present invention relates to a composite film comprising a styrene copolymer layer (a), a metal layer (b), optionally a coloured layer (c), and a transparent polymer layer (d), wherein (b) is located between (a) and (d) and optionally (c) is located between (b) and (d). Moreover, the present invention refers to a method for producing a composite film and to the use of such composite film for laminating a surface or a part thereof. Finally, the present invention further relates to a product that is at least partly laminated by a composite film according to the present invention.

This invention relates to compositions comprising 1,2-dichloro-1,2-difluoroethylene (i.e., CFO-1112) and an additional component. The compositions described herein may be useful, for example, in foam blowing applications.

There is provided a method of producing a foamed molded product, including: plasticizing and melting a resin material containing a thermoplastic resin and a chemical foaming agent in a plasticizing cylinder in which a screw is provided, to provide a molten resin containing the chemical foaming agent; supplying a fluid with a fixed pressure into the plasticizing cylinder to pressurize the molten resin; and performing foam molding of the molten resin. The resin material contains 0.1 to 2% by weight of the chemical foaming agent.

In general, the present invention is directed to a continuous method of making a polymer foam by using a polymer having a first monomeric component and a second monomeric component. The method employs a tandem type extruder having a first extruder and a second extruder. The method disclosed herein can provide a foam having a desired cell size, cell density, porosity, foam density, and/or thermal conductivity, etc. In turn, the polymer foams produced according to the present method can have numerous applications, such as thermal insulation applications for appliances including ovens, freezers, refrigerators, etc.

Molded polymer foam articles are described as having a novel foam structure. The polymer foam articles include a continuous polymer matrix defining a plurality of pneumatoceles therein which is present throughout the entirety of the article. The surface region is further characterized as having compressed pneumatoceles. The novel foam structure is achieved even when molding polymer foam articles comprising a shape and volume wherein a sphere having a diameter between 2 cm and 1000 cm would fit within the article in at least one location without protruding from a surface of the article, and the article further has a total volume of more than 1000 cm.sup.3. Methods of making a stabilized molten polymer foam, and of making a molded polymer foam article using the stabilized molten polymer foam are also described.

Molded polymer foam articles are described as having a novel foam structure. The polymer foam articles include a continuous polymer matrix defining a plurality of pneumatoceles therein which is present throughout the entirety of the article. The surface region is further characterized as having compressed pneumatoceles. The novel foam structure is achieved even when molding polymer foam articles comprising a shape and volume wherein a sphere having a diameter between 2 cm and 1000 cm would fit within the article in at least one location without protruding from a surface of the article, and the article further has a total volume of more than 1000 cm.sup.3. Methods of making a stabilized molten polymer foam, and of making a molded polymer foam article using the stabilized molten polymer foam are also described.

A flame-retardant and abrasion-resistant composite is provided, and includes a nano-porous material and a polymer. The nano-porous material includes a plurality of powder having a particle size of less than 20 micrometers. A specific surface area of the powder is 50 to 3,000 m.sup.2/g. An amount of the powder is 50 parts per million to 30 wt %. The nano-porous material is dispersedly bound to the polymer and a limiting oxygen index of the composite is greater than or equal to 24%.

There are provided processes for recycling waste such as polystyrene thermoplastic polymer waste and/or polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer waste as well as recycled polystyrene thermoplastic polymer and/or recycled thermoplastic copolymer that may, for example, be obtained from such processes. The processes can comprise dissolving the waste in cymene, xylene or ethylbenzene or a suitable solvent, to obtain a mixture followed by heating the mixture under acidic conditions and then optionally neutral conditions in the presence of a reducing agent then cooling to obtain a supernatant comprising polystyrene thermoplastic polymer and/or polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer and a solid waste residue. The supernatant can optionally be treated with a filtration aid, then the supernatant can be contacted with a hydrocarbon polystyrene non-solvent under conditions to obtain precipitated polystyrene thermoplastic polymer and/or precipitated polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer which can be washed with additional hydrocarbon polystyrene non-solvent, and optionally dried and formed into polystyrene thermoplastic polymer pellets and/or polystyrene thermoplastic copolymer pellets.