Importance

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Abstract

The present invention relates to compressable polymeric foam materials useful as insulation. These polymeric foams are prepared by polymerization of certain water-in-oil emulsions having a relatively high ratio of water phase to oil phase, commonly known as 'HIPEs.' The polymeric foam materials comprise a generally hydrophobic, flexible or semi-flexible, nonionic polymeric foam structure of interconnected open-cells. The foam structures have: (a) a specific surface area per foam volume of at least about 0.01 m.sup.2 /cc; (b) an expanded density of less than about 0.05 g/cc; and (c) a ratio of expanded to compressed thickness of at least about 3:1; wherein when the foam is compressed to 33% of its original expanded thickness and is thereafter maintained without artificial restraint on its surface, said foam will reexpand by no more than 50% after 21 days at ambient temperature (22.degree. C.). In a preferred embodiment, the foams of the present invention, when heated to their Tg or higher, will reexpand to 90% of their original thickness within about 1 day or less. The invention also relates to a process for making the compressible polymeric foam material comprising polymerizing a water-in-oil emulsion having a volume to weight ratio of water phase to oil phase in the range of from about 20:1 to about 250:1.

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First Claim