Abstract:
A method for producing expanded polypropylene resin particles wherein polypropylene resin particles impregnated with a physical blowing agent are heated along with an aqueous medium and a dispersant and are released and expanded at reduced pressure from the interior of a pressure-tight vessel, wherein the aforementioned aqueous medium has an electrical conductivity of from not less than 0.00 ms/m to not more than 20.00 mS/m. The resulting particles obtained are without inconsistencies caused by differences in the amount of dispersant adhering to the particles or the amount of dispersant added to prevent the particles from fusing together during the heat treatment step of the method.
Abstract:
A process for the production of expanded beads, including kneading a base resin containing a polypropylene resin and having a tensile modulus of at least 1,200 MPa together with a mixture of a coloring agent and a thermoplastic polymer having a tensile modulus lower than that of the base resin to form a kneaded mixture including a matrix of the base resin and a multiplicity of domains dispersed in the matrix and each containing the thermoplastic polymer and the coloring agent. The kneaded mixture is formed into resin particles, then treated with an organic peroxide to modify surfaces of the resin particles therewith. Foaming and expanding of the surface-modified resin particles gives expanded beads having an inside region surrounded by a surface region. The heat of fusion of a high temperature peak of the surface region is lower than that of the inside region.