| abstract |
Cellular thermoplastic resin is made by the method and extrusion apparatus that is characterized by a compaction section where the resin is densified, a choke section where a barrier of the densified resin is formed that is substantially impervious to a gaseous blowing agent, and a mixing section where the particulate resin is mixed with a blowing agent and then melted before being extruded into a zone of lower pressure whereby the blowing agent expands to form the cellular product. By mixing the blowing agent with a solid rather than a molten resin, the resulting mixture can be melted at a substantially lower temperature. |