FOAM OF URETHANE-BASED THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER COMPOSITION AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE FOAM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foam excellent in permanent elongation, hysteresis, cell uniformity, and heat resistance; a method for producing the foam; and a molded article and a laminated article obtained from the foam. SOLUTION: The method of the present invention for producing a urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer composition foam comprises the steps of: adding and mixing 0.1 to 30 parts by weight of carbon dioxide (B) to 100 parts by weight of a urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer composition (A) in a molten state, in which the urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer composition comprises a urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer (A-1) and other thermoplastic elastomer (A-2) in an (A-1)/(A-2) ratio of 20/80 to 99/1 by weight, to form a molten urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer composition (C) (gas dissolving step); and lowering a temperature of the molten urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer composition (C) (cooling step). The present invention can be used for producing the urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer foam of stable quality over a range from a low foamed product to a highly foamed product. A foam excellent in flexibility, thermal insulation and surface appearance can be also produced. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT