EXPANDABLE MATERIAL

1 - 24 . (canceled)

25 . A method of providing baffling or sealing to an article of manufacture, comprising:

intermixing ingredients to form an expandable material, the ingredients including a curing, a blowing agent and an acetate, an acrylate or both;

applying the expandable material to a structure of the article of manufacture; and

activating the expandable material to expand and form a foam, the foam having a volume that is at least 1500% greater than the volume of the expandable material in an unexpanded state;

wherein the foam provides sealing, baffling or both to the structure of the article of manufacture.

26 . A method as in claim 25 wherein the expandable material is activated upon exposure to an elevated temperature and the expandable material expands to a volume that is at least 2000% greater than the volume of the expandable material in an unexpanded state.

27 . A method as in claim 25 wherein the curing agent includes a peroxide curing agent having an activation temperature between about 60° C. and about 110° C.

28 . A method as in claim 25 wherein the expandable material include one or more fillers and the one or more fillers include a fibrous filler material.

29 . A method as in claim 25 wherein the acrylate, the acetate or both are part of a polymeric admixture that is at least about 40% by weight of the expandable material and wherein the acrylate comprises about 20% to about 95% of the polymeric admixture and the acetate comprises about 5% to about 50% of the polymeric admixture.

30 . A method as in claim 25 wherein the expandable material includes EVA and oxide and the blowing agent includes 4,4 i -oxy-bis-(benzenesulphonylhydrazide), azodicarbonamide or both.

31 . A method as in claim 30 wherein the oxide includes a metal oxide.

32 . A method as in claim 25 wherein the expandable material includes up to about 20% by weight epoxy resin.

33 . A method as in claim 25 wherein the blowing agent, blowing agent accelerator or both are at least 5.5% by weight of the expandable material.

34 . A method as in claim 25 wherein the blowing agent, blowing agent accelerator or both are at least 8.0% by weight of the expandable material.

35 . A method of providing baffling to an automotive vehicle, comprising:

intermixing ingredients to form an expandable material, the ingredients including curing agent, blowing agent and an acetate, an acrylate or both;

applying the expandable material to a structure of the article of manufacture such that the material is within a cavity defined by the automotive vehicle; and

activating the expandable material to expand and form a foam, the foam having a volume that is at least 2000% greater than the volume of the expandable material in an unexpanded state;

wherein:

i. the foam provides baffling or both to the structure of the automotive vehicle;

ii. the expandable material is activated upon exposure to temperatures encountered in a coating operation of automotive assembly.

36 . A method as in claim 35 wherein the expandable material expands to a volume that is at least 3000% greater than the volume of the expandable material in an unexpanded state.

37 . A method as in claim 35 wherein the curing agent includes at least one curing agent having an activation temperature between about 60° C. and about 110° C.

38 . A method as in claim 35 wherein the expandable material includes one or more fillers and the one or more fillers include a fibrous filler material.

39 . A method as in claim 35 wherein the acrylate, the acetate or both are part of a polymeric admixture that is at least about 40% by weight of the expandable material and wherein the acrylate comprises about 20% to about 95% of the polymeric admixture and the acetate comprises about 5% to about 50% of the polymeric admixture.

40 . A method as in claim 35 wherein the expandable material includes up to about 20% by weight epoxy resin.

41 . A method as in claim 35 wherein the blowing agent, blowing agent accelerator or both are at least 5.5% by weight of the expandable material.

42 . A method as in claim 35 wherein the blowing agent, blowing agent accelerator or both are at least 8.0% by weight of the expandable material.

43 . A method of providing baffling to an automotive vehicle, comprising:

intermixing ingredients to form an expandable material, the ingredients including curing agent, blowing agent, fiber and EMA, EVA or both wherein the curing agent includes a peroxide wherein the blowing agent, blowing agent accelerator or both are at least 5.5% by weight of the expandable material;

applying the expandable material to a structure of the article of manufacture such that the material is within a cavity defined by the automotive vehicle; and

activating the expandable material to expand and form a foam, the foam having a volume that is at least 2000% greater than the volume of the expandable material in an unexpanded state;

wherein:

i. the foam provides baffling or both to the structure of the automotive vehicle;

ii. the expandable material is activated at temperatures encountered in a coating operation during automotive assembly; and

iii. the expandable material includes up to about 20% by weight epoxy resin.

44 . A method as in claim 43 wherein the expandable material includes a fibrous filler material.