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Co-Polymers of styrene and maleic anhydride have been around since the '40's. The addition of maleic anhydride to the polymer backbone has a two fold effect; firstly, it increases chain stiffness and secondly chain-chain interactions are increased. Both of these effects increase the glass transition temperature of the co-polymer. A production technology has been developed which enables to generate co-polymers containing a relatively high maleic anhydride content (typically up to 35 wt %) resulting in materials with glass transition temperatures up to 170 °C. A technology has been discovered and patented whereby these high maleic anhydride containing co-polymers can, under the influence of the right chemistry and temperatures (between 230 - 260 °C), release carbon dioxide which is then used as the blowing agent to generate low density (intrinsically blown) foams.