VERFAHREN ZUR HERSTELLUNG VON THERMOPLASTISCHEN VULKANISATEN

• Main Authors: HO, THOI, H, DRUMRIGHT, RAY, E, TERBRUEGGEN, ROBERT, H
• Format: Patent
• Language: German
• Published: 15.02.2006
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; USE OF INORGANIC OR NON-MACROMOLECULAR ORGANIC SUBSTANCES ASCOMPOUNDING INGREDIENTS

This invention includes a process for forming a thermoplastic vulcanizate comprising: (a) admixing a C-H insertion curing agent with at least one elastomeric phase polymer to form a first admixture; (b) admixing at least one non-elastomeric polyolefin with the first admixture to form a second admixture; and (c) heating the second admixture to a temperature at least the decomposition temperature of the curing agent to crosslink the elastomeric phase while mixing the admixture to an extent sufficient to result in the formation of a thermoplastic material, hereinafter referred to as a thermoplastic vulcanizate, and optionally including an additional step (d) of shaping the resulting thermoplastic vulcanizate, especially by heating and foaming or molding the TPV. The C-H insertion curing agent is preferably selected from alkyl and aryl azides (R-N3), acyl azides (R-C(O)N3), azidoformates (R-O-C(O)-N3), sulfonyl azides (R-SO2-N3), phosphoryl azides ((RO)2-(PO)-N3), phosphinic azides (R2-P(O)-N3) and silyl azides (R3-Si-N3), with poly(sulfonyl azide) most preferred. Additionally, the invention includes a thermoplastic vulcanizate comprising a blend of: (1) an elastomeric phase crosslinked using a C-H insertion curing agent dispersed in; (2) at least one non-elastomeric thermoplastic polyolefin. The invention also includes a foamable composition comprising (1) an elastomeric phase crosslinked using a C-H insertion curing agent dispersed in; (2) at least one non-elastomeric thermoplastic polyolefin; and (3) from about 0.1 to about 25 percent by weight based on the combined weight of components (1) and (2) of at least one foaming agent as well as a fabricated part, cable jacket, cable insulation, or foam comprising the thermoplastic vulcanizate or the invention or resulting from the process of the invention.