Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser – Synthetic resins – Processes of preparing a desired or intentional composition...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-09
2001-07-31
Mulcahy, Peter D. (Department: 1713)
Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser
Synthetic resins
Processes of preparing a desired or intentional composition...
C523S209000, C523S215000, C523S216000, C524S220000, C524S495000, C524S496000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06268407
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a filler material, a chemical compound and a polymer. A preferred filler material comprises carbon black and preferred polymers include ethylene-containing polymers such as ethylene-propylene copolymer or ethylene-propylene terpolymers. The present invention also relates to articles of manufacture incorporating the compositions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Polymer compositions are utilized in a variety of applications, including so-called “industrial rubber applications”. Industrial rubber applications include hoses, belts, electrical cable insulation, automotive and industrial weatherstripping, profiles, molded parts and the like. Many articles for industrial rubber applications are produced through extrusion techniques, i.e. the polymer composition is extruded through a die then cooled or chemically hardened.
Fillers are often utilized in polymer compositions to impart desirable characteristics such as reinforcement, pigmentation and/or conductivity to the polymer compositions. Carbon blacks have been widely utilized as fillers and reinforcing pigments in the compounding and preparation of polymer compositions. Carbon blacks are generally characterized on the basis of one or more of their properties including, but not limited to, their surface areas, surface chemistry, aggregate sizes, and particle sizes. The properties of carbon blacks are analytically determined by tests known to the art, including iodine number (I
2
No.) and dibutyl phthalate adsorption (DBP).
The dispersion properties (dispersibility) of a filler are relevant to the use of fillers in polymer compositions. It is generally advantageous to have fillers which are easily dispersible in polymer compositions.
Many types of polymer compositions are cured using an UHF microwave curing process. UHF microwave curing is becoming increasingly important due to its high curing efficiency and other desirable attributes. As understood in the art, UHF microwave curing refers to a curing process utilizing ultra high frequency microwaves (from about 300 to 3000 megahertz (megacycles per second or “MHz”)). Polymer compositions that are more receptive to UHF microwave curing have a faster heating rate and thus are advantageous for processing the material.
Generally, polymer compositions incorporating high surface area carbon blacks are more receptive to UHF microwave curing. However, high surface area carbon blacks are often difficult to disperse in polymer compositions. It would be advantageous to have a carbon black composition which is easily dispersible in polymer compositions and/or which imparts increased UHF receptivity to the polymer composition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides compositions and articles of manufacture which achieve the advantages set forth above as well as other advantages.
The present invention provides a composition comprising:
an ethylene containing polymer;
50 to 250 parts by weight a filler material, per 100 parts by weight ethylene containing polymer (50 to 250 phr); and
0.05 to 50 parts by weight of a chemical compound, per 100 parts by weight ethylene containing polymer (0.05 to 50 phr), the chemical compound having the structure A-B-[(C)
y
]
x
-D wherein:
A comprises one or more of the following: hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group; or an alkyl aryl group;
B is a bridging group between A and C comprising one or more of the following: ether, a carboxylic acid, a 1,2-dicarboxylic acid derived from an anhydride, an amine, an amide, a sulfate, a sulphonate, a phosphate, a phosphate, or a carboxylic ester of a polyhydric alcohol containing 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups;
C comprises an ethylene oxide repeating unit;
D comprises one or more the following: hydrogen, an alkyl group, an alkali or an alkaline earth metal;
y is 0 to 200 and
x=1, 2, 3, 4 or 5
The composition may further comprise: 0 to 200 parts by weight an oil, per 100 part by weight of ethylene containing polymer (0 to 200 phr).
The present invention also includes an article of manufacture produced utilizing the composition of the present invention. The article of manufacture may comprise an extruded article, including a profile, tube, tape or film; a hose; a belt; or a molded article.
In accordance with one aspect of the composition of the present invention, the composition is receptive to UHF microwave curing.
In accordance with another aspect of the composition of the present invention, the filler material may be easily dispersed in the composition during its preparation.
The articles of manufacture of the present invention are advantageous for similar reasons.
Further details and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the following more detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a composition comprises:
an ethylene containing polymer;
50 to 250 parts by weight a filler material, per 100 parts by weight ethylene containing polymer (50 to 250 phr); and
0.05 to 50 parts by weight a chemical compound, per 100 parts by weight ethylene containing polymer (0.05 to 50 phr) the chemical compound having the structure A-B-[(C)
y
]
x
-D wherein:
A comprises one or more of the following: hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group; or an alkyl aryl group, preferably an alkyl group, more preferably an alkyl group with 8 to 65 carbon atoms;
B is a bridging group between A and C comprising one or more of the following: ether, a carboxylic acid, a 1,2-dicarboxylic acid derived from an anhydride, an amine, an amide, a sulfate, a sulphonate, a phosphate, a phosphate, or a carboxylic ester of a polyhydric alcohol containing 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups;
C comprises an ethylene oxide repeating unit;
D comprises one or more the following: hydrogen, an alkyl group, an alkali or an alkaline earth metal; preferably hydrogen or, if an alkyl group preferably methyl, or if an alkali or alkaline earth metal preferably sodium or potassium;
y is 0 to 200, preferably 5 to 40 and
x=1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, preferably
if B comprises an ether, a carboxylic acid, a sulphate or a sulphonate then x=1;
if B comprises an amine, amide or a phosphate then x=2;
if B comprises a 1,2-dicarboxylic acid then x=1 or 2;
if B comprises an ester of a polyhydric alcohol containing 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups x=1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
The composition may further comprise: 0 to 200 parts by weight an oil, per 100 part by weight of ethylene containing polymer (0 to 200 phr).
Preferred chemical compounds comprise: fatty alcohol ethoxylates, fatty acid ethoxylates, fatty amine ethoxylates, fatty amide ethoxylates, glycerol and sorbitan ester ethoxylates.
Examples of ethylene containing polymers suitable for use in the composition of the present invention include, but are not limited to: homo, co or terpolymers and graft polymers of ethylene where the co-monomers are selected from butene, hexene, propene, octene, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, esters of acrylic acid, esters of methacrylic acid, maleic anhydride, half ester of maleic anhydride, and carbon monoxide. Preferably the ethylene containing polymer comprises: an ethylene-propylene copolymer or an ethylene-propylene terpolymer. More preferably, the ethylene containing polymer comprises ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).
Suitable filler materials for use in the composition of the present invention include, but are not limited to, carbonaceous filler materials such as carbon black and graphite, composites comprising carbon black and metal oxide (e.g. silica) and blends including such carbonaceous filler materials.
Suitable oils include, but are not limited to: aromatic oils, naphthenic oils, hydrogenated naphthenic oils, paraffinic oils and vegetable oils.
The composition of the present invention may include other conventional additives such as coagents, additional filler materials, processing additives, hydrocarbon oils, stabilizers, accelerators, antioxidants, curing agents, vinyl silane and the like.
In an embod
Al Theo
Longuet Michel
Smith Michael
Whitehouse Robert S.
Cabot Corporation
Mulcahy Peter D.
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