A water curable silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer, a process for its production and products made therefrom

Claim 2

A process for preparing a water-curable silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer which process comprises reacting an alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer with a silane having the following formula: wherein X is OH, SH, NH 2 or , wherein R therein is or C 1 to C 18 alkyl; R 1 is independently hydrogen or C 1 to C 18 alkyl; a is an integer of 1 to 18; Y is independently hydrogen, a hydrocarbon radical of 1 to 18 carbon atoms or C 1 to C 18 alkoxy, with the proviso that at least one of Y is other than hydrogen, said reaction being carried out at a temperature of from 25°C up to the volatility temperature of the silane, in the presence of a catalytic amount of organo titanate catalyst.

Claim 3

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer is C 2 to C 3 alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer.

Claim 4

A process as claimed in claim 2 wherein the alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer is ethylene ethyl acrylate copolymer.

Claim 5

A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the silane is of the following formula: wherein X is OH, SH, NH 2 or wherein R therein is or C 1 to C18 alkyl; R 1 is independently hydrogen or C 1 to C18 alkyl; a is an integer of 1 to 18; and R 2 is C 1 to C 8 alkoxy.

Claim 6

A process as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the temperature is from 140° to 225°C.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the temperature is from 155° to 225°C.

Claim 8

A process as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6 wherein the organotitanate catalyst is of the formula: wherein R7 is independently C 1 to C 20 alkyl.

Claim 9

A process as claimed in claim 7 wherein R 7 is independently C 1 to C 8 alkyl.

Claim 10

A process as claimed in claim 8 wherein the organotitanate catalyst is tetraisopropyl titanate.

Claim 11

A process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the water-curable silane modified alkyyene alkylacrylate copolymer produced is thereafter exposed to moisture.

Claim 12

A process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the copolymer produced is exposed to moisture in the presence of a silanol condensation catalyst.

Claim 13

A water-curable silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer when prepared by a process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

Claim 14

A cured silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer when prepared by a process as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11.

Claim 15

A silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer comprising: alpha olefin units having the formula: wherein A is hydrogen or an alkyl radical of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, said alpha olefin units being present in said copolymer to the extent of at least 50 mol percent; at least 0.1 mol percent polymerized units containing the radical of the formula: wherein C 1 is a carbon atom in the main polymer chain; B is a radical selected from -O-, -S; Q is a divalent radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, bonded through carbon atoms to B and D; D is a silicon containing radical of the formula: wherein V is selcted from hydrogen and hydrocarbon radicals of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and a hydrolyzable group; Z is a hydrolyzable group; and polymerized units having the formula: wherein C 1 is a carbon atom in the main polymer chain and W is an alkoxy radical of 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

Claim 16

A silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer comprising: alpha olefin units having the formula: wherein A is hydrogen or an alkyl radical of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, said alpha olefin units being present in said copolymer to the extent of at least 50 mol percent; at least 0.1 mol percent polymerized units containing the radical of the formula: wherein C 1 is a carbon atom in the main polymer chain; B is a radical selected from -O-, -S; Q is a divalent radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, bonded through carbon atoms to B and D; D is a silicon containing radical of the formula: wherein V is selcted from hydrogen and hydrocarbon radicals of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and a hydrolyzable group; Z is a hydrolyzable group; and polymerized units having the formula: wherein C 1 is a carbon atom in the main polymer chain and W is an alkoxy radical of 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

Claim 17

Electrical wire or cable when insulated with a water-curable silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer as claimed in clakm 12 or claim 14.

Claim 18

A pipe when extruded from a silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer as claimed in claim 12 or claim 14.

Claim 19

A moulding, coating, adhesive or film when made from a silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer as claimed in claim 12 or claim 14.