Composition with selected vinyl compounds and process for avoiding scorching of ethylene polymer composition

Claim 2

A scorch resistant vulcanizable composition comprising, in weight ratio, 100 parts by weight of ethylene polymer, about 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of at least one peroxide compound which has a decomposition half-life of about 0.5 to 4.5 minutes at 160° to 200°C. and has the structure ##EQU10## wherein R is a C 2 to C 12 divalent hydrocarbon radical, R' and R" are the same or different C 1 to C 12 monovalent hydrocarbon radicals, and n is a whole number of 0 or 1, and about 0.2 to 5 parts by weight of at least one vinyl compound which has the structure ##EQU11## wherein R'" is a C 1 to C 3 hydrocarbon radical, A is an unsubstituted phenyl radical, a phenyl radical substituted with 1 to 5 C 1 to C 6 hydrocarbon radicals, or ##EQU12## wherein R o is a C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbon radical, with the proviso that the R'" and R o radicals and the phenyl substituents are devoid of allyl or vinyl unsaturation.

Claim 3

A composition as in claim 1 in which n = 0.

Claim 4

A composition as in claim 2 in which R'=R".

Claim 5

A composition as in claim 3 in which R' and R" are phenyl radicals.

Claim 6

A composition as in claim 3 in which R' and R" are methyl radicals.

Claim 7

A composition as in claim 1 in which n = 1.

Claim 8

A composition as in claim 6 in which R' = R".

Claim 9

A composition as in claim 7 in which R is an aromatic radical.

Claim 10

A composition as in claim 8 in which R is phenylene.

Claim 11

A composition as in claim 9 in which R' and R" are methyl radicals.

Claim 12

A composition as in claim 7 in which R is a C 2 to C 4 linear hydrocarbon radical.

Claim 13

A composition as in claim 11 in which R' and R" are methyl radicals.

Claim 14

A composition as in claim 1 in which A comprises a phenyl radical.

Claim 15

A composition as in claim 13 in which said vinyl compound is α-methyl styrene.

Claim 16

A composition as in claim 1 in which A is ##EQU13##

Claim 17

A composition as in claim 15 in which said vinyl compound is lauryl methacrylate.

Claim 18

A process for preventing the scorching of a vulcanizable composition which is susceptible to scorching during the processing thereof at temperatures of about 120° to 160°C. prior to the intended vulcanization thereof, said composition comprising, in weight ratio, 100 parts by weight of ethylene polymer, and about 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of at least one peroxide compound which has a decomposition half-life of about 0.5 to 4.5 minutes at 160 to 200°C. and has the structure ##EQU14## wherein R is a C 2 to C 12 divalent hydrocarbon radical, R' and R" are the same or different C 1 to C 12 monovalent hydrocarbon radicals, and n is a whole number of 0 or 1, which comprises admixing into said composition, prior to said processing, about 0.2 to 5 parts by weight of at least one vinyl compound which has the structure ##EQU15## wherein R'" is a C 1 to C 3 hydrocarbon radical, A is an unsubstituted phenyl radical, a phenyl radical substituted with 1 to 5 C 1 -C 6 hydrocarbon radicals, or ##EQU16## wherein R o is a C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbon radical, with the proviso that the R'" and R o radicals and the phenyl substituents are devoid of allyl or vinyl unsaturation, and then processing and vulcanizing said composition.

Claim 19

A process for preventing the scorching of a vulcanizable composition which is susceptible to scorching during the processing thereof at temperatures of about 120° to 160°C. prior to the intended vulcanization thereof, said composition comprising, in weight ratio, 100 parts by weight of ethylene polymer, and about 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of at least one peroxide compound which has a decomposition half-life of about 0.5 to 4.5 minutes at 160 to 200°C. and has the structure ##EQU14## wherein R is a C 2 to C 12 divalent hydrocarbon radical, R' and R" are the same or different C 1 to C 12 monovalent hydrocarbon radicals, and n is a whole number of 0 or 1, which comprises admixing into said composition, prior to said processing, about 0.2 to 5 parts by weight of at least one vinyl compound which has the structure ##EQU15## wherein R'" is a C 1 to C 3 hydrocarbon radical, A is an unsubstituted phenyl radical, a phenyl radical substituted with 1 to 5 C 1 -C 6 hydrocarbon radicals, or ##EQU16## wherein R o is a C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbon radical, with the proviso that the R'" and R o radicals and the phenyl substituents are devoid of allyl or vinyl unsaturation, and then processing and vulcanizing said composition.

Claim 20

A process as in claim 17 in which A comprises a phenyl radical.

Claim 21

A process as in claim 18 in which said vinyl compound is α-methyl styrene.

Claim 22

A process as in claim 17 in which A is ##EQU17##

Claim 23

A process as in claim 20 in which said vinyl compound is lauryl methacrylate.

Claim 24

A vulcanized composition prepared by the process of claim 17.

Claim 25

Electric wire or cable insulated with a vulcanized composition prepared by the process of claim 17.

Claim 26

The composition of claim 1 in vulcanized form.

Claim 27

Electric wire or cable insulated with the composition of claim 1 in vulcanized form.

Claim 28

A scorch resistant vulcanizable composition comprising ethylene polymer, crosslinking effective amounts for said ethylene polymer of at least one peroxide compound in which each oxygen atom of each peroxide group is directly bonded to a tertiary carbon atom whose remaining valences are attached to hydrocarbon radicals selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkyl cycloalkyl, aryl and aralkyl, and 0.2 to 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of said ethylene polymer, of at least one vinyl compound which has the structure ##EQU18## wherein R'" is a C 1 to C 3 hydrocarbon radical, A is an unsubstituted phenyl radical, a phenyl radical substituted with 1 to 5 C 1 to C 6 hydrocarbon radicals, or ##EQU19## wherein R o is a C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbon radical, with the proviso that the R'" and R o radicals, and the phenyl substituents are devoid of allyl or vinyl unsaturation.

Claim 29

A scorch resistant vulcanizable composition comprising ethylene polymer, crosslinking effective amounts for said ethylene polymer of at least one peroxide compound in which each oxygen atom of each peroxide group is directly bonded to a tertiary carbon atom whose remaining valences are attached to hydrocarbon radicals selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkyl cycloalkyl, aryl and aralkyl, and 0.2 to 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of said ethylene polymer, of at least one vinyl compound which has the structure ##EQU18## wherein R'" is a C 1 to C 3 hydrocarbon radical, A is an unsubstituted phenyl radical, a phenyl radical substituted with 1 to 5 C 1 to C 6 hydrocarbon radicals, or ##EQU19## wherein R o is a C 4 to C 20 hydrocarbon radical, with the proviso that the R'" and R o radicals, and the phenyl substituents are devoid of allyl or vinyl unsaturation.

Claim 30

A composition as in claim 26 in which said peroxide compound comprises dicumyl peroxide.

Claim 31

A composition as in claim 27 in which said vinyl compound comprises lauryl methacrylate.

Claim 32

A composition as in claim 27 in which said vinyl compound comprises α-methyl styrene.

Claim 33

A composition as in claim 27 in which said vinyl compound comprises n-butyl methacrylate.

Claim 34

A composition as in claim 26 in which said peroxide compound comprises α,α'-bis (tertiary butyl peroxy diisopropyl) benzene.

Claim 35

A composition as in claim 31 in which said vinyl compound comprises lauryl methacrylate.