Composition with peroxides and process for avoiding scorching of ethylene polymer composition

Claim 2

A scorch resistance 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 selected from the group consisting of bis(tertiary-butylperoxy-isopropyl)benzene and 2,5-dimethyl2,5-di(tertiary butyl peroxy)hexane, and about 0.1 to 2.0 parts by weight of at least one hydroperoxide selected from the group consisting of cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, said composition having an efficiency factor of at least about 3 units above the efficiency factor of said composition in the absence of said hydroperoxide when said efficiency factor is determined on the basis of rheometer curves obtained from a Monsanto Rheometer at a cure temperature of 360° F., using a rheometer oscillation of 110 CPM and an arc of ±5°.

Claim 3

A composition as in claim 1 in which said ethylene polymer is a homopolymer.

Claim 4

A composition as in claim 1 in which said ethylene polymer is a copolymer of at least 30 weight percent of ethylene and up to about 70 weight percent of at least one other organic compound which is interpolymerizable therewith.

Claim 5

A composition as in claim 3 in which said ethylene polymer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 6

A composition as in claim 3 in which said ethylene polymer is an ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer.

Claim 7

A composition as in claim 1 in which said peroxide is bis(tertiary-butyl peroxy-isopropyl)benzene.

Claim 8

A composition as in claim 6 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 9

A composition as in claim 6 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 10

A composition as in claim 1 in which said peroxide is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(tertiary butyl peroxy) hexane.

Claim 11

A composition as in claim 9 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 12

A composition as in claim 9 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 13

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 percent, 100parts by weight of ethylene polymer, and about 0.1 to 5.0 to parts by weight of at least one peroxide selected from the group consisting of bis(tertiary-butyl peroxy-isopropyl)benzene and 2,5-dimethyl2,5-di(tertiary butyl peroxy)hexane, which comprises, admixing into said composition, prior to said processing, sufficient amounts of at least one hydroperoxide selected from the group consisting of cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide as to increase the efficiency factor of said compositions at least about 3 units when said efficiency factor is determined on the basis of rheometer curves obtained from a Monsanto Rheometer at a cure temperature of 360° F. using a rheometer oscillation of 110 CPM and an arc of ±5°, and vulcanizing the resulting composition.

Claim 14

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 percent, 100parts by weight of ethylene polymer, and about 0.1 to 5.0 to parts by weight of at least one peroxide selected from the group consisting of bis(tertiary-butyl peroxy-isopropyl)benzene and 2,5-dimethyl2,5-di(tertiary butyl peroxy)hexane, which comprises, admixing into said composition, prior to said processing, sufficient amounts of at least one hydroperoxide selected from the group consisting of cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide as to increase the efficiency factor of said compositions at least about 3 units when said efficiency factor is determined on the basis of rheometer curves obtained from a Monsanto Rheometer at a cure temperature of 360° F. using a rheometer oscillation of 110 CPM and an arc of ±5°, and vulcanizing the resulting composition.

Claim 15

A process as in claim 12 in which said ethylene polymer is a homopolymer.

Claim 16

A process as in claim 12 in which said ethylene polymer is a copolymer of at least 30 weight percent of ethylene and up to about 70 weight percent of at least one other organic compound which is interpolymerizable therewith.

Claim 17

A process as in claim 14 in which said ethylene polymer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 18

A process as in claim 14 in which said ethylene polymer is an ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer.

Claim 19

A process as in claim 12 in which said peroxide is bis(tertiary-butyl peroxy-isopropyl)benzene.

Claim 20

A process as in claim 17 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 21

A process as in claim 17 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 22

A process as in claim 12 in which said peroxide is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(tertiary butyl peroxy) hexane.

Claim 23

A process as in claim 20 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 24

A process as in claim 20 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 25

A composition as in claim 1 in which said ethylene polymer has a density of about 0.86 to 0.96.

Claim 26

A composition as in claim 23 in which about one part by weight of said hydroperoxide is used per 5 to 40 parts by weight of said peroxide.

Claim 27

A composition as in claim 24 which further comprises about 0.01 to 3.0 parts by weight of at least one antioxidant for said ethylene polymer.

Claim 28

A composition as in claim 25 in which said antioxidant comprises at least one sterically hindered phenol or polymerized 2,2,4-trimethyl dihydroquinoline.

Claim 29

A composition as in claim 25 in which said antioxidant comprises at least one sterically hindered phenol selected from the group consisting of 1,3,5-trimethyl-2,4,6-tris(3,5-ditertiary butyl-4-hydroxy benzyl)benzene, 1,3,5-tris(3,5-ditertiary butyl-4-hydroxy benzyl)-5-triazine-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)trione, tetrakis-[methylene-3-(3',5-ditertiary butyl-4'-hydroxy phenyl)-propionate]methane, and di(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-tertiary butyl phenyl) sulfide.

Claim 30

A composition as in claim 26 in which said peroxide is bis(tertiary-butyl peroxy-isopropyl)benzene.

Claim 31

A composition as in claim 28 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 32

A composition as in claim 28 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 33

A composition as in claim 27 in which said peroxide is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(tertiary butyl peroxy)hexane.

Claim 34

A composition as in claim 31 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 35

A composition as in claim 31 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 36

A process as in claim 12 in which said ethylene polymer has a density of about 0.86 to 0.96.

Claim 37

A process as in claim 34 in which about one part by weight of said hydroperoxide is used per 5 to 40 parts by weight of said peroxide.

Claim 38

A process as in claim 35 in which said composition further comprises about 0.01 to 3.0 parts by weight of at least one antioxidant for said ethylene polymer.

Claim 39

A process as in claim 36 in which said antioxidant comprises at least one sterically hindered phenol or polymerized 2,2,4-trimethyl dihydroquinoline.

Claim 40

A process as in claim 36 in which said antioxidant comprises at least one sterically hindered phenol selected from the group consisting of 1,3,5-trimethyl-2,4,6-tris(3,5-ditertiary butyl-4-hydroxy benzyl)benzene, 1,3,5-tris(3,5-ditertiary butyl-4-hydroxy benzyl)-5-triazine-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)trione, tetrakis-[methylene-3-(3',5-ditertiary butyl-4'-hydroxy phenyl)-propionate]methane, and di(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-tertiary butyl phenyl) sulfide.

Claim 41

A process as in claim 37 in which said peroxide is bis(tertiary-butyl peroxy-isopropyl)benzene.

Claim 42

A process as in claim 39 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 43

A process as in claim 39 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 44

A process as in claim 37 in which said peroxide is 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(tertiary butyl peroxy)hexane.

Claim 45

A process as in claim 42 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 46

A process as in claim 42 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.