Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A process for reshaping a sulfonated elastomeric article from a sulfonated elastomeric blend composition, which includes a neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer having about 10 to about 50 meq. metal sulfonate groups/100 grams of said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer and about 2 to about 40 parts by weight of a non-volatile preferential plasticizer per 100 parts by weight of said neutralized sulfonated elstomeric polymer, said process comprising the steps of: (a) applying sufficient pressure at room temperature to said sulfonated elastomeric article in its original shape so as to deform said sulfonated elastomeric article into a distorted or compressed shape; (b) heating said sulfonated elastomeric article in said distorted or compressed shape to a temperature of about 50° C. to about 160° C. under said pressure and maintaining said sulfonated elastomeric article in said distorted or compressed shape at about 50° C. to about 160° C. for at least about 1 minute; (c) cooling said heated sulfonated elastomeric article in such distorted or compressed shape from about 50° C. to about 160° C. to room temperature; and (d) removing said pressure at room temperature from said sulfonated elastomeric article in said distorted or compressed shape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
A process for reshaping a sulfonated elastomeric article from a sulfonated elastomeric blend composition, which includes a neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer having about 10 to about 50 meq. metal sulfonate groups/100 grams of said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer and about 2 to about 40 parts by weight of a non-volatile preferential plasticizer per 100 parts by weight of said neutralized sulfonated elstomeric polymer, said process comprising the steps of: (a) applying sufficient pressure at room temperature to said sulfonated elastomeric article in its original shape so as to deform said sulfonated elastomeric article into a distorted or compressed shape; (b) heating said sulfonated elastomeric article in said distorted or compressed shape to a temperature of about 50° C. to about 160° C. under said pressure and maintaining said sulfonated elastomeric article in said distorted or compressed shape at about 50° C. to about 160° C. for at least about 1 minute; (c) cooling said heated sulfonated elastomeric article in such distorted or compressed shape from about 50° C. to about 160° C. to room temperature; and (d) removing said pressure at room temperature from said sulfonated elastomeric article in said distorted or compressed shape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process according to claim 1 further including the reshaping of said sulfonated elastomeric article of said distorted or compressed shape to such original shape which comprises the additional steps of: (a) heating said cooled sulfonated elastomeric article in said distorted or compressed state to a temperature of about 60° C. to about 180° C. for at least about 2 minutes thereby causing said sulfonated elastomeric article in said distorted or compressed state to recover towards said original shape of said sulfonated elastomeric article; and (b) cooling said sulfonated elastomeric article to room temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said composition further includes a non-polar process oil having less than 2 wt. % polar type compounds and/or fillers and mixtures thereof, said filler being selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, talc and calcium carbonate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process according to claim 3, further including a chemical additive at a concentration level of about 0 to about 100 parts per hundred by weight based on 100 parts of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer, said chemical additive being selected from the group consisting of pigments, thermoplastics, and lubricants and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said nonvolatile polar plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of C 14 to C 26 long chain aliphatic acids, metallic salts of said long chain aliphatic acids, amides, ureas, amines and thioureas, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said sulfonated elastomeric polymer is formed from an EPDM terpolymer or Butyl rubber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
121 words
The product prepared by the process of claim 1, wherein said product contains at least 8 parts by weight of a non-volatile preferential plasticizer per 100 parts by weight of said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer, said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer having about 10 to about 60 meq. of metal neutralized sulfonate groups per 100 grams of said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer, said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer being formed from an EPDM terpolymer having a Mooney viscosity (ML 1+8, 212° F.) of about 10 to about 50, said preferential plasticizer being selected from the group consisting of long chain aliphatic acids having about 12 to about 40 carbon atoms, metallic salts of said long chain aliphatic acids and amides and mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said article is a bulk density article.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
121 words
The product prepared by the process of claim 6, wherein said product contains at least 8 parts by weight of a non-volatile preferential plasticizer per 100 parts by weight of said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer, said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer having about 10 to about 60 meq. of metal neutralized sulfonate groups per 100 grams of said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer, said neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer being formed from an EPDM terpolymer haing a Mooney viscosity (ML 1+8, 212° F.) of about 10 to about 50, said preferential plasticizer being selected from the group consisting of long chain aliphatic acids having about 12 to about 40 carbon atoms, metallic salts of said long chain aliphatic acids and amides and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein said composition further includes an oil or fillers and mixtures thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process according to claim 10, further including a chemical additive at a concentration level of less than about 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer, said chemical additive being selected from the group consisting of pigments, thermoplastics, and lubricants and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein said nonvolatile polar plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of C 14 to C 26 long chain aliphatic acids, metallic salts of said long chain aliphatic acids, amides, ureas, amines and thioureas, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein said sulfonated elastomeric polymer is formed from an EPDM terpolymer or Butyl rubber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein said article is a foamed article.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 2, wherein said article is a bulk density article.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 1, further including the additional step of storing at about ambient temperature said distorted article prior to heating said distorted article to said second elevated temperture.