Process for preparing a polymer mixture

Claim 2

A thermoplastic, elastomeric composition based on a polyalkene rubber and a polyalkene plastic, and consisting essentially of an intimate mixture of (a) 25-85% by weight of a substantially amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer, having an X-ray crystallinity of below 4% by weight, a differential scanning (d. sc.) crystallization temperature of +0° to about 50° C. and a tensile strength in unvulcanized condition of at least 10 kg/cm 2 , and (b) 15-75% by weight of an at least partially crystalline block copolymer of propene and ethene having an ethene content of between about 1 and 25% by weight and an X-ray crystallinity of at least 25% by weight.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1, wherein the ethene content of the crystalline block copolymer is between about 2.5 to about 15% by weight.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 1, wherein the substantially amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer has a maximum crystallinity of about 2.5% by weight.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 1, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer has an ethene content of between about 60 and about 80% by weight.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 1, wherein the ethene-α-alkene copolymer has a tensile strength of at least about 50 kg/cm 2 .

Claim 7

The composition of claim 1, containing from about 30% to 65% by weight of the crystalline propene-ethene block copolymer.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 1, characterized in that the crystalline block copolymer or propene and ethene has been prepared by initial propene polymerization of propene, followed by ethene polymerization.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 7, wherein additional propene is copolymerized with the ethene.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 1, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer is composed of ethene and propene.

Claim 11

The composition of claim 1, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer is composed of ethene, propene, and a non-conjugated diene co-monomer.

Claim 12

The composition of claim 10, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer is composed of ethene, propene, and at least one non-conjugated diene selected from the group of 1,4-hexadiene, dicyclopentadiene, ethylidene-norbornene, norbornadiene, and 1,5-hexadiene.

Claim 13

The composition of claim 1, wherein the Mooney (1+4) 125° C. value of the amorphous ethene-α-olefine copolymer ranges between 30 and 100.

Claim 14

The composition of claim 1, wherein the crystalline block copolymer has a melt index at 230° C. and 2.16 kg of between 0.1 and 20 dg/min.

Claim 15

The composition of claim 13, wherein said melt index is below about 10 decigrams per minute.

Claim 16

The composition of claim 1, further including 1-100 parts of carbon black incorporated per 100 parts of polymer mixture.

Claim 17

The composition of claim 1, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer has a dsc crystallization temperature of at least 0° C.

Claim 18

The composition of claim 16, wherein said dsc crystallization temperature is higher than about 4° C.

Claim 19

The composition of claim 1, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer has a heat of crystallization of at least about 6 cals/g.

Claim 20

The composition of claim 18, wherein said heat of crystallization is at least about 7 cals/gram.

Claim 21

The composition of claim 1, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene polymer initiates crystallization below about 50° C., as measured by means of DSC.

Claim 22

The composition of claim 1, further including in said mixture a polyethene homopolymer in an amount of up to 25% by weight of said block copolymer.

Claim 23

A process for forming a thermoplastic, elastomeric composition based on a polyalkene rubber and a polyalkene plastic, which comprises mixing a preformed first component consisting essentially of (a) 25-85% by weight of a substantially amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer, having an X-ray crystallinity of below 4% by weight, a differential scanning (d. sc.) crystallization temperature of +0° C. to about 50° C. and a tensile strength in unvulcanized condition of at least 10 kg/cm 2 , with a second preformed component consisting essentially of (b) 15-75% by weight of an at least partially crystalline block copolymer of propene and ethene having an ethene content of between about 1 and 25% by weight and an X-ray crystallinity of at least 25% by weight. by subjecting the components to shear forces at an elevated temperature between about 170° and about 200° C. form an intimate admixture of (a) and (b).

Claim 24

A process for forming a thermoplastic, elastomeric composition based on a polyalkene rubber and a polyalkene plastic, which comprises mixing a preformed first component consisting essentially of (a) 25-85% by weight of a substantially amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer, having an X-ray crystallinity of below 4% by weight, a differential scanning (d. sc.) crystallization temperature of +0° C. to about 50° C. and a tensile strength in unvulcanized condition of at least 10 kg/cm 2 , with a second preformed component consisting essentially of (b) 15-75% by weight of an at least partially crystalline block copolymer of propene and ethene having an ethene content of between about 1 and 25% by weight and an X-ray crystallinity of at least 25% by weight. by subjecting the components to shear forces at an elevated temperature between about 170° and about 200° C. form an intimate admixture of (a) and (b).

Claim 25

The process of claim 22, wherein the ethene content of the crystalline block copolymer is between about 2.5 to about 15% by weight.

Claim 26

The process of claim 22, wherein the substantially amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer has a maximum crystallinity of about 2.5% by weight.

Claim 27

The process of claim 22, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer has an ethene content of between about 60 and about 80% by weight.

Claim 28

The process of claim 22, wherein the ethene-α-alkene copolymer has a tensile strength of at least about 50 kg/cm 2 .

Claim 29

The process of claim 22, characterized in that the crystalline block copolymer of propene and ethene has been prepared by initial propene polymerization of propene, followed by ethene polymerization.

Claim 30

The process of claim 22, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer is composed of ethene, propene, and a non-conjugated diene co-monomer.

Claim 31

The process of claim 22, wherein the Mooney (1+4) 125° C. value of the amorphous ethene-α-olefine copolymer ranges between 30 and 100.

Claim 32

The process of claim 22, wherein the crystalline block copolymer has a melt index at 230° C. and 2.16 kg of between 0.1 and 20 dg/min.

Claim 33

The process of claim 30, wherein the amorphous ethene-α-alkene copolymer is composed of ethene, propene, and at least one non-conjugated diene selected from the group of 1,4-hexadiene, dicyclopentadiene, ethylidene-norbornene, norbornadiene, and 1,5-hexadiene.

Claim 34

The process of claim 22, further including 1-100 parts of carbon black incorporated per 100 parts of polymer mixture.

Claim 35

The process of claim 22, further including mixing in a polyethene homopolymer is an amount of up to 25% by weight of said block copolymer.