Water-curable silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer and a process for its production

Claim 2

A process for preparing a water-curable silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer which comprises reacting an alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer with a silane characterized by the following formula: X--CH.sub.2).sub.a SiY.sub.3 wherein X is SH, NH 2 or ##STR16## wherein R therein is ##STR17## 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, C 1 to C 18 alkoxy or --O--CH 2 ) a O--CH 2 ) a H, with the proviso that at least one of Y is other than hydrogen or hydrocarbon, said reaction being carried out at a temperature between about 25° C. and the volatility temperature of the silane, in the presence of a catalytic amount of organo titanate catalyst.

Claim 3

A process as in claim 1 wherein the alkylene portion of the alkylacrylate copolymer contains 2 to 3 carbon atoms.

Claim 4

A process as in claim 2 wherein the alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer is ethylene ethylacrylate copolymer.

Claim 5

A process as in claim 2 wherein the alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer is ethylene butylacrylate copolymer.

Claim 6

A process as in claim 1 wherein the silane is of the following formula: X--CH.sub.2).sub.a Si(OR.sub.2).sub.3 wherein X is SH, NH 2 or ##STR18## wherein R therein is ##STR19## 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; R 2 is C 1 to C 8 alkyl.

Claim 7

A process as in claim 1 wherein Y is --O--CH 2 ) a O--CH 2 ) a H wherein a is 1 to 18.

Claim 8

A process as in claim 1 wherein the temperature is between about 140° and 225° C.

Claim 9

A process as in claim 7 wherein the temperature is between 155° and 225° C.

Claim 10

A process as in claim 1 carried out at atmospheric pressure.

Claim 11

A process as in claim 1 carried out at a pressure of from atmospheric to 150 psi.

Claim 12

A process as in claim 1 wherein the organo titanate catalyst is of the formula: Ti(OR.sub.7).sub.4 wherein R 7 is independently C 1 to C 20 alkyl.

Claim 13

A process as in claim 11 wherein R 7 is independently C 1 to C 8 alkyl.

Claim 14

A process as in claim 12 wherein the organo titanate catalyst is tetraisopropyl titanate.

Claim 15

A process as in claim 12 wherein the organo titanate catalyst is tetrabutyl titanate.

Claim 16

A process wherein the water-curable silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer produced as in claim 1 is exposed to moisture.

Claim 17

A process wherein the water-curable silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer produced as in claim 1 is exposed to steam.

Claim 18

A process as in claim 15 wherein the copolymer is exposed to moisture in the presence of an added silanol condensation catalyst.

Claim 19

A silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer comprising: alpha olefin units having the formula: ##STR20## 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 wt. percent; at least 0.1 wt. percent polymerized units containing the radical of the formula: ##STR21## wherein C 1 is a carbon atom in the main polymer chain; B is a radical selected from --O-- and --S--; Q is a radical of the formula --CH 2 ) a wherein a is an integer of 1 to 18, D is a silicon containing radical of the formula: ##STR22## wherein V is selected from hydrogen and hydrocarbon radicals of 1 to 18 carbonatoms, and a hydrolyzable group; Z is a hydrolyzable group; and polymerized units having the formula: ##STR23## 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 20

A silane modified alkylene alkylacrylate copolymer comprising: alpha olefin units having the formula: ##STR20## 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 wt. percent; at least 0.1 wt. percent polymerized units containing the radical of the formula: ##STR21## wherein C 1 is a carbon atom in the main polymer chain; B is a radical selected from --O-- and --S--; Q is a radical of the formula --CH 2 ) a wherein a is an integer of 1 to 18, D is a silicon containing radical of the formula: ##STR22## wherein V is selected from hydrogen and hydrocarbon radicals of 1 to 18 carbonatoms, and a hydrolyzable group; Z is a hydrolyzable group; and polymerized units having the formula: ##STR23## 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 21

An electrical wire or cable insulated with a composition comprising the copolymer of claim 18.

Claim 22

A pipe extruded from a composition comprising the copolymer of claim 18.

Claim 23

The silane modified copolymer of claim 18 wherein B is --O--.

Claim 24

The copolymer of claim 21 wherein Q is selected from the group consisting of --CH 2 --CH 2 --, and --CH 2 --CH 2 --CH 2 --; Z and V are selected from the group consisting of methoxy and ethoxy, and W is selected from the group consisting of methoxy, ethoxy and butoxy.

Claim 25

An electric wire or cable insulated with a composition comprising the copolymer of claims 21 or 22.

Claim 26

A pipe extruded from a composition comprising the copolymer of claims 21 or 22.

Claim 27

A process as in claim 5 wherein X is ##STR24## and R therein is as previously defined.

Claim 28

A silane modified copolymer of ethylene-ethyl acrylate as defined in claim 18 wherein the silane is derived from acetooxyethyltrimethoxy silane.

Claim 29

A silane modified copolymer of ethylene-ethyl acrylate as defined in claim 18 wherein the silane is derived from acetooxyethyltriethoxy silane.

Claim 30

A silane modified copolymer of ethylene-ethyl acrylate as defined in claim 18 wherein the silane is derived from methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane.

Claim 31

A silane modified copolymer of ethylene-ethyl acrylate as defined in claim 18 wherein the silane is derived from methacryloxypropyltris-(2-methoxyethoxy) silane.

Claim 32

A silane modified copolymer of ethylene-ethyl acrylate as defined in claim 18 wherein the silane is derived from acetooxypropyltrimethoxy silane.

Claim 33

A silane modified copolymer of ethylene-ethyl acrylate as defined in claim 18 wherein the silane is derived from acetooxypropyltriethoxy silane.

Claim 34

The cured product of the silane modified alkylene-alkyacrylate copolymer defined in claim 18.