Foamable polymer blend compositions

Claim 1

A compatible foamable, readily formable, curable polymer blend consisting essentially of the following components present in the following approximate weight amounts: (1) 50-100 parts of a dipolymer E/A or terpolymer E/A/B, wherein E is ethylene; A is acrylic or methacrylic acid; and B is n-butyl or isobutyl acrylate; the weight proportion of monomer A in both the dipolymer and the terpolymer being about 2-20% and the weight proportion of monomer B in the terpolymer being at most about 23%; the carboxylic acid groups in either type of polymer being either unneutralized or neutralized to an extent of at most about 71% with metal ions having a valency of from 1 to 3; (2) 2-40 parts of a terpolymer E/X/Y, where E is ethylene; X is vinyl acetate or a C 1 -C 8 alkyl acrylate; and Y is CO or SO 2 ; the weight proportions of X and Y being as follows: Y about 1-15%; X, when it is vinyl acetate, about 15-30%, and when it is an alkyl acrylate, about 10-55%; (3) 2-40 parts of an elastomer; (4) 1-10 parts of a blowing agent; (5) 0-10 parts of an activator for the blowing agent; (6) 0.5-10 parts of a curing agent for the E/X/Y terpolymer selected from peroxides, sulfur and sulfur-releasing agents, and diamines and their precursors; (7) 0-15 parts of a processing aid; and (8) 0-100 parts of a filler.