Hydrosilylation crosslinking

Claim 2

In a process for the hydrosilylation crosslinking of a composition comprising a blend of a thermoplastic resin and an unsaturated rubber by dynamic vulcanization, the improvement which comprises employing a hydrosilylation crosslinking agent and from about 0.01 to about 4 ppm, based on the weight of the rubber and expressed as platinum metal, of a platinum-containing hydrosilylation catalyst in combination with an EPDM rubber containing 5-vinyl-2-norborene as a diene monomer, whereby a fully crosslinked rubber is obtained in a matrix of thermoplastic resin.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic resin is a polyolefin resin.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the platinum-containing hydrosilylation catalyst is selected from the group consisting of chloroplatinic acid, complexes of chloroplatinic acid with sym-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane, and dichloro-bis(triphenylphosphine) platinum (II).

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrosilylation catalyst is a zero valent platinum metal complex.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the rubber is crosslinked to the extent that less than about 5 percent by weight of the crosslinkable rubber can be extracted from the thermoplastic elastomer product by a rubber solvent.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrosilylation catalyst is incorporated into the process subsequent to the hydrosilylation crosslinking agent.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 which further comprises incorporating into the thermoplastic elastomer a metal chelating agent.

Claim 9

The process of claim 7 wherein the metal chelating agent is 1,2-bis(3,5-di-ter-butyl-4-hydroxyhydrocirmamoyl)hydrazine.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 which further comprises incorporating into the thermoplastic elastomer a compound which reacts with residual silicon hydride.

Claim 11

The process of claim 9 wherein the incorporated compound is silica.

Claim 12

A thermoplastic elastomer product produced by the process of claim 1.

Claim 13

A molded or extruded article comprising the product of claim 11.

Claim 14

A process for the production of a thermoplastic elastomer composition, which process comprises the steps of: a) mixing a thermoplastic resin and an EPDM rubber containing 5-vinyl-2-norbornene as a diene monomer component, b) adding a hydrosilylation agent to the mixture from (a), c) blending the mixture from (b) at a temperature sufficient to cause the mixture to flow, d) incorporating into the mixture a platinum-containing hydrosilylation catalyst in an amount ranging from about 0.01 to about 4 parts per million parts of rubber, based on the weight of the rubber and expressed as platinum metal, and e) masticating the mixture from (d) until the rubber is fully crosslinked.

Claim 15

A process for the production of a thermoplastic elastomer composition, which process comprises the steps of: a) mixing a thermoplastic resin and an EPDM rubber containing 5-vinyl-2-norbornene as a diene monomer component, b) adding a hydrosilylation agent to the mixture from (a), c) blending the mixture from (b) at a temperature sufficient to cause the mixture to flow, d) incorporating into the mixture a platinum-containing hydrosilylation catalyst in an amount ranging from about 0.01 to about 4 parts per million parts of rubber, based on the weight of the rubber and expressed as platinum metal, and e) masticating the mixture from (d) until the rubber is fully crosslinked.

Claim 16

The process of claim 13 wherein the hydrosilylation catalyst is a zero valent platinum metal complex.

Claim 17

In a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a blend of thermoplastic resin and unsaturated EPDM rubber which has been crosslinked by dynamic vulcanization, the improvement comprising a composition in which the rubber contains 5-vinyl-2-norbornene as a diene monomer, and is crosslinked using a hydrosilylation crosslinking agent an from about 0.01 to about 4 ppm, based on the weight of the rubber and expressed as platinum metal, of a platinum-containing hydrosilylation catalyst.

Claim 18

In a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a blend of thermoplastic resin and unsaturated EPDM rubber which has been crosslinked by dynamic vulcanization, the improvement comprising a composition in which the rubber contains 5-vinyl-2-norbornene as a diene monomer, and is crosslinked using a hydrosilylation crosslinking agent an from about 0.01 to about 4 ppm, based on the weight of the rubber and expressed as platinum metal, of a platinum-containing hydrosilylation catalyst.

Claim 19

The composition of claim 15 wherein the thermoplastic resin is polypropylene.

Claim 20

The composition of claim 15 wherein the hydrosilylation catalyst is a zero valent platinum metal complex.

Claim 21

The composition of claim 15 wherein the platinum-containing hydrosilylation catalyst is selected from the group consisting of chloroplatinic acid, complexes of chloroplatinic acid with sym-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane, and dichloro-bis(triphenylphosphine) platinum (II).

Claim 22

The composition of claim 15 wherein the rubber is crosslinked to the extent that less than about 5 percent by weight of the crosslinkable rubber can be extracted from the thermoplastic elastomer product by a rubber solvent.