Abstract: Polymers of a conjugated diene, an unsaturated nitrile and an &agr;,&bgr;-unsaturated carboxylic acid are selectively hydrogenated to reduce carbon-carbon double bonds, without also reducing carboxyl groups and nitrile groups, using a rhodium-containing compound as catalyst. The hydrogenated polymers are novel and display excellent adhesive properties at both room temperature and high temperature, excellent hot tear strength, and excellent abrasion resistance.

Abstract: A vulcanizate derived from a polymer composition comprising three components exhibits improved hot air aging properties and is useful, for example, for the manufacture of articles subject to dynamic loading, such as belting applications. The first component is a polymer having a main polymer chain derived from: (i) at least about 30% by weight of a first monomer which introduces at least one of a secondary carbon and a tertiary carbon to the backbone, and (ii) from 0 to about 70% by weight of at least one other monomer. Preferred are ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers. The second component is a salt of a strong base and a weak acid, the salt comprising a metal selected from Group I of the Periodic Table of Elements. The third component is an antioxidant.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method to synchronize performance data in a computer network system. All specified performance data of a single system collected by way of a network-wide uniformly clocked scanning interval are sorted according to their interval start time in ascending order and their actual scanning intervals in descending order. The first items of performance data sorted form the first common interval. All subsequent performance data are assigned to that interval, provided the mid point of their actual scanning interval falls within the common interval. The performance data which are no longer assigned to the first interval form the basis for a subsequent interval. The method is continued until all performance data are assigned to a common interval. The advantages of the present invention lie in the fact that the synchronized performance data are displayable in tabular form unambiguously and without gaps, and thus are available for postprocessing, for example as a bar chart.

Abstract: A process is provided for the removal of iron- and rhodium-containing residues from a solution of hydrogenated nitrile rubber. The process utilizes an ion-exchange resin having thiourea functional groups. Further, the resin is both macroporour and monodispersed. The process removes both rhodium and iron from viscous rubber solutions. In a preferred embodiment, the process is carried out in an ion-exchange column.

Abstract: The invention relates to anti-aging agents for organic polymers based on salts of sterically hindered phenolic compounds with at least two phenolic OH groups. The anti-aging agents according to the present invention display a significantly better anti-aging action than the sterically hindered phenolic compounds underlying the salts.

Abstract: A process for production of an ethylene-propylene-diene-methylene (EPDM) tetrapolymer having long chain branching is described. The process comprises the step of polymerizing a monomer mixture comprising ethylene, propylene, a first diolefin monomer containing one polymerizable double bond (preferably ENB) and a second diolefin containing two polymerizable double bonds (preferably VNB) in the presence of a catalyst system. The catalyst system comprises: a catalyst comprising a compound containing vanadium +3 with the proviso that the compound does not comprise a halogen directly bound to the vanadium; a halogenated organoaluminum cocatalyst having a halogen to aluminum molar ratio in the range of from about 1 to about 2; and an activator. The branched polymer product of the present process exhibits a molecular weight distribution of less than about 3.5 and improved rheological properties and enhanced processability characteristics.