Abstract: The instant invention teaches a method for forming a syndiotactic 1,2-polybutadiene product having a syndiotacticity of more than 66.5% and a melting temperature of more than about 100° C. The method includes polymerizing 1,3-butadiene in solution with a solvent, in the presence of catalytically effective amounts of: (a) an organomagnesium compound; (b) a chromium compound; and, (c) a dihydrocarbyl hydrogen phosphite. The present invention also contemplates a product of the method and an article made from the product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for decreasing dynamic modulus without decreasing hardness in silica tread compounds in tires made in accordance with this method. The tread composition comprises an elastomer including a performance-enhancing package comprising silica, carbon black and a silica replacement. The replacement replaces up to about 40 percent by weight of the silica and yet maintains one or more selected performance properties as if the performance enhancement package were pure carbon black and silica. The replacement is kaolin clay present in conjunction with a silane coupling agent. In the method of the present invention kaolin clay is used as a replacement for about 5 to about 20 parts, by weight, of silica in the compounding of silica tread compounds.

Abstract: A tubeless pneumatic vehicle tire having an interliner ply having reduced resistance to air permeability. The interliner rubber composition is a a graft copolymer of a butyl rubber or a halogenated butyl rubber backbone having pendently grafted thereto a polymerized metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid.

Abstract: Diene polymers or copolymers having improved balance between raw polymer viscosity and mixed compound viscosity, useful in tire tread compositions having highly balanced wet traction, rolling resistance, and traction in ice and snow, and fracture properties in the cured and white carbon reinforced states are provided. These diene polymers or copolymers comprise a mixture of diene polymer or copolymer chains containing carbon-tin bonds in the main polymer or copolymer chains and diene polymer or copolymer chains containing terminals derived from hydrocarboxysilane compounds. The diene polymer or copolymers are prepared by first coupling a portion of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains obtained by anionic polymerization using a tin polyhalide coupling agent and then terminating the remaining living diene polymer or copolymer chains using hydrocarboxysilane compounds.

Abstract: A graft copolymer rubber comprising an unsaturated hydrocarbon rubber backbone having pendently grafted thereto a polymerized metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid is provided. The graft copolymer rubber is prepared by a method which involves dissolving an unsaturated hydrocarbon rubber in a solvent to form a rubber solution, adding a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid to the solution, adding a free radical initiator to the solution and then heating the resultant reaction mixture at a temperature of from about 40 to about 150.degree. C. for a time period of from about 0.1 to about 100 hours.The resultant graft copolymer rubber is sulfur curable and when compounded with conventional rubber additives and cured forms rubber compounds having high modulus. The graft copolymer rubbers of the invention can be used in various end use applications where high strength properties are important such as tires, industrial rubber goods and the like.

Abstract: A composite iso board (10) comprises a foam core (11) selected from the group consisting of polyisocyanurate and polyurethane materials and mixtures thereof; and first and second facers (12, 13), between which the foam core is sandwiched, the facers comprising a sheet selected from the group consisting of polyamides and polycarbonates. A method of reroofing a roof comprises applying composite iso boards of the present invention to a roof deck; and, applying a weather protective layer over the iso boards.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the dispersion copolymerization of 35 to 70% by weight of vinyl substituted aromatic monomer and 30 to 65% by weight of conjugated diene monomer comprising carrying out the copolymerization in a reaction mixture containing a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon dispersing medium, an anionic catalyst system, and an "A" block of a copolymer dispersing agent, the dispersing agent having at least two polymer blocks wherein at least one of the polymer blocks is soluble in the dispersing medium and at least another of the polymer blocks is insoluble in the dispersing medium and is formed in situ.

Abstract: Flat rubber sheets are joined together at their primed surfaces utilizing an adhesive tape composition which features at least one EPDM rubber and will provide a long-term, water-tight barrier. The adhesive tape composition is a solventless, preformed, tacky composition comprising a) at least one crosslinkable EPDM rubber, b) a filler, either of the reinforcing or semi-reinforcing variety, c) one or more compatible tackifiers, d) a softener, and lastly, e) a cure system for the rubbery polymer. The tape composition itself has excellent ozone, moisture, weathering and heat aging resistance as well as superior low temperature properties.

Abstract: Rubber tire component compositions containing silica have effective amounts of extra conductive carbon black to dissipate static electricity. The volume resistivity in Ohm-centimeters of the component such as a tread is generally 10.sup.8 or less. The extra conductive carbon black generally has a BET surface area of at least 500 square meters per gram and the silica is generally utilized in amounts of at least 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the rubber.

Abstract: Incorporation of neutral water soluble inorganic salts into a precipitated silica improves the filler dispersion in a compounded rubber, reduces rolling resistance (hysteresis), and improves processability. These properties are achieved without loss of the expected reinforcement effect due to the substitution of inorganic salt for SiO.sub.2 in the silica. The properties are seen when a variety of silanes and processing aids are added to the silica.

Abstract: An adhesive tape composition includes a polymer blend comprising at least one ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer and at least one fully saturated adhesive-enhancing polymer miscible with said at least one ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer. The tape adhesive composition further includes at least one tackifying additive compatible with said polymer blend and a sulfur and organic accelerator cure package for said polymer blend, the adhesive composition being devoid of butyl rubber which is found in most other adhesive tape compositions. This composition is seen as providing excellent long-term heat aging, weathering resistance, and low temperature properties as compared to adhesive tape compositions containing butyl rubber. Moreover, the adhesive tape composition provides more surface tack, better "quick-grab", and higher green strength as compared to adhesive tape compositions containing 100 percent EPDM rubber.

Abstract: A sealing tape for sealing linear seams formed by adjacent substrate sheets comprises two laterally spaced linear strips interconnected with an intervening linear center strip. The center strip comprises a soft, pliable, adhesive sealant material adapted to flow into the substrate seam upon application of heat and pressure to the sealing tape. The laterally spaced side strips are dimensionally stable and comprised of a tacky elastomeric compound adapted to adhere to the substrate under applied heat and pressure.

Abstract: A composite tread structure (22) comprises a low modulus at -20.degree. C. rubber outer layer (23) and a high modulus at -20.degree. C. rubber inner layer (24), thicker than the outer layer. The outer layer is preferably made from a rubber having a glass transition temperature lower than the glass transition temperature of the rubber comprising the inner layer. Such a tire generally improves snow and ice handling and maintains good wet and dry traction. A pneumatic tire (10) having improved snow and ice traction employs a composite tread (22) comprising a low modulus at -20.degree. C. rubber outer layer component (23) and a high modulus at -20.degree. C. rubber inner layer rubber component (24), thicker than the outer layer component. Finally, a method for improving the snow and ice traction of pneumatic tires comprises the step of applying to the tire carcass prior to curing, a composite tread comprising a low modulus at -20.degree. C. rubber outer layer component and a high modulus at -20.degree. C.

Abstract: An EPDM flashing composition comprises 100 parts by weight of an elastomeric polymer comprising from about 85 to 100 parts by weight of at least one ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer having up to about 2 percent by weight crystallinity and from 0 to about 15 parts by weight of an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer having more than 2 percent by weight crystallinity; from about 40 to 120 parts by weight of a filler selected from the group consisting of reinforcing and non-reinforcing materials and mixtures thereof, per 100 parts of the polymer; from about 40 to 105 parts by weight of a processing material and mixtures thereof, per 100 parts of the polymer; and from about 0.5 to 6 parts by weight of a cure package, per 100 parts of the polymer, the cure package comprising from about 0.1 to 1.25 parts by weight sulfur and from 0.4 to 5 parts by weight of at least one sulfur vulcanizing accelerator and being devoid of hexasulfides and thioureas.

Abstract: An asphaltic compound according to the invention includes from about 70 to about 45 parts by weight of asphalt; from about 15 to about 25 parts by weight of a polymer modifier for said asphalt; from about 15 to about 25 parts by weight of a filler; and, from about 0.1 to about 5 parts by weight of a dispersing agent. The dispersing agent can be selected from the group consisting of stearic acid, tri(dioctyl) pyrophosphate titanate, tri(dioctyl) pyrophosphate-O, neoalkoxy tridodecylbenzenesulfonyl titanate, lecithin, aluminum stearate, maleic anhydride-modified ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer, maleic anhydride grafted propylene-ethylene copolymer, ethoxylated alcohol, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A composite recovery board (10) includes a foam core (11) selected from the group consisting of polyisocyanurate and polyurethane materials and mixtures thereof; a facer (15), applied to one major surface (13) of the foam core and formed from a sheet selected from the group consisting of reinforced polymer material and reinforced cellulosic material, wherein the polymer material and cellulosic material are reinforced with a material selected from the group consisting of glass strands, glass fibers, and mixtures thereof and, gypsum board (14), applied to the opposite major surface (12) of the foam core. A method of reroofing a roof includes applying composite recovery boards of the present invention to a roof deck; and, applying a weather protective layer over the recovery boards.

Abstract: A process and catalyst system for the preparation of diene oligomers and copolymeric oligomers is disclosed. The oligomers and copolymers are prepared in an alkane solvent from one or more 1,3-diene monomers using a secondary amine transfer agent and an anionic initiator. A catalyst system including a secondary amine transfer agent and an anionic initiator is also provided.

Abstract: A premolded EPDM pipe flashing composition comprises 100 parts by weight of an elastomeric polymer comprising from about 70 to 95 parts by weight of at least one amorphous ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer and from 5 to about 30 parts by weight of at least one crystalline or semi-crystalline ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer; from about 35 to 175 parts by weight of a filler selected from the group consisting of reinforcing and non-reinforcing materials and mixtures thereof, per 100 parts of the polymer; from about 30 to 110 parts by weight of a processing material and mixtures thereof, per 100 parts of the polymer; and from about 0.6 to 7.5 parts by weight of a cure package, per 100 parts of the polymer, the cure package comprising from about 0.1 to 1.5 parts by weight sulfur and from 0.5 to 6 parts by weight of at least one sulfur vulcanizing accelerator.

Abstract: Vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet materials for roofing having improved adhesion performance and prepared from a polymeric composition of matter comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins prepared from monomers containing at least two carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, the polymer having a crystallinity of up to about 2 percent by weight; about 20 to 125 parts by weight of one or more mineral fillers per 100 parts of the polymer, about 50 to 110 parts by weight of one or more black-type fillers per 100 parts of the polymer; and from about 50 to 70 parts by weight of a processing material per 100 parts of the polymer and having improved peel adhesion to itself using commercially available bonding and lap- splice adhesives.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing hydrolysis and coupling of substituents of siloxane end capped polymers containing hydrolyzable substituents during contact with water. The Mooney viscosity of siloxane terminated polymers is stabilized during such contact by treating the polymer with a stabilizing amount of stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of: an acid, an acyl halide, methane sulfonic acid, toluene sulfonic acid, sulfuryl chloride, thionylchloride, phosgene, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, SOCl.sub.2 and SO.sub.2 Cl.sub.2, prior to contacting the siloxane terminated polymer with water.