Abstract: Fire retardant sheeting materials for roofing having improved burn resistivity and are suitable for use on roofs having inclines of at least 1 inch per linear foot. These sheeting materials are prepared from a polymeric composition of matter comprising a base polymer containing at least one ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer, the base polymer having up to about 2 percent by weight crystallinity; from about 85 to about 175 parts by weight of at least one non-combustible mineral filler per 100 parts of the base polymer; from about 30 to about 50 parts by weight of a processing material, per 100 parts of the base polymer; from about 50 to about 80 parts by weight of at least one fire retardant additive, per 100 parts of the base polymer; and from about 1.5 to about 10 parts by weight of a sulfur cure package per 100 parts of the base polymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a functionalized polymer. The method includes the steps of providing a living lithium polymer and terminating the polymer with an oxazoline compound selected from an organic halide oxazoline and a branched or unbranched vinyl oxazoline compound. The present invention also provides a compounded rubber article wherein carbon black is compounded with a terminated rubber that is the reaction product of a living lithium polymer and such oxazoline compounds.

Abstract: A method of recycling EPDM rubber including the steps of devulcanizing previously cured EPDM rubber and adding the devulcanized EPDM rubber to a composition for forming an elastomeric membrane for roofing, the composition including a rubber mixture including from about 50 to about 95 parts by weight virgin EPDM rubber, and from about 5 to about 50 parts by weight of the devulcanized EPDM rubber, to total one hundred parts by weight rubber, from about 75 to about 300 parts by weight phr of a filler, from about 35 to about 135 parts by weight phr of a processing oil, and a cure package.

Abstract: An adhesive rubber article of the type having a release liner covering its tacky, adhesive surface to prevent the adhesive rubber article from adhering to various substrates or to itself prior to its intended use includes an impression or mark presented on one or more surfaces for facilitating the alignment and application of the adhesive rubber article on one or more substrates. The release liner has been scored, perforated or otherwise cut in a longitudinal direction of the article such that the scoring of the release liner further produces a visual guide on the adhesive rubber article. Thus, upon removal of the release paper, the guide may be used to align and apply the adhesive rubber article to the various substrates. These adhesive rubber articles are particularly useful within the roofing industry for bonding panels of rubber membranes together or for use as flashing.

Abstract: A method for controlling any increase in Mooney viscosity during aging of siloxane-functionalized polymers includes the step of adding a viscosity stabilizing effective amount of a viscosity stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of alkyl alkoxysilanes of the structural formula R1nSi(OR2)4-n wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of C1 to C20 alkyl, C4 to C10 cycloalkyl, or C5 to C20 aromatic groups, wherein R2 may be the same as or different from R1 and is selected from the group consisting of C1 to C20 alkyl, C4 to C10 cycloalkyl, or C5 to C20 aromatic groups, and wherein n is an integer from 1 to 3. The method provides for the stabilization of Mooney viscosity of siloxane-functionalized polymers at any given level upon aging. The viscosity stabilizing agents react with the siloxane-functionalized polymers during hydrolysis of the siloxane end groups to form moisture stabilized polymers.

Abstract: A vulcanizable filler-reinforced, elastomer-containing composition comprises 100 parts by weight of an elastomer; from about 5 to about 100 parts by weight of a reinforcing filler, per 100 parts of elastomer; from about 0.1 to about 10 parts by weight of a free radical capping additive; and from about 0.2 to about 5 parts by weight of a cure agent, per 100 parts of elastomer. A process for the preparation of a vulcanized composition comprising the composition and a pneumatic tire comprising a tread stock manufactured from the composition are also provided.

Abstract: A process for interpolymerizing a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer and a block polymer is disclosed. The process includes the following steps: (a) forming a block polymer precursor of at least one polymeric block containing conjugated diene monomer contributed units in the presence of an anionic initiator and in an inert diluent, the block polymer precursor having living ends; and (b) thereafter adding to the block polymer precursor a charge of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer and an additional charge of an anionic initiator to simultaneously form (1) a block polymer having a terminal block formed from the charge of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer attached to the block polymer precursor and (2) a poly(vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon) polymer interpolymedzed with the block polymer. The practice of this process produces a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block terminated block polymer, such as SBS, interpolymerized with a polymer formed from vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer, such as polystyrene.

Abstract: High durometer, polymeric roofing shingles with varying colors and shades of color may be prepared from a composition of matter comprising 100 parts by weight of a ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; from 25 to about 400 parts by weight of at least one non-combustible filler per 100 parts of ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; from 0 to about 125 parts by weight of at least one combustible filler, per 100 parts of ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; from 0 to about 135 parts by weight of a thermoplastic modifying polymer; from 0 to about 10 parts by weight of reinforcing fibers, per 100 parts of ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; from about 20 to about 75 parts by weight of a processing oil per 100 parts of ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer; and from about 1 to about 6 parts by weight of a sulfur cure package having at least two curing accelerators.

Abstract: A walkway pad composition comprises 100 parts by weight of an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer; from about 60 to 700 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 terpolymer; from about 40 to 175 parts by weight of a processing material and mixtures thereof, per 100 parts of the terpolymer; and from about 2 to 10 parts by weight of a cure package, per 100 parts of the EPDM terpolymer, the composition being devoid of any additional polymeric components. The 100 percent EPDM walkway pad composition has better low temperature properties and superior weathering resistance, and heat aging resistance compared to other walkway pad compositions which may include other polymeric components such as natural rubber, synthetic polyisoprene, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polybutadiene, and butyl (IR) rubber. Up to about 25 parts by weight of ethylene-propylene copolymers may be substituted for the EPDM terpolymers.

Abstract: A wire rope cutter machine has at least a first and pair of jaws for holding the rope to be cut taut and a cutting blade for cutting the rope. The cutting blade has a "V"-shaped cutting edge and the bottom jaw of the first pair of jaws has a "V"-shaped edge which is off-center and displaced from the middle of the "V"-shaped edge of the cutting blade to permit a four-edge pivoting cutting process.