Abstract: An elastomeric composition is disclosed. The elastomeric composition includes, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr): about 30 to about 50 phr of polybutadiene having a cis-1,4 linkage content of at least 95%; about 40 to about 60 phr of styrene/butadiene copolymer; about 0 to about 20 phr of natural rubber or polyisoprene; about 0 to about 30 phr of a processing oil; about 10 to about 30 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; about 50 to about 75 phr of a filler; a curative agent; an antioxidant; a silane coupling agent; and about 5 to about 30 phr of a propylene-ethylene-diene terpolymer containing from about 2 wt % to about 30 wt % of ethylene and/or C4-C20 ?-olefins derived units.

Abstract: A composite comprising a polyethylene and within a range from 1 wt % to 25 wt % of at least one cyclic-olefin copolymer by weight of the composition, where the polyethylene may have a density of at least 0.90 g/cm3, and where the cyclic-olefin copolymer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 30° C. Disclosed also is the feature of orienting the composite to form an oriented article, wherein the article comprises rods having an average length of at least 1 ?m, and at least 5 nm in average diameter.

Abstract: Disclosed is a graft copolymer comprising an arylene-ether oligomer group having at least one polyolefin moiety bound thereto, wherein the arylene-ether oligomer has a number average molecular weight of less than 5,000 g/mole and the polyolefin has Mw of less than 10,000 g/mole. Also disclosed is a method to prepare a graft copolymer comprising reacting a neat or diluted arylene-ether oligomer with a vinyl or vinylidene-terminated polyolefin at a temperature of at least 80 or 100 or 120° C. to form heated reaction components; further reacting a Br?nsted acid or Lewis acid with the heated reaction components to form a polyolefin-arylene-ether oligomer.

Abstract: This application relates to copolymer compositions and copolymerization processes. The processes may use two different metallocene catalysts: one capable of producing high molecular weight copolymers; and one suitable for producing lower molecular weight copolymers having at least a portion of vinyl terminations, and the copolymer compositions produced thereby. Copolymer compositions may comprise (1) a first ethylene copolymer fraction having high molecular weight, exhibiting branching topology, and having relatively lower ethylene content (based on the weight of the first ethylene copolymer fraction); and (2) a second ethylene copolymer fraction having low molecular weight, exhibiting linear rheology, and having relatively higher ethylene content (based on the weight of the second ethylene copolymer fraction).

Abstract: Comb-block copolymers of isobutylene copolymer backbone with functional comb arms, methods for making a comb-block copolymer comprising polymerizing one or more monomer components comprising units derived from at least one of acrylates, vinyl terminated C6 to C20 aromatics, acrylamides, and acrylonitrile using a halogenated copolymer initiator having a benzylic-halide moiety via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in the presence of a transition metal complex catalyst at a temperature ranging from 30° C. to 150° C., the use of these comb-block copolymers as a tire tread additive, as a nanofiller dispersant in elastomeric nanocomposite compositions comprising halobutyl rubber, as a surfactant, as a sealant, and as an additive in a latex formulation is disclosed.

Abstract: A composition and methods for making the same. The composition includes an isoolefin having from 4 to 7 carbons, a first styrene, and a second styrene alkylated with a diene to have a pendant double bond. A copolymer having units derived from an isoolefin having from 4 to 7 carbons and an alkylstyrene can be reacted with a diene to provide the composition. The reaction of the copolymer with the diene can be reacted in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 200° C.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to poly(alpha-olefin)s and methods for making poly(alpha-olefin)s. A poly(alpha-olefin) may include about 95 wt % or greater C10-C18 alpha-olefin content and have a weight average molecular weight of from about 1,000,000 g/mol to about 10,000,000 g/mol. A method for forming a poly(alpha-olefin) may include introducing one or more C10-C18 alpha-olefins to a catalyst system comprising a catalyst compound and an activator. The method may include obtaining poly(alpha-olefin)s comprising about 95 wt % or greater C10-C18 alpha-olefin content and having a weight average molecular weight of from about 1,000,000 g/mol to about 10,000,000 g/mol.

Abstract: A compound suitable for use in producing articles including foamed articles can include 100 parts per hundred rubber (phr) of a branched ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) elastomer comprising 35 wt % to 70 wt % ethylene derived units, 20 wt % to 64 wt % propylene derived units, and 1 wt % to 10 wt % diene derived units, wherein the EPDM elastomer has a Mooney viscosity (ML) (1+4) at 125° C. of 30 MU to 120 MU, a corrected Mooney relaxation area (cMLRA) at 80 ML of 300 MU·sec to 1000 MU·sec, and long chain branching (LCB) g? (vis) of 0.80 to 1.0; 75 phr to 200 phr of a filler; 25 phr to 125 phr of a processing oil; 5 phr to 50 phr of a curative, and optionally 0.1 phr to 25 phr of a foaming agent.

Abstract: A functionalized polyolefin and a tire tread composition comprising the functionalized polyolefin is described. The functionalized polyolefin comprises a vinyl/vinylidene-terminated polyolefin in which the vinyl/vinylidene terminus is functionalized with an alkoxysilane or an alkylsilane and optionally having ether, hydroxyl and/or amine functionality. The invention is also directed to the synthesis of vinyl/vinylidene-terminated polyolefins, functionalization at the vinyl/vinylidene terminus with an alkoxysilane or an alkylsilane and optionally having ether, hydroxyl and/or amine functionality.

Abstract: Provided is a composition having 70 wt % to 90 wt % of a first propylene-olefin copolymer component having an ethylene content of 15 to 21 wt %; and 10 wt % to 30 wt % of a second propylene-olefin copolymer component having an ethylene content of 6 to 10 wt %; wherein the weight average molecular weight of the first component is 250,000 to 1,780,000 g/mol higher than the weight average molecular weight of the second component; wherein the reactivity ratio product of the first component is less than 0.75; wherein the reactivity ratio product of the second component is greater than or equal to 0.75.

Abstract: Provided is a composition having 60 wt % to 95 wt % of a first propylene alpha-olefin copolymer component having a reactivity ratio product of less than 0.75 and a weight average molecular weight of greater than about 450,000 g/mol; and 5 wt % to 40 wt % of a second propylene alpha-olefin copolymer component having a reactivity ratio of greater than 1.5 and a weight average molecular weight of less than about 215,000 g/mol.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of quinolinyldiamido transition metal complexes and catalyst systems with an activator and a metal hydrocarbenyl chain transfer agent, such as an aluminum vinyl-transfer agent (AVTA), to produce branched propylene-ethylene-diene terpolymers.

Abstract: A polyacrylate-polyolefin copolymer and composition for volatile solvent-free coating comprising such compounds having the following structure: wherein “PO” is a polyolefin having a number average molecular weight of at least 300 g/mole, and “Ar” is selected from the group consisting of C6 to C20 aryls, a C7 to C32 alkylaryls, a C6 to C20 aryloxys, and halogen substituted C6 to C20 aryls and C7 to C32 alkylaryls, while the other variables are as described herein. The copolymers can be produced in an alkylation reaction between the desired polyacrylate and a vinyl/vinylidene-terminated polyolefin.

Abstract: A functionalized polyolefin and a tire tread composition comprising the functionalized polyolefin is described. The functionalized polyolefin comprises a vinyl/vinylidene-terminated polyolefin in which the vinyl/vinylidene terminus is functionalized with an alkoxysilane or an alkylsilane and optionally having ether, hydroxyl and/or amine functionality. The invention is also directed to the synthesis of vinyl/vinylidene-terminated polyolefins, functionalization at the vinyl/vinylidene terminus with an alkoxysilane or an alkylsilane and optionally having ether, hydroxyl and/or amine functionality.

Abstract: Pellet-stable olefinic copolymer bimodal rubber is made using parallel reactors, with one reactor synthesizing higher molecular weight (MW) rubber with dual catalysts, with an improved molecular weight split ratio and an improved composition distribution of the moderate and ultra-high MW components, while another reactor synthesizes random isotactic polypropylene copolymer (RCP). The effluents are reactor-blended and result in pellet-stable bimodal rubber (P-SBR), which may be pelletized. When making thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) with P-SBR, the need to granulate rubber bales and subsequently use talc, clay, or other anti-agglomeration agents to prevent granulated rubber crumbs from agglomerating are eliminated. TPVs made with P-SBR have vulcanized rubber particles that are smaller and more uniform in size, resulting in TPVs with higher particle counts and more thermoplastic “ligaments” between the particles, with such ligaments being made stronger by the added RCP.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are graft polymers having a copolymer backbone and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon branches for use as a nanofiller dispersant and methods for making the same. Also disclosed are elastomeric nanocomposite compositions comprising a halobutyl rubber matrix, nanoparticles of graphite or grapheme, and the graft polymer. Such elastomeric nanocomposite compositions are suitable as tire innerliners or innertubes.

Abstract: Stable star-structured functional polyolefins and methods of making them, the functional polyolefins comprising a polyolefin bound at any position along its chain length to at least one nucleophile-containing silane of the following formula: wherein Y is a di- or trivalent linker group selected from heteroatoms, C1 to C10 alkylenes, and other groups disclosed herein; Nu is a nucleophilic atom or unsaturation group; R5 is selected from hydrogen, and C1 to C10 alkyls, and other groups as disclosed herein; X is a divalent group selected from linear and branched alkylenes and heteroatom-alkylenes, and other groups as disclosed herein; and PO is a polyolefin having a weight average molecular weight of at least 400 g/mole; with the proviso that at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is selected from the same or different functional polyolefin moieties. Star-structured functional polyolefins are useful as filler dispersive additives in tire formulations and processing aids.

Abstract: Use of twin screw extrusion to further enhance the uniformity of crosslinked rubber dispersion in thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) to improve elastic properties of TPVs is disclosed. Most specifically, this invention employs intermeshing twin screw extruders to further homogenize dynamically vulcanized rubber dispersions in TPVs so that their particle size dispersion index (PSDI), or the ratio of weight average equivalent dispersion particle diameter to number average equivalent dispersion particle diameter, can be lowered to less than 1.6 or 1.57 with corresponding elastic property improvements by having lower hysteresis, higher elongation to break, and higher retractive force. TPV products having lower PSDI and improved elastic properties, and apparatus for conducting the disclosed method, are also provided.

Abstract: A thermoplastic vulcanizate comprises an isotactic polypropylene matrix phase in which cross-linked rubber particles are dispersed, the rubber particles comprising an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) containing at least 40 wt % of ethylene-derived units. A propylene-ethylene-diene terpolymer (PEDM) containing at least 60 wt % propylene-derived units and less than or equal to 25 wt % of ethylene-derived units and having a heat of fusion (Hf) of 2 to 10 J/g is added to compatibilize the propylene/EPDM blend.

Abstract: Disclosed is the preparation of thermoplastic vulcanizates with reduced crosslinked rubber dispersion sizes and dispersity. The thermoplastic vulcanizates include a polypropylene matrix phase in which cross-linked rubber particles are dispersed. The thermoplastic vulcanizates include the reaction product of a mixture that includes at least 10 wt % of isotactic polypropylene at least 30 wt % of an amorphous propylene-ethylene-diene terpolymer containing at least 60 wt % propylene-derived units and less than or equal to 25 wt % of ethylene-derived units; at least 10 wt % of a diluent and at least 0.015 wt % of at least one curative. The mixture is preferably formed without adding an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer.