Abstract: Disclosed is a carrier component for use in a vehicle sealing assembly such as a weatherstrip assembly. The carrier is formed from a non-metallic material, and preferably from a polymeric material. Also disclosed are vehicular sealing assemblies utilizing such carriers, and related methods of forming such sealing assemblies.

Abstract: Methods for forming a composite extrusion for use as a vehicle weather strip and the products formed thereby are disclosed in which a main body member is formed from an elastomeric thermoset rubber and an abrasion resistant decorative layer comprised of a crosslinkable thermoplastic is extruded thereon. The crosslinkable thermoplastic may be an ethylene-octene copolymer or a copolymerized ethylene-styrene interpolymer. The thermoplastic contains grafted silane functional groups to allow the thermoplastic to be crosslinked in the presence of moisture. The abrasion resistant decorative layer may be extruded onto the thermoset either prior to or after the thermoset is cured and either prior to or after the abrasion resistant decorative layer is crosslinked. The material of the abrasion resistant decorative layer may be extruded into sheet form and laminated onto the main body member.

Abstract: A polymer blend of an ethylene-&agr;-olefin-diene rubber and a conjugated diene rubber suitable for use as a replacement for unblended EPDM rubber in automotive applications. The rubber blends of the present invention comprise a high molecular weight EPDM rubber, a conjugated diene rubber, and a low molecular weight, high ethylene content EPDM rubber that functions as a compatibilizer. The resultant blend exhibits physical properties, including tensile and tear strength, that are comparable to conventional EPDM rubbers, while maintaining the excellent heat and weather resistance possessed by EPDM rubbers.

Abstract: Methods for forming a composite extrusion for use as a vehicle weather strip and the products formed thereby are disclosed in which a main body member is formed from an elastomeric thermoset rubber and an abrasion resistant decorative layer comprised of a crosslinkable thermoplastic polyolefin is extruded thereon. The crosslinkable thermoplastic polyolefin includes a crosslinkable olefin homopolymer and a second polymeric component selected from the group consisting of a crosslinkable ethylene-&agr;-olefin copolymer and a crosslinkable copolymerized ethylene-styrene interpolymer. Both the olefin homopolymer and the second polymeric component contain grafted silane functional groups to allow the the materials to be crosslinked in the presence of moisture. The abrasion resistant decorative layer may be extruded onto the thermoset either prior to or after the thermoset is cured and either prior to or after the abrasion resistant decorative layer is crosslinked.

Abstract: Vulcanized ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) rubbers are disclosed that are particularly suited for use in dynamic applications as a replacement for natural rubber parts. The ethylene-propylene-diene rubbers exhibit excellent thermal and oxidative resistance while displaying tensile strength and dynamic fatigue resistance comparable to similar compounds based on natural rubber. The ethylene-propylene-diene rubbers comprise a high molecular weight EPDM, a processing oil, a carbon black, and a cure system containing sulfur, tetramethylthiuram-disulfide and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole.

Abstract: A cured elastomeric rubber composition with a reduced coefficient of friction and a relatively high surface energy is disclosed. The composition comprises an elastomeric rubber with polar functional groups grafted to the polymer backbone. The polar functional groups can include amide, amine urethane, ester or silane functional groups. The elastomeric rubber may be any relatively non-polar elastomeric rubber such as EPDM or polyisoprene. Also incorporated into the rubber composition are various rubber additives including for example, carbon black, processing oils, curatives, and clay filler. The incorporation of various functional groups in the rubber compositions effectively reduces the coefficient of friction of the resulting cured rubber component.

Abstract: A process for producing a vulcanized elastomeric rubber composition that minimizes or eliminates the appearance of discoloration on the surface of the rubber, and the products formed from this process are disclosed. The process includes the incorporation of polar functional groups into the elastomeric rubber by grafting the functional groups onto a compound miscible in the rubber. It is believed that the polar functional groups increase the solubility of the compounds responsible for iridescence and blooming observed in vulcanized rubber and decrease their migration to the rubber surface. Additional techniques for reducing or eliminating undesirable discoloration in rubber are disclosed.

Abstract: Vulcanized ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) rubbers are disclosed that are particularly suited for use in dynamic applications as a replacement for natural rubber parts. The ethylene-propylene-diene rubbers exhibit excellent thermal and oxidative resistance while displaying tensile strength and dynamic fatigue resistance comparable to similar compounds based on natural rubber. The ethylene-propylene-diene rubbers comprise a high molecular weight EPDM, a processing oil, a carbon black, and a cure system containing sulfur, tetramethylthiuram-disulfide and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole.

Abstract: A polymer blend of an ethylene-&agr;-olefin-diene rubber and a conjugated diene rubber suitable for use as a replacement for unblended EPDM rubber in automotive applications. The rubber blends of the present invention comprise a high molecular weight EPDM rubber, a conjugated diene rubber, and a low molecular weight, high ethylene content EPDM rubber that functions as a compatibilizer. The resultant blend exhibits physical properties, including tensile and tear strength, that are comparable to conventional EPDM rubbers, while maintaining the excellent heat and weather resistance possessed by EPDM rubbers.

Abstract: A process for producing a vulcanized elastomeric rubber composition that minimizes or eliminates the appearance of discoloration on the surface of the rubber, and the products formed from this process are disclosed. The process includes the incorporation of polar functional groups into the elastomeric rubber by grafting the functional groups onto a compound miscible in the rubber. It is believed that the polar functional groups increase the solubility of the compounds responsible for iridescence and blooming observed in vulcanized rubber and decrease their migration to the rubber surface. Additional techniques for reducing or eliminating undesirable discoloration in rubber are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for forming a composite extrusion for use as a vehicle weather strip and the products formed thereby are disclosed in which a main body member is formed from an elastomeric thermoset rubber and an abrasion resistant decorative layer comprised of a crosslinkable thermoplastic is extruded thereon. The crosslinkable thermoplastic may be an ethylene-octene copolymer or a copolymerized ethylene-styrene interpolymer. The thermoplastic contains grafted silane functional groups to allow the thermoplastic to be crosslinked in the presence of moisture. The abrasion resistant decorative layer may be extruded onto the thermoset either prior to or after the thermoset is cured and either prior to or after the abrasion resistant decorative layer is crosslinked. The material of the abrasion resistant decorative layer may be extruded into sheet form and laminated onto the main body member.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic component including at least one cermet body, especially a cermet electrode, in which the costs are reduced and the ceramic component can be produced in accordance with requirements with an integrated cermet body in a reproducible manner. The cermet body initially is produced as a green compact; the cermet body then is inserted into the ceramic composition; the ceramic composition subsequently is consolidated together with the green compact cermet body, e.g. by pressing, and the resulting assembly is finally sintered.

Abstract: A vulcanization accelerator combination based on di-(C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 alkyl)dithiophosphates for vulcanizing non-polar rubbers, comprising the following components: (a) a di-(C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 alkyl)dithiophosphate; (b) one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of sulphenamides, thiazoles and carbamates; (c) sulfur and/or a sulfur donor; and (d) at least one additional accelerator compound having a specific chemical structure that is different from the chemical structure of component (a) and any of the compounds used as component (b) in said accelerator combination.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrically conductive cermet that includes less than 35% by volume of a precious metal by mixing a powdered refractory ceramic with the powdered metal, molding the mixture into a green, and sintering the green to create a cermet with a dense ceramic phase and a metallic phase in the form of a coherent network. The object is good electric conductivity at a low metal content. The precious metal powder is selected to shrink less and exhibits less sintering tendency as it forms the metallic phase than does the ceramic powder as it forms the ceramic phase.

Abstract: Process for the production of polymer-bound rubber chemicals, characterized in that the rubber chemicals and optionally additives are finely dispersed in a low molecular weight polymerizable liquid, polymerization is then initiated, optionally after adding a further component which reacts with the polymerizable liquid to form a polymer, and the solid, homogeneous mixture of rubber chemicals and polymer so formed is optionally converted into a form suitable for use.

Abstract: Rubber chemical preparation consisting of or comprising rubber chemicals in finely divided form and a carrier liquid, in which the rubber chemical particles have a mean diameter (weight average d.sub.50) from 2 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m, preferably <10 .mu.m, and exhibit a very narrow diameter distribution corresponding to .delta.d.sub.10 -d.sub.90 .ltoreq.20 .mu.m, preferably <10 .mu.m.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are stabilized dithiophosphoric acid polysulphides of the formula (I) ##STR1## in which R is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or aralkyl residue andx is an integer from 2 to 15,containing as stabilizer 1 to 20 wt.% of a carboxylic acid of the general formula R'COOH, in which R' is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl residue, a cycloalkyl residue, an aryl residue or an aralkyl residue, and 1 to 20 wt.% of calcium oxide or zinc oxide.

Abstract: Poly[2,5-bis(polysulphano)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles] of the formula ##STR1## wherein X signifies a number from 1 to 10 andn signifies a number from 2 to 1,000.

Abstract: Rubber components of a vulcanizable rubber composition are homogenized by adding to the composition, prior to vulcanization, a phenolic resin formed by reacting a bisphenol A residual resin with chlorinated C.sub.4 to C.sub.8 hydrocarbons in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts alkylation catalyst.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for molding an article of footwear having an outer sole, a lateral sole and an inner sole, the outer and lateral soles being of an elastomer, and the inner sole being of a thermoplastic or a mixture of isocyanate and a polyol reacting into polyurethane. The outer sole and the inner sole are each injection molded from an elastomer and bonded at their common contact zone by full vulcanization. The outer sole and the lateral sole may each be of different elastomers. The outer sole and the inner sole are bonded together in the area of their contact zone via chemical bonds between the isocyanate and reactive end-groups of substances added to the elastomer.