Abstract: A sulfonated, oxidized rubber composition and a neutralized, sulfonated, oxidized rubber composition are provided. The sulfonated, oxidized rubber composition, preferably a composition containing such sulfonated, oxidized rubber composition, can be used as an additive in or for asphalt. The neutralized, sulfonated, oxidized rubber composition, preferably a composition comprising such neutralized, sulfonated, oxidized rubber composition, can be used for oil field applications such as preventing the loss of fluids used during such oil field applications. A process of preparing such compositions includes contacting a rubber composition, such as butyl rubber in the form of waste tire particles, with an oxidizing agent to provide an oxidized rubber composition. The oxidized rubber composition is then contacted with a sulfur-containing acid to provide a sulfonated, oxidized rubber composition.

Abstract: There is disclosed a rubber composition comprising: (A) 100 parts by weight of at least one rubber containing olefinic unsaturation; and (B) 1.

Abstract: Compositions including one or more anionic polymerization initiators and one or more additives for improving functionalizing efficiency of living polymer anions are disclosed. The present invention also provides compositions including one or more electrophiles and one or more additives for improving functionalizing efficiency of living polymer anions. Novel electrophiles and processes for improving polymer anion functionalization efficiencies are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to halogenated, low-gel, high molecular weight isoolefin multiolefin copolymers, in particular to halogenated, low-gel, high molecular weight butyl rubbers, and halogenated, low-gel, high molecular weight isoolefin multiolefin copolymers synthesized from isobutene, isoprene and optionally further monomers, with a multiolefin content of greater than 2.5 mol %, a molecular weight Mw of greater than 240 kg/mol and a gel content of less than 1.2 wt. % and a process for their preparation.

Abstract: The invention herein relates to unsaturated monohydroxylated polydiene polymers which are comprised of at least two polymerizable ethenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers wherein at least one is a diene monomer which yields unsaturation suitable for epoxidation. The invention also encompasses partially hydrogenated and/or epoxidized derivatives of these novel monohydroxylated polydiene polymers. The preferred monohydroxylated polydiene polymer of the present invention has a structural formula (HO)x—A—Sz—B—(OH)y wherein A and B are polymer blocks which may be homopolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers, copolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers, or copolymer blocks of diolefin monomers and monoalkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomers. These polymers may contain up to 60% by weight of at least one vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, preferably styrene.

Abstract: The present invention includes a process of preparing a coupled polymer comprising heating an admixture containing (1) at least one elastomer comprising ethylene and at least one comonomer which is selected from alpha olefins having at least 3 carbon atoms, dienes and combinations thereof and (2) a coupling amount at least one poly(sulfonyl azide) to at least the decomposition temperature of the poly(sulfonyl azide) for a period sufficient for decomposition of at least 80 weight percent of the poly(sulfonyl azide) and sufficient to result in a coupled polymer having a gel content of less than 2 weight percent. The invention includes compositions comprising the reaction product formed by the inventive process. The invention additionally includes articles which comprise a composition of the invention particularly when the article is formed from a melt of the composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vulcanizable rubber composition which can be used for the manufacture of tires. The invention also provides for a tire, the tread of which comprises such a composition. The rubber composition posses improved hysteresis and physical properties in the vulcanized state, while retaining satisfactory processing properties in the non-vulcanized state. The rubber composition comprises a reinforcing white filler and a diene block copolymer which is intended to interact with the white filler, the block copolymer comprising a diene block polymer having on at least one chain end thereof a polyether block having a molecular weight of between 1000 g/mol and 3000 g/mol, the polyether block corresponding to the formula: O—CH2—CH2—O)n—R,  (I) in which n is an integer other than zero and R is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Rubbery polymers made by anionic polymerization can be coupled with tin halides or silicon halides to improve the characteristics of the rubber for use in some applications, such as tire treads. In cases where the rubbery polymer was synthesized utilizing a polar modifier it is difficult to attain a high level of coupling. This invention is based upon the unexpected finding that coupling efficiency can be significantly improved by conducting the coupling reaction in the presence of a lithium salt of a saturated aliphatic alcohol, such as lithium t-amylate. This invention discloses a process for coupling a living rubbery polymer that comprises reacting the living rubbery polymer with coupling agent selected from the group consisting of tin halides and silicon halides in the presence of a lithium salt of a saturated aliphatic alcohol.

Abstract: A rubber vibration insulator for use in a vibration insulation device integrated into precision instruments such as acoustic, computer-associated and game instruments, which insulator has a low hardness, a small compression set, a large loss tangent and a small temperature dependence and can be prepared by curing a rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a partially crosslinked butyl rubber and 50 to 200 parts by weight of an extender component as well as a vulcanizing agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protective film comprising an adhesive composition comprising:

Abstract: There is provided a process for producing a modified diene polymer rubber, which comprises the steps of: (i) polymerizing a conjugated diene compound, or a combination of a conjugated diene compound and an aromatic vinyl compound in a hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst, thereby obtaining an active conjugated diene polymer having an alkali metal at the end thereof, and (ii) reacting the active conjugated diene polymer having an alkali metal at the end thereof with an amine compound represented by the specific formula (1), thereby obtaining the modified diene polymer rubber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to alkoxysilane-substituted diene copolymers, organic and inorganic hybrid complex compositions comprising the same and a process for the preparation of the same. The alkoxysilane-substituted diene copolymers are prepared by reacting a diene copolymer substituted by epoxy or hydroxy groups with a silane compound. Thus prepared alkoxysilane-substituted diene copolymer is characterized by the facts that it is in organic solvents and it is capable of being cured at low temperatures. The present invention also relates to a composition prepared by mixing the said copolymer with inorganic fillers and/or coupling agents. The copolymer of the formula (1) has high reactivity with coupling agents since it possesses reactive silane groups and thus provides the diene polymer composition as having improved compatibility with inorganic fillers.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a novel composition of matter having the formula: wherein Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd and Re are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl groups and substituted alkyl groups having about 1 to 106 carbon atoms, alkenyl groups and substituted alkenyl groups having about 3 to 106 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents on the alkyl and/or alkenyl groups are selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, halogen, CN, OH, HO(CH2CH2O)x (X=1-10), acyl, acyloxy and aryl substituents.

Abstract: A process for preparing highly functionalized polymers comprising the steps of admixing anionically-polymerizable monomers and at least one anionic-polymerization initiator to form an admixture of living polymers, adding at least one lithium alkoxide stabilizer to the admixture of living polymers to form a stabilized admixture, and adding a functionalizing agent to the stabilized admixture.

Abstract: A valve joint of a dispensing valve of a fluid product dispensing device, said joint being intended to come into contact with a fluid product comprising an aerosol propellant of the HFC-134a or HFC-227 type, with or without alcohol, characterised in that said joint comprises a surface subjected to a surface treatment, said surface treatment being adapted to lower the friction coefficient of the joint so as to reduce the risks of the valve blocking and/or to create a barrier on the joint surface so as to reduce the level of extractables from said joint.

Abstract: In a process for reacting an organic compound in the presence of a catalyst comprising, as active metal, at least one metal of transition group VIII of the Periodic Table, either alone or together with at least one metal of transition group I or VII of the Periodic Table, in an amount of from 0.01 to 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the catalyst, applied to a support containing macropores, the support comprises, as a support component, boron(III) oxide in an amount of from 10 to 100% by weight, based on the total weight of the support.

Abstract: A butadiene-type polymer suitable for use as a processing aid in a rubber composition is formed by polymerizing butadiene or other conjugated diene monomers in a solvent, such as hexane, to form a polymer of relatively low molecular weight (around 30-40,000 g/mole). The polymer is coupled with a coupling agent, such as tin tetrachloride, to increase its molecular weight to a level at which conventional desolventizing processes may be used to remove the solvent from the mix. After desolventizing, the polymer is decoupled, by heating, to return the polymer to its original molecular weight.

Abstract: The reduction of hysteresis in a silica-filled, vulcanized elastomeric compound is produced by mixing diene monomer and optionally monovinyl aromatic monomer with an initiator and a coordinator; effecting polymerization conditions; terminating polymerization with a terminator containing an organo-tin group to form a tin-coupled diene elastomer; compounding the tin-coupled diene elastomer with an amorphous silica filler and a vulcanization agent; and, effecting vulcanization. A pneumatic tire tread stock incorporating the vulcanized elastomer compound exhibits decreased rolling resistance in the tire.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for the bromination of isoolefin-conjugated diolefin polymers by brominating said polymer in solution in selected halogen-containing hydrocarbons as solvent. There is also provided an improved product of said process wherein the brominated polymer contains not less than 80 percent of the bound bromine atoms in a form suitable to participate in the vulcanization of the polymer and wherein not less than 70 percent of the bound conjugated diolefin units are similarly so brominated.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a coupling system (white filler/diene elastomer) for a rubber composition based on diene elastomer reinforced with a white filler, formed by the association of a polysulphurized alkoxysilane, an enamine and a guanidine derivative. The invention also provides a rubber composition usable for the manufacture of tires, comprising, as base constituents, one or more diene elastomer(s), a reinforcing white filler, a polysulphurized alkoxysilane coupling agent (white filler/diene elastomer), with which are associated an enamine and a guanidine derivative. Also provided is a process for preparing such a rubber composition, and a tire or semi-finished product, in particular a tread for a tire, comprising a rubber composition according to the invention.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for the selective hydrogenation of the unsaturated double bonds in the conjugated diene units of a homopolymer or copolymer in the presence of a novel homogeneous organotitanium-based catalyst. Also, the process of this invention can demonstrate a high yield of hydrogenation and hydrogenation reproducibility using a novel catalyst, so prepared from a mixture consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted monocyclopentadienyl titanium compound expressed by the following formula 1 and lithium hydride derived from a reaction of both alkyl lithium and hydrogen in solution.

Abstract: There is provided a process for producing a modified diene polymer rubber, which comprises the steps of:

Abstract: A process for selectively hydrogenating ethylenically unsaturated double bonds in polymers P involves reacting the polymers P with hydrogen in the presence of at least one hydrogenation catalyst selected from the salts and complex compounds of rhodium and/or of ruthenium in an aqueous dispersion of the polymers P that comprises not more than 20% by volume of an organic solvent. This process can be used to give hydrogenated polymer dispersions and, from these dispersions, polymers. Also claimed are aqueous polymer dispersions comprising polymers P′, which include structural units I, II and III as in claim 10, with or without structural units IV and/or V as in claim 11.

Abstract: The present invention is a continuous process for hydrogenating an unsaturated polymer comprising: contacting the unsaturated polymer with a hydrogenating agent in a fixed bed reactor, wherein the reactor is packed with a hydrogenation catalyst characterized in that the hydrogenation catalyst comprises a Group VIII metal component and at least one deactivation resistant component.

Abstract: Rubbery polymers made by anionic polymerization can be coupled with tin halides or silicon halides to improve the characteristics of the rubber for use in some applications, such as tire treads. In cases where the rubbery polymer is synthesized by anionic polymerization utilizing a polar modifier it is difficult to attain a high level of coupling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for carbonation of a living diene polymer obtained anionically. The carbonation process according to the invention is of the type consisting in spraying a solution of said polymer through at least one nozzle (5) into a chamber (2), in the form of droplets and in contact with carbon dioxide, into a bath which is substantially at rest filling said chamber (2) and formed of said carbon dioxide, such that said sprayed solution and said bath interact for said carbonation. This process is such that it consists in spraying said solution merely by the difference in hydrostatic pressure between the inlet to said or each nozzle (5) and the interior of said chamber (2).

Abstract: A process for improving the green strength of ethylene/&agr;-olefin/diene polymers is described comprising (A) selecting an ethylene/&agr;olefin/diene polymer having a Mooney viscosity at 125 C up to about 80 and a percent gel (% gel) up to about 30 percent and (B) partially crosslinking the ethylene/&agr;-olefin/diene polymer selected in step (A) to make a modified ethylene/&agr;-olefin/diene polymer satisfying the equations MV≦100 and MV ≤   ⁢ 100 W ≤   ⁢ ( MS 2 - MS 1 MS 1 ) wherein MV is the Mooney viscosity of the modified polymer, MS1 is the melt strength in centiNewtons of the polymer selected in step (A) at 110 C, when formulated according to AS

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hydrogenation catalyst and a process for hydrogenating an aromatic polymer having a number average molecular weight (Mn) of from 40,000 to less than 120,000 comprising contacting the aromatic polymer with a hydrogenating agent in the presence of a silica supported metal hydrogenation catalyst, characterized in that the silica has a pore size distribution such that at least 95 percent of the pore volume is defined by pores having diameter from 300 to 1000 angstroms, less than 4 percent of the pore volume is defined by pores having a diameter of 200 angstroms or less and at least 80 percent aromatic hydrogenation is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hydrogenated copolymer of a vinyl aromatic and isoprene monomer which produces optical media discs having extremely low birefringence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to rubbers based on diolefins that are characterized in that they have a content of 0.1 to 40 wt. %, relative to the total quantity of rubber, of non-polar lateral, saturated, linear, branched or cyclic hydrocarbons bound via sulfur atoms containing 1 to 22 carbon atoms or aromatic hydrocarbon radicals containing 6 to 22 carbon atoms, wherein the rubbers are produced by polymerization in solution.

Abstract: The invention comprises polymers which have been functionalized so as to be able to chemically react with polyamines to form adducts containing at least one or more groups consisting of amino, amido, imino, imido, or imidazloyl. Furthermore, the invention teaches processes to prepare these adducts by solution, melt or in-situ methods. A further embodiment of the invention pertains to the use of polyolefin plastomers or elastomers, elastomeric polyethylene-polypropylene, compositions or interpolymers of styrenes olefins, which have been chemically modified so that they react with polyamines to confer to asphalt significantly improved desired chemical and physical properties.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a modified diene polymer capable of creating good reinforcing characteristics and filler dispersing effect independently of the kinds of the filler as well as a process for making the polymer and to provide a rubber composition having good fracture characteristics, wear resistance, and low exothermicity without the impairment of wet performance.

Abstract: An epoxidized low viscosity polydiene polymer which has the structural formula

Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber vibration insulator for use in a vibration insulation device integrated into precision instruments such as acoustic, computer-associated and game instruments, which insulator has a low hardness, a small compression set, a large loss tangent and a small temperature dependence. The insulator can be prepared by crosslinking and curing a rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a partially crosslinked butyl rubber and 50 to 200 parts by weight of an extender component.

Abstract: A conjugated diolefin copolymer rubber and a rubber composition which can produce vulcanized products exhibiting well-balanced improved properties such as wet skid properties, low hysteresis loss properties, abrasion resistance, and breaking strength irrespective of the types and combinations of fillers to be added, and is useful as a tread material for low fuel consumption tires, large tires, and high performance tires. A conjugated diolefin copolymer rubber is prepared by the copolymerization of a conjugated diolefin and a vinyl aromatic compound, and (1) has a content of the bonded vinyl aromatic compound of 5-50 wt %, (2) contains 0.01-5.0 mmol of an alkoxysilyl group having substantially non-hydrolyzable Si—O—R bond (wherein R indicates a hydrocarbon group having 4-20 carbon atoms) and 0.01-2.0 mmol of a tin-carbon bond for 100 g of the copolymer rubber, and (3) has a polymodal-type molecular weight distribution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing functionalized polymers having at least one double bond and functional groups containing a carbonyl radical along their chains. The process involves (a) subjecting a starting polymer comprising at least one double bond, in an inert hydrocarbon solvent, to a hydroalumination or carboalumination reaction along its chain by adding an agent derived from aluminum to the starting polymer, (b) adding to the product obtained in (a) at least one electrophilic agent that reacts with said agent derived from aluminum and (c) stopping the functionalization reaction of (b) and recovering the functionalized polymer.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a tread, wherein the rubber composition of the tread layer comprises 50 parts by weight or more of SBR in 100 parts by weight of the rubber component and, in an amount of 0.2 to 5.0 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the rubber component, a vulcanization accelerator represented by the following general formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms which may be linear, branched, or cyclic or an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms. The pneumatic tire shows excellent controllability at high speed.

Abstract: It has been unexpectedly found that greatly improved properties for tire rubbers, such as lower hysteresis, can be attained by coupling the rubber with both a tin halide, such as tin tetrachloride, and a silicon halide, such as silicon tetrachloride. Even better characteristics for use in tire tread compounds can be realized by asymmetrically coupling the rubbery polymer. This invention more specifically discloses a coupled rubbery polymer which is particularly valuable for use in manufacturing tire tread compounds, said coupled rubbery polymer being comprised of (1) tin atoms having at least three polydiene arms covalently bonded thereto and (2) silicon atoms having at least three polydiene arms covalently bonded thereto.

Abstract: A method of continuously polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer and a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer in a hydrocarbon solvent by using an organolithium initiator, adding to the polymerization mixture a tin compound and again adding a tin compound after the polymerization mixture has been withdrawn from the polymerization vessel. The resulting diene polymers possess a significantly reduced Payne Effect and a substantial reduction (over 10%) in tan delta at 50° C. which results in tires having decreased hysteresis loss, excellent wear resistance and rolling resistance and good wet skid resistance.

Abstract: A process for hydrogenation of conjugated diene polymers comprises hydrogenating said polymer in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst composition comprising: (a) at least one titanium compound represented by the following formula (a): wherein R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, represent a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an arakyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryloxy group, an alkoxy group or a carbonyl group, and Cp* represents a cyclopentadienyl group or a derivative having the formula of C5R5, and R5, which may be the same or different, represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group an aralkyl group and an aryl group; and (b) at least one silyl hydride.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for using a rubber product or a rubber member in which at least one portion of the surface of the rubber product or the rubber member to be used in clean environments is allowed to swell by using a solvent, and then used. After at least one portion of the surface of the rubber product or the rubber member has been subjected to swelling by the solvent, it is used to handle electronic parts or the elements thereof; thus, a manufacturing method for electronic parts for manufacturing the electronic parts in clean environments is provided.

Abstract: A process for improving the green strength of ethylene/&agr;-olefin/diene polymers is described comprising (A) selecting an ethylene/(&agr;olefin/diene polymer having a Mooney viscosity at 125 C up to about 80 and a percent gel (% gel) up to about 30 percent and (B) partially crosslinking the ethylene/&agr;-olefin/diene polymer selected in step (A) to make a modified ethylene/&agr;-olefin/diene polymer satisfying the equations MV≦100 and 1 W ≤ ( MS 2 - MS 1 MS 1 )

Abstract: A hydrogenation catalyst comprising (A) a transition metal compound in which a group having a heterocyclic skeleton is bonded to Ti, Zr or Hf through an oxygen atom or a nitrogen atom, a representative of which compound is bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium bis(tetrahydrofurfuryloxy) and (B) an organic compound, halide or hydride of a metal of Groups I to III of the Periodic Table or comprising the constituent (A), the constituent (B) and (C) a polar, organic compound such as an alcohol, a carboxylic acid or the like. An olefinically unsaturated compound can be hydrogenated with a high efficiency by contacting the compound with hydrogen in the presence of the above catalyst in an inert, organic solvent. The above catalyst has a very high catalytic activity, is excellent in hydrogenation selectivity and thermal resistance, also excellent in storage stability and maintainability of catalytic activity and is hardly affected by the co-existing impurities.

Abstract: A rubber composition for a tire comprising 100 parts by weight of diene rubber and 1 to 30 parts by weight of expandable graphite having a particle size of 30 to 600 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method of preparing a functionalized polymer comprising the steps of initiating the formation and propagation of an anionically-polymerized living polymer, and terminating the propagation of the living polymer by reacting the polymer with a terminating agent selected from the group of agents defined by the formulas (III), (IV), and (V) where C is a carbon atom, S is a sulfur atom, X is a halogen atom, R2 and R4 are independently selected from hydrogen and carbon-based moieties, and where the phenyl groups are selected from unsubstituted and substituted phenyl groups.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for the bromination of isoolefin-conjugated diolefin polymers by brominating said polymer in solution in selected halogen-containing hydrocarbons as solvent. There is also provided an improved product of said process wherein the brominated polymer contains not less than 80 percent of the bound bromine atoms in a form suitable to participate in the vulcanization of the polymer and wherein not less than 70 percent of the bound conjugated diolefin units are similarly so brominated.

Abstract: The invention provides solid supported anionic catalysts, suitable for gas phase anionic polymerization of conjugated diene monomers, that are useful for anionically producing very high molecular weight branched diene polymers, such as styrene butadiene rubber, polybutadiene rubber, polyisoprene rubber, and the like. The catalysts comprise a metalatable particle, such as a bound rubber, a thermoplastic polymer or a cured elastomer, that is multiply metalated with Group IA alkali metal atoms. The multi-branched diene polymers obtained by gas phase anionic polymerization employing the catalysts exhibit desirable properties, such as an extremely high molecular weight, a controlled molecular weight distribution, Tg and vinyl content, and the ability to readily absorb hydrocarbon solvents and oils. The polymers are easily compounded to form vulcanizable elastomeric compounds and articles, such as tires, that have excellent resistance to wear and tear and exhibit reduced hysteresis properties.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for making gel-free functionalized polymers. When multi-lithium initiators are used to make these polymers anionically, the process comprises anionically polymerizing at least one monomer with a multi-lithium initiator in a hydrocarbon solvent, functionalizing the polymer by adding to the polymer a capping agent that reacts with the ends of the polymer chains such that strongly-associating chain ends are formed wherein a polymer gel is formed, adding a trialkyl aluminum compound to the polymer gel, whereby the gel dissipates, adding a sufficient amount of a proton source to provide at least 1 mole of protons per mole of lithium ions and at least 2 moles of protons per mole of aluminum wherein the proton source is an organic acid with a pKa of 11 or less or a mixture of the organic acid and an alkanol, provided that sufficient organic acid is added to provide at least 0.

Abstract: This invention relates to a gel-free process for making hydrogenated functionalized polymers that mitigates the problem of ionic gel.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for the bromination of isoolefin-conjugated diolefin polymers by brominating said polymer in solution in selected halogen-containing hydrocarbons as solvent. There is also provided an improved product of said process wherein the brominated polymer contains not less than 80 percent of the bound bromine atoms in a form suitable to participate in the vulcanization of the polymer and wherein not less than 70 percent of the bound conjugated diolefin units are similarly so brominated.