Title of Invention

"ELASTOMERIC PRODUCT WITH RADICALLY VULCANIZED RUBBER MIXTURE"

Abstract

The invention relates to an elastomeric product that contains a radically vulcanized rubber mixture, especially a drive belt. To make elastomeric products available, especially drive bells, with a very long lifespan and environmentally friendly manufacture, the rubber mixture contains at least 0.1 to 50 phr carboxylic acid that is at least unsaturated and that has at least one allylic hydrogen atom at the end of the conjugated double bond, and at least 0.1 to 50 phr of a metal coagulant as coactivator.

Full Text

Description Elastomeric product with radically vulcanized rubber mixture The invention relates to an elastomeric product which includes a radical cross-linked rubber mixture. Elastomeric products which have to withstand high dynamic loads, such as drive belts, transport belts or flexible tubes, must satisfy high requirements as to wear resistance, modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, tear resistance, aging resistance, flexibility in cold temperatures, heat build-up and chemical and oil resistance. Additional requirements for drive belts while in operation include low noise development and retention of desired mechanical characteristics at high temperatures. Overall, the mentioned characteristics should contribute to a long service life of the elastomeric product. In order to satisfy these high requirements, especially with respect to heat resistance, radical cross-linked, that is, peroxide cross-linked rubber mixtures, are utilized for many elastomeric products, especially for drive belts. These radical cross-linked rubber mixtures are based, for example, on hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) and/or ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM) . To increase the cross-linking density and to improve the characteristics of the vulcanized product of radical cross-linked rubber mixtures it is further known to add co-agents/co-activators, such as tri-allyl compounds or reactive acrylate derivatives, to the mixture. As co-agents, for example, metal salts of α,ß-unsaturated carboxylic acids are suggested, such as zinc salts of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. in European patent publication 0 866 834 Bl, for example, drive belts having a long service life are described which are based on EPDM and/or EPM and include 32 to 100 phr of at least one metal salt of an ex,α,ß-unsaturated carboxylic acid, preferably zinc diacrylate. European patent publication 1 205 515 AI discloses the use of 1 to 30 phr of at least one metal salt of an α,ß-unsaturated carboxylic acid, especially zinc dimethacrylate, in mixtures of ethylene-alpha-olefin rubber, such as EPDM and EPM in drive belts. Japanese patent publication 2981575 B2 discloses drive belts which include a peroxide cross-linked rubber mixture and the rubber mixture is based on a saturated rubber (for example, EPM) and includes staple fibers and a metal salt of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid- In this publication, it is further described that, in addition to the direct use of the metal salts of the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, these salts can also even be generated in the mixture in that suitable metal salts, such as carbonates, oxides or hydroxides, and the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid are added to the mixture and react there to the corresponding metal salt of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide elastomeric products, especially drive belts, which include a radical cross-linked rubber mixture and are characterized by long service life and environmentally friendly production. This object is attained according to the invention in that the rubber mixture contains the following: 0.1 to 50 phr (parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of all rubbers in the mixture) of at least one carboxylic acid which is at least α,ß-unsaturated and ,-unsaturated and has at least one allylic hydrogen atom at the end of the conjugated double bonds; and, as co-activator, 0.1 to 50 phr of at least one metal salt. The unit phr (parts per hundred, parts of rubber by weight) used in this specification is the usual quantity unit for preparing mixtures. The apportionment of the parts by weight of the individual substances is always based on 100 parts by weight of the total mass of all rubbers present in the mixture. it was found that by providing at least one carboxylic acid, which is at least α,ß-unsaturated and ,unsaturated, and which has at least one allylic hydrogen atom at least the end of the conjugated double bonds, and at least one metal salt to an uncrosslinked rubber mixture, which is present in the elastomeric product upon radical cross-linking, an especially high degree of cross-linking can be obtained and therefore a strengthened elastomeric product. This strengthening leads to especially high abrasion resistance. For the improvement of the degree of cross-linking it appears essential that the carboxylic acid has a system of at least two conjugated double bonds with the system having a carboxylic group which withdraws electrons. This results in an especially active hydrogen atom in allyl position to the last conjugated double bond, in the radical cross-linking, the carboxylic acid appears to be preferably bound in this way directly to the polymer chain and only then reacts with the metal salt while forming cross-linkages with the aid of peroxide. It is important that the specific carboxylic acid and the metal salt, when added to the rubber mixture, are in an unreacted state. When using metal salts of the specific carboxylic acids, the strengthening effect could not be seen, probably because no more preliminary reaction of the carboxylic acid with polymer can take place in the presence of the salt. The use of metal salts of carboxylic acids, which are only ethylenically unsaturated (no conjugated double bonds present), does not lead in all cases to the especially good strengthening because the singly unsaturated carboxylic acids are probably not active enough and are environmentally disadvantageous. Furthermore, the radical cross-linked rubber mixtures having the specific carboxylic acid and the metal salt in the given amounts are distinguished by a reduced compression set, that is, by a reduced creep. This effects an improvement of the performance over the service life in the elastomeric products of these mixtures because the products show a small change of the surface geometry over the service life. The radical cross-linked rubber mixtures with the specific carboxylic acid and the metal salts in the stated quantities have the additional advantage that they show high dynamic durability so that the elastomeric products having these rubber mixtures withstand well a dynamic long-time use as in present, for example, in drive belts. Furthermore, the rubber mixtures have good strength and stress values. The rubber mixtures for the elastomeric products of the invention can be mixed without problems because the specific carboxylic acid and the metal salt are readily dispersible in the rubber matrix. An especially good improvement in degree of cross-linking can be obtained when the rubber mixture has 10 to 40 phr of at least one carboxylic acid which is at least α,ß-unsaturated and ,-unsaturated and has at least one allylic hydrogen atom at the end of the conjugated double bond system. One individual carboxylic acid can be used. But it is also possible to use several carboxylic acids of this type in the mixture. All carboxylic acids can be used which are characterized by the presence of at least two conjugated double bonds in a, (J and y,5 positions to a carboxylic group and have an allylic hydrogen atom at the end of the conjugated double bond system. Therefore, carboxylic acids which have three or more conjugated double bonds can also be used. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the carboxylic acid is, however, a 2,4-hexanedienoic acid. Especially preferred is trans,trans-2,4-hexanedienoic acid (sorbic acid) which is available in large amounts in the marketplace at low cost and is ecologically safe. It is known for use as a preservative, Sorbic acid can be especially well mixed into the rubber mixture and is well distributed in the mixture and leads to elastomeric products having especially good dynamic characteristics. During incorporation, no Irritating or toxic volatile gases are formed so that no special ventilation systems have to be provided for the production of the mixture. The rubber mixture for the elastomeric product contains 0.1 to 50 phr, preferably 5 to 40 phr of at least one metal salt. Several metal salts can also be used in the mixture. For example, metal hydroxides, metal oxides or metal carbonates can be used as metal salts. Metal oxides and metal carbonates have been shown to be especially effective with respect to the degree of cross-linking and are therefore preferably used. The metal salts can, for example, contain magnesium, barium, calcium, lithium, sodium, potassium, lead, tin or the like. Preferably, zinc salts, especially zinc oxide, are used, and these are especially active in cross-linking. In order to further improve the degree of cross-linking and to obtain especially abrasion resistant and dynamically serviceable elastomeric products, it has been shown to be advantageous to use active zinc oxide. Active zinc oxide has a large specific surface. While standard zinc oxides or "zinkweiss" have BET surface areas of up to 10 m2/g (for example, *zinkweiss HARZSIEGEL®" having a BET surface of about 4.7 m2/g or 'zinkweiss Rotsiegel" having a BET surface area of about 4.5 m2/g by the Grillo Company) , the BET surface areas in active zinc oxides lie above 20 m2/g. Active zinc oxides can be obtained, for example, under the designation "zinc oxide active" from the LANXESS Company (BET surface area of about 45 m2/g) or zinc oxide RAC from the Bruggemann Company (BET surface area of about 69 ma/g) . These active zinc oxides are, as a rule, produced by precipitation reaction in solutions, whereas standard zinc oxides are recovered by burning zinc vapors. The rubber mixture for elastomeric products can be based on various radical cross-linkable rubbers and blends of such rubbers. Thus, the rubber mixture can, for example, be based on at least one ethylene-alpha-olefin rubber, such as ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) or ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM). These rubber types can be used over a wiae temperature range and have good chemical and oil resistance. EPDM and EPM can also be used as blends. Rubber mixtures which are based on at least one ethylene-alpha-olefin rubber are preferably used for frictionally-engaged drive belts Buch as V-belts or V-ribbed belts. Optionally, the rubber mixture can also be based on at least one hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) which has good abrasion resistance, good oil resistance and good low temperature performance. Rubber mixtures which are based on at one hydrogenated nitrile rubber are preferably utilized for form-fitting drive belts such as toothed belts. Furthermore, the rubber mixture can also include other rubber types, as, for example, silicone rubber, polychloroprene, epichlorohydrin rubber, natural rubber, ethylene-vinylacetate rubber, chlorosulphonated polyethylene, et cetera. The radical cross-linking of the rubber mixture can take place with common peroxides. For example, the following can be utilized: 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di-tertiary-butyl-peroxy-hexane, di-tertiary-butyl peroxide, tertiary-butyl-perbenzoate, dicumyl-peroxide, α,α'-di-tertiary-butyl-peroxy-di-isopropyl benzene. The rubber mixture can further include customary loading materials in appropriate amounts. These loading materials include fillers (such as carbon black, silica and short fibers), softeners and waxes, anti-aging agents, stearic acid and bonding agents and others. The elastomeric products of the invention can be widely differing products which have to withstand dynamic loading and for which good abrasion resistance is desired. These characteristics are required, for example, in transport belts, hoses and fabrics coated with elastomer. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the elastomeric product is, however, a drive belt which includes the radical cross-linked rubber mixture. The drive belts can be produced cost-effectively and environmentally safely and are characterized by a high dynamic load capacity and an increased service life because of reduced abrasion. The drive belts can be frictionally engaging drive belts, such as flat belts, v-belts or v-ribbed belts. Preferably, the drive belt is a v-ribbed belt in which particularly good abrasion performance can be achieved. If the drive belt is a v-ribbed belt, then the radical cross-linked rubber mixture can form the ribs and/or the back and/or the cord embedding mixture and/or the rubber coating mixture of the v-ribbed belt. It is also possible that the drive belt is a form-fitting drive belt, preferably a toothed belt. For the toothed belt, the cover layer and the base body including the teeth are preferably formed by the radical cross-linked rubber mixture. Such toothed belts exhibit improved service life because of the improved strength and higher stress values of the cross-linked mixture since the danger of teeth being sheared off is reduced because of stronger teeth. Improvements in strength and stress values can also be realized at high temperatures. The elastomeric products of the invention can be produced according to methods known to those working in this art. v-ribbed belts can, for example, be produced by grinding or forming methods and toothed belts can be produced by extrusion processes. The rubber mixture can be mixed according to known methods and, thereafter, can be utilized like a conventional rubber mixture in the production of product blanks. The blanks can then be cross-linked with known vulcanization methods and then brought into the desired form. In the following, the invention is described in detail without, however, being limited to these examples. In the following Tables 1 to 3, comparison and inventive rubber mixtures are shown which can be utilized for the elastomeric products. Table 1 shows rubber mixtures based on EPDM and Table 2 shows rubber mixtures based on EPM. These mixtures can, for example, be utilized for the ribs of V-ribbed belts- Table 3 shows fiber-filled mixtures based on HNBR which can, for example, be utilized for toothed belts. In all mixture examples contained in the tables, the quantity units are parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the total rubber (phr). The comparison mixtures are designated nv while the mixtures of the invention are designated *E". The mixtures in the tables vary with respect to the amounts of sorbic acid and zinc salts used. The zinc sorbate used in Table 1 was produced by the following method: 224 g sorbic acid were added to 1,000 ml ethanol. While stirring, 117 g basic zinc carbonate was added incrementally at room temperature. The mixture formed a readily stirrable suspension. At room temperature, stirring was continued and, after a short delay, the formation of C02 started which showed that the reaction was occurring. After 24 hours, enough zinc disorbate had formed so that a firm mass had formed. In a rotary evaporator, the ethanol was drawn off at 60°C under vacuum. A white mass of zinc disorbate was recovered and ground in a mill. Production of the mixture was conducted under conventional conditions. The conversion times to achieve the relative cross-linking stages of 10% (t10) and 90% (t90) as well as the difference between end thrust force F. and start thrust force F0 (as a measure of the degree of cross-linking) were determined with a moving disc rheometer (MDR) at 180 °C according to DIN 53 529. Prom all mixtures, test specimens were produced by vulcanization under pressure at 180°C (heating times: 10 minutes for Tables 1 and 2, 20 minutes for Table 3) and, with these test specimens, material characteristics, typical for the rubber industry are determined which are listed in the tables. For the tests on test specimens, the following test methods were used: Shore A hardness at room temperature and, if required, at 150 °C according to DIN 53 505; tensile strength at room temperature and, if required, at 150°C according to DIN 53 504; elongation at break at room temperature and, if required, at 150°C according to DIN 53 504; stress value at room temperature and, if required, at 150°C and 100% elongation according to DIN 53 504; compression set according to DIN 53 517 over 22 hours at 100°C and with a deformation of 25%. Tensile strength, elongation at break and stress values were determined in calandered fiber-filled mixtures in directions longitudinal to as well as transverse to the general direction in which the fibers were aligned by calandering. tear resistance at room temperature according to DIN 53 507 WRY on teBt specimens of 2 mm thickness; abrasive wear according to DIN 53 516 (Table Removed). Table 1 α α, α'-di-tert. -butyl -peroxy-di-isopropyl-benzene, 40 weight-% on an inorganic carrier b active zinc oxide, "Zinkoxid aktiv" from the LANXESS Company, Germany The addition of different cross-linking activators was investigated with the mixtures which are listed in Table 1 . The mixture of column 1 shows a system where no sorbic acid or zinc salt of carboxylic acid has been added. The cross-linking is achieved exclusively with the peroxide. A degree of cross-linking of 34 dNm is not sufficient, in the case of EPDM-based mixtures, for use in products such as v-ribbed belts. The mixture of column 2 shows the same mixture using 15 phr zinc dimethylacrylat© as is known in the art, for example, from European patent publication 1 205 515 Al. The compression set increases, that is, the mixture tends to creep. This leads, for example, in V-ribbed belts or toothed belts, to a situation wherein the surface geometry of the belts changes and therefore leads to a poorer wear resistance. The mixture of column 4 shows that the use of a substance similar to zinc dimethacrylate, i.e. zinc disorbate, in equiirtolar amount provides little benefit with respect to degree o£ cross-linking and compression set. A degree of cross-linking of 36.28 dMm is attained which is not significantly different from mixture 1 which contains no metal salts of carboxylic acids. Compared to the latter, only a slight increase in hardness occurs which suggests that the sorbate acted as an inactive fill material. If now free sorbic acid is used in combination with zinc oxide in a similar mixture (mixture of column 3), then, surprisingly, a very high degree of cross-linking is attained, and that mixture is well adapted for the production of wear-resistant elastomeric products such as drive belts. This is particularly surprising since it appears that the reaction mechanism could not have run via intermediary formation of zinc disorbate. In that case, the attainable results should not have been any better than with the mixture of column 4. The cross-linking mechanism appears to involve, in substantial degree, binding of sorbic acid to the EPM-molecule. There are different possibilities for this. An BNE-type reaction is possible via the hydrogen atoms on c6 with the chains of the EPM; in the case of a hydrogen abstraction from EPM-molecule, the sorbic acid is also capable of very fast Diels-Alder reactions. The compression set is markedly reduced and thus improves the service life of, for example, belts, because creep ana compression set of the mixtures is reduced. A comparison experiment with free methylacrylic acid and zinc oxide had to be abandoned because the mixture was extremely lacrimatory because of unconverted inethylacrylic acid residues and had to be ended abruptly for workplace hygienic reasons. Commercial production of marketable belts in this way is not practical for environmental reasons. Table 2 α α,α'-di-tert.-butyl-peroxy-di-isopropyl-benzene, 40 weight-% on inorganic carrier b active zinc oxide, '2inkoxid aktiv" from the LANXESS Company, Germany e Zinc white HARZSIEGEL®, Norzinco GmbH Harzer zinkoxide Table 2 shows experiments with different zinc salts in conjuction with sorbic acid in EPDM-mixtures. The degree of cross-linking increases with increasing amounts of sorbic acid. With active zinc oxide (mixtures S and 6) the highest degrees of cross-linking are attained, which results in especially low abrasion. With respect to strength and stress value at elongation, these two mixtures show the highest values. Table 2 also indicates that abrasion resistance runs parallel to the degree of cross-linking. Table 3 (Table Removed) a α,,α'-di-tert,-butyl-peroxy-di-isopropyl-benzene, 40 weight-% on inorganic carrier b active zinc oxide, "Zinkoxid aktiv" from the LANXESS Company, Germany d 34% acrylonitrile content, 4% remaining double bonding e p-aramid fibers having an average length of 3 iran, Twaron®-fibers The mixtures of Table 3 are fiber reinforced mixtures based on HNBR as they are conventionally used for toothed belts. Because of the presence of fibers aligned because of the calandering process, the data obtained from tension testing differs in the longitudinal and transverse directions. In the transition from mixture 11 to mixture 12, the -inc dimethacrylate was replaced on an equimolar basis 16 - for sorbic acid and zinc oxide. Mixture 2 is distinguished by an increased degree of cross-linking. it is furthermore advantageous that the time to 10% cross-linking (t10) is lengthened and the time to 90% cross-linking (t90) is shortened. That means that the mixture has an improved scorch safety while, at the same time, having a shortened total vulcanization time. With respect to product characteristics, the mixture 12 further shows a clear improvement in strength and clearly increased tensile values, and both of these characteristics are also manifested at increased temperatures. These characteristics are especially important in a toothed belt because they counter shearing off of teeth and shortened service life. WE CLAIM: 1. An elastomeric product which contains a radical cross-linked rubber mixture, wherein the rubber mixture comprises: 0.1 to 50 phr (parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of all rubbers in the mixture) of at least one carboxylic acid, which is at least a, p-unsaturated and y, 6- unsaturated and has at least one allylic hydrogen atom at the end of the conjugated double bonds; and, as co-activator, 0.1 to 50 phr of at least one metal salt. 2. The product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rubber mixture contains 10 to 40 phr of said at least one carboxylic acid, which is at least a, P-unsaturated and y, 6-unsaturated and has at least one allylic hydrogen atom at the end of the conjugated double bonds. 3. The product as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one the carboxylic acids is a 2,4- hexanedienoic acid. 4. The product as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the carboxylic acids is a trans, trans-2,4-hexanedienoic acid (sorbic acid). 5. The product as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the rubber mixture contains 5 to 40 phr of at least one metal salt. 6. The product as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the metal salts is a metal oxide or a metal carbonate. 7. The product as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the metal salts is a zinc salt. 8. The product as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of metal salts is zinc oxide. 9. The product as claimed in claim 7, wherein the zinc oxide is an active zinc oxide having a BET surface area of more than 20 m2lg. 10. The product as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the rubber mixture contains at least one ethylene-alpha-olefin rubber. 11. The product as claimed in claim 10, wherein the rubber mixture contains at least one ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM). 12. The product as claimed in claim 10, wherein the rubber mixture contains at least one ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM). 13. The product as claimed in at least one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the rubber mixture contains at least one hydrogenated nitrile rubber. 14. The product as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the product is a drive belt.

Documents:

7380-delnp-2008-abstract.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-Claims-(17-10-2013).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-Claims-(19-12-2013).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-claims.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-Correspondence Others-(17-10-2013).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-Correspondence Others-(19-12-2013).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-Correspondence-Others-(11-02-2009).pdf

7380-DELNP-2008-Correspondence-Others-(19-03-2009).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-correspondence-others.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-description (complete).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-form-1.pdf

7380-DELNP-2008-Form-18.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-form-2.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-Form-3-(17-10-2013).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-form-3.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-Form-5-(17-10-2013).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-form-5.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-GPA-(11-02-2009).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-GPA-(17-10-2013).pdf

7380-delnp-2008-pct-210.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-pct-304.pdf

7380-delnp-2008-Petition-137-(17-10-2013).pdf