Compositions for cables filling

• US 6,723,686 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dynasol Elastomeros SA
• Original Assignee: Dynasol Elastomeros SA
• Inventors: Calle, Juan Antonio Barrio, Noguera, Juan Antonio Prieto, Gonzalez, Carlos Gonzalez
• Primary Examiner(s): Howard, Jacqueline V.
• Application Number:
  US09/974,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20020061825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 508/591, 508/207, 508/384, 523/173
• US Class Current: 508/591
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/28 natural or synthetic rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/441 from alkenes

Abstract

The invention relates to compositions for cables filling wherein a styrene-butadiene block copolymer with radial structure is used as a gelling agent. This polymer is obtained through styrene and butadiene sequential polymerization and subsequent reaction with a coupling agent preferably of type Cl_4-nMR_n, wherein M=Sn or Si, R is an alkyl or aryl group and n is an integer from 0 to 2, and hydrogenation of the resulting polymer. This type of copolymer brings a higher stability to the final properties of the gel as compared with the linear hydrogenated synthetic rubbers usually used in the prior art.

Claims

1. A stable composition for cable filling comprising a mineral or synthetic oil and a radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer.

2. A composition according to claim 1 further comprising a polyethylene wax.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises 70 to 90% by weight of the mineral oil, 2 to 15% by weight of the radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer, and 0 to 12% by weight of polyethylene wax.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer is synthesized through coupling polymer chains of styrene and butadiene with Cl₄Si or Cl₄Sn.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer comprises between 20 and 40% by weight of styrene.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer comprises higher than 25% by weight of vinyl.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer has a molecular weight between 30,000 and 110,000.

8. A method for producing the stable composition as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

(i) sequentially polymerizing styrene and butadiene to yield polymer chains;

(ii) coupling the polymer chains with Cl₄Si or Cl₄Sn to obtain a radial styrene-butadiene block copolymer;

(iii) hydrogenating the radial styrene-butadiene block copolymer to obtain a radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer; and

(iv) formulating said radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer with a mineral or synthetic oil to yield the stable composition claimed in claim 1.

9. The method according to claim 8 comprising further formulating said radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer with polyethylene wax.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the composition comprises 70 to 90% by weight of the mineral oil, 2 to 15% by weight of the radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer, and 0 to 12% by weight of polyethylene wax.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer comprises between 20 and 40% by weight of styrene.

12. The method according to claim 8 wherein the radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer comprises higher than 25% by weight of vinyl.

13. The method according to claim 8 wherein the radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer has a molecular weight between 30,000 and 110,000.

14. The stable composition as claimed in claim 1 produced by a method comprising:

(i) sequentially polymerizing styrene and butadiene to yield polymer chains;

(ii) coupling the polymer chains with Cl₄Si or Cl₄Sn to obtain a radial styrene-butadiene block copolymer;

(iii) hydrogenating the radial styrene-butadiene block copolymer to obtain a radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer; and

(iv) formulating said radial hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer with a mineral or synthetic oil to yield the stable composition claimed in claim 1.

15. A method of filling a cable comprising introducing into the cable the stable composition as claimed in claim 1.

16. A method of filling a cable comprising introducing into the cable the stable composition as claimed in claim 2.

17. A method of filling a cable comprising introducing into the cable the stable composition as claimed in claim 3.

18. A method of filling a cable comprising introducing into the cable the stable composition as claimed in claim 4.

19. A method of filling a cable comprising introducing into the cable the stable composition as claimed in claim 5.

20. A method of filling a cable comprising introducing into the cable the stable composition as claimed in claim 6.

21. A method of filling a cable comprising introducing into the cable the stable composition as claimed in claim 7.

22. A method of filling a cable comprising introducing into the cable the stable composition as claimed in claim 14.