Processability butyl rubber and process for production thereof

• US 6,841,642 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lanxess Corporation (Lanxess AG)
• Original Assignee: Bayer Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Kaszas, Gabor
• Primary Examiner(s): TESKIN, FRED M
• Application Number:
  US10/362,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20030187173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 526/282, 526/308, 526/336, 526/339, 525/332.1, 525/332.2, 525/332.8
• US Class Current: 526/339
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/38 Polymerisation using regulators, e.g. chain terminating agents , e.g. telomerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/12 with conjugated diolefins, e.g. butyl rubber
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 212/04 containing one ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 236/00 Copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, at least one having two or more carbon-to-carbon double bonds C08F232/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2500/17 Viscosity

Abstract

A butyl polymer having improved processability is described, together with a process for production thereof. The butyl polymer derived from a reaction mixture which contains: (i) a monomer mixture comprising a C4 to C7 monoolefin monomer (preferably isobutylene) and a C4 to C14 multiolefin monomer (preferably isoprene); (ii) a multiolefin cross-linking agent (preferably divinyl benzene); and (iii) a chain transfer agent (preferably diisobutylene (2,2,4-trimethyl-1-pentene)). The subject butyl polymer has an improved balance of cold flow, filler dispersion, extrusion rate and die swell.

Claims

1. A butyl polymer having improved processability, prepared with a reaction mixture comprising:

(i) a monomer mixture comprising a C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer and a C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer or β

-pinene;

(ii) a multiolefin cross-linking agent; and

(iii) a chain transfer agent.

2. The butyl polymer according to claim 1, wherein the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer is selected from the group comprising isobutylene, 2-methyl-1-butane, 3-methyl-1-butene, 2-methyl-2-butene, 4-methyl-1-pentene and mixtures thereof.

3. The butyl polymer according to claim 2, wherein the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer comprises isobutylene.

4. The butyl polymer according to claim 1, wherein the C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer is selected from the group comprising isoprene, butadiene, 2-methyl-butadiene, 2,4-dimethylbutadiene, piperyline, 3-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2,4-hexadiene, 2-neopentylbutadiene, 2-methyl-1,5-hexadiene, 2,5-dimethyl-2,4-hexadiene, 2-methyl-1,4-pentadiene, 2-methyl-1,6-heptadiene, cyclopentadiene, methylcyclopentadiene, cyclohexadiene, 1-vinyl-cyclo-hexadiene and mixtures thereof.

5. The butyl polymer according to claim 4, wherein the C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer comprises isoprene.

6. The butyl polymer according to claim 1, wherein the monomer mixture comprises from about 80% to about 99% by weight C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer and from about 1.0% to about 20% by weight C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer or β

-pinene.

7. The butyl polymer according to claim 6, wherein the monomer mixture comprises from about 85% to about 99% by weight C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer and from about 1.0% to about 15% by weight C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer or β

-pinene.

8. The butyl polymer according to claim 7, wherein the monomer mixture comprises from about 95% to about 99% by weight C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer and from about 1% to about 5.0% by weight C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer or β

-pinene.

9. The butyl polymer according to claim 1, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent comprises a diolefinic hydrocarbon compound.

10. The butyl polymer according to claim 9, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent is selected from the group comprising divinylbenzene, diisopropenylbenzene, divinyltoluene, divinylxylene and a C₁ to C₂₀ alkyl-substituted derivatives thereof.

11. The butyl polymer according to claim 10, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent comprises divinylbenzene.

12. The butyl polymer according to claim 1, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.01% to about 3.0% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

13. The butyl polymer according to claim 12, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent as present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.05% to about 1.0% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

14. The butyl polymer according to claim 13, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent as present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 0.4% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

15. The butyl polymer according to claim 1, wherein the chain transfer agent is selected from the group comprising piperylene, 1-methylcycloheptene, 1-methylcyclo-pentene, 2-ethyl-1-hexene, 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene, indene and mixtures thereof.

16. The butyl polymer according to claim 15, wherein the chain transfer agent comprises 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene.

17. The butyl polymer according to claim 1, wherein the chain transfer agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.01% to about 2.0% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

18. The butyl polymer according to claim 17, wherein the chain transfer agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about0.01% to about 1.4% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

19. The butyl polymer according to claim 18, wherein the chain transfer agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.05% to about 0.5% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

20. The butyl polymer according to claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises a halogenated butyl polymer.

21. The butyl polymer according to claim 20, wherein the polymer is brominated.

22. The butyl polymer according to claim 20, wherein the polymer is chlorinated.

23. The butyl polymer according to claim 20, wherein the amount of halogen is in the range of from about 0.1 to about 8% by weight of the polymer.

24. The butyl polymer according to claim 23, wherein the amount of halogen is in the range of from about 0.5 to about 4% by weight of the polymer.

25. The butyl polymer according to claim 24, wherein the amount of halogen is in the range of from about 1.5 to about 3% by weight of the polymer.

26. A process for preparing a butyl polymer having improved processability, comprising the step of continuing a reaction mixture comprising:

(i) a monomer mixture comprising a C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer and a C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer or β

-pinene;

(ii) a multiolefin cross-linking agent;

(iii) a chain transfer agent; and

(iv) a catalyst system.

27. The process according to claim 26, wherein the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer is selected from group comprising isobutylene, 2-methyl-1-butene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 2-methyl-2-butene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, and mixtures thereof.

28. The process according to claim 26, wherein the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer comprises isobutylene.

29. The process according to claim 26, wherein the C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer is selected from the group comprising isoprene, butadiene, 2-methylbutadiene, 2,4-dimethylbutadiene, piperyline, 3-methyl-1,3-pentadiene, 2,4-hexadiene, 2-neopentylbutadiene, 2-methyl-1,5-hexadiene, 2,5-dimethyl-2,4-hexadiene, 2-methyl-1,4-pentadiene, 2-methyl-1,6-heptadiene, cyclopentadiene, methylcyclopentadiene, cyclohexadiene, 1-vinyl-cyclo-hexadiene and mixtures thereof.

30. The process according to claim 29, wherein the C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer comprises isoprene.

31. The butyl polymer according to claim 26, wherein the monomer mixture comprises from about 80% to about 99% by weight C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer and from about 1.0% to about 20% by weight C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer or β

-pinene.

32. The butyl polymer according to claim 31, wherein the monomer mixture comprises from about 85% to about 99% by weight C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer and from about 1.0% to about 15% by weight C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer or β

-pinene.

33. The butyl polymer according to claim 32, wherein the monomer mixture comprises from about 95% to about 99% by weight C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer and from about 1% to about 5.0% by weight C₄ to C₁₄ multiolefin monomer or β

-pinene.

34. The process according to claim 26, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent comprises a diolefinic hydrocarbon compound.

35. The process according to claim 34, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent is selected from the group comprising divinylbenzene, diisopropenylbenzene, divinyltoluene, divinylxylene and a C₁ to C₂₀ alkyl-substituted derivatives thereof.

36. The process according to claim 35, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent comprises divinyl-benzene.

37. The process according to claim 26, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.01% to about 3.0% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

38. The process according to claim 37, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.05% to about 1.0% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

39. The process according to claim 38, wherein the multiolefin crosslinking agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 0.4% by weight based on the amount of the C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

40. The butyl polymer according to claim 26, wherein the chain transfer agent is selected from the group comprising piperylene, 1-methylcycloheptene, 1-methylcyclopentene, 2-ethyl-1-hexene, 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene, indene and mixtures thereof.

41. The process according to claim 40, wherein the chain transfer agent comprises 2,4,4trimethyl-1-pentene.

42. The process according to claim 26, wherein the chain transfer agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.01% to about 2.0% by weight based on the amount of th C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

43. The process according to claim 42, wherein the chain transfer agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.05% to about 1.4% by weight based on the amount of th C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.

44. The process according to claim 43, wherein the chain transfer agent is present in the reaction mixture in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight based on the amount of th C₄ to C₇ monoolefin monomer in the monomer mixture.