Thermoplastic compositions containing elastomers and fluorine containing thermoplastics

Abstract

A thermoplastic vulcanizate prepared by dynamically vulcanizing a rubber within a blend that comprises the rubber, a fluorine containing thermoplastic, and a vulcanizing agent; wherein the rubber is selected from nitrile rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, amino-functionalized nitrile rubber, acrylonitrile-isoprene rubber, and mixtures thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate prepared by: 
 dynamically vulcanizing a rubber within a blend that comprises from about 50 to about 70 parts by weight of the rubber, from about 50 to about 30 parts by weight of a fluorine containing thermoplastic, and a phenolic-resin curative, where the rubber and fluorine-containing thermoplastic total about 100 parts by weight; where the rubber is selected from nitrile rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, amino-functionalized nitrile rubber, acrylonitrile-isoprene rubber, and mixtures thereof, thereby resulting in a composition that includes phenolic resin-cured rubber particles dispersed throughout a fluorine-containing thermoplastic resin.    
     
     
         2 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the blend further comprises a compatibilizing agent selected from the group including poly(methyl vinyl ketone) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone).  
     
     
         3 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein said poly(methyl vinyl ketone) has a molecular weight between about 2,000 and about 500,000 daltons, and wherein said poly(vinylpyrrolidone) has a molecular weight between about 2,000 and about 500,000 daltons.  
     
     
         4 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the vulcanizing agent is selected from the group including phenolic resins, accelerated sulfur, m-phenylenebismaleamide, and organic peroxides.  
     
     
         5 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the vulcanizing agent is methylphenolic resin and is present in an amount from about 1 to about 20 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight rubber.  
     
     
         6 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the vulcanizing agent is an organic peroxide and is present in an amount from about 0.2 to about 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight rubber.  
     
     
         7 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the fluorine containing thermoplastic is polyvinylidene fluoride.  
     
     
         8 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate comprising: 
 from about 30 to about 80 parts by weight of phenolic-resin vulcanized rubber particles, wherein said particles have a number-average particle size of less than about 25 micrometers; and    from about 20 to about 70 parts by weight of a polyvinylidene fluoride, wherein said rubber and said polyvinylidene fluoride total about 100 parts by weight, and wherein said rubber particles are dispersed within a matrix of said polyvinylidene fluoride.    
     
     
         9 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 8 , where said rubber particles have a number-average particle size of less than about 10 micrometers.  
     
     
         10 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 9 , where said rubber particles have a number-average particle size of less than about 5 micrometers.  
     
     
         11 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 8 , where said vulcanized rubber particles are achieved by dynamic vulcanization.  
     
     
         12 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising from about 1 to abut 60 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight rubber, of a plasticizer.  
     
     
         13 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising a compatibilizing agent selected from the group including poly(methyl vinyl ketone) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), wherein said poly(methyl vinyl ketone) has a molecular weight between about 2,000 and about 500,000 daltons, and wherein said poly(vinylpyrrolidone) has a molecular weight between about 2,000 and about 500,000 daltons.  
     
     
         14 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said rubber particles include nitrile rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, amino-functionalized nitrile rubber, acrylonitrile-isoprene rubber, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . A thermoplastic vulcanizate, as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said rubber particles include rubber or amino-functionalized nitrile rubber.