Composition with dicumyl peroxide and process for avoiding scorching of ethylene polymer composition

Claim 2

A scorch resistant vulcanizable composition comprising, in weight ratio, 100 parts by weight of ethylene polymer, about 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of dicumyl peroxide, and about 0.05 to 2.0 parts by weight of at least one hydroperoxide selected from the group consisting of cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, said dicumyl peroxide and said hydroperoxide being used in a weight ratio, to each other, of about 4:1 to 40:1, and said composition having an efficiency factor of at least about 3 units above the efficiency factor of said composition in the absence of said hydroperoxide when said efficiency factor is determined on the basis of rheometer curves obtained from a Monsanto Rheometer at a cure temperature of 360° F., usng a rheometer oscillation of 110 CPM and an arc of ± 5°.

Claim 3

A composition as in claim 1 in which said ethylene polymer is a homopolymer.

Claim 4

A composition as in claim 1 in which said ethylene polymer is a copolymer of at least 30 weight percent of ethylene and up to about 70 weight percent of at least one other organic compound which is interpolymerizable therewith.

Claim 5

A composition as in claim 3 in which said ethylene polymer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 6

A composition as in claim 3 in which said ethylene polymer is an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer.

Claim 7

A composition as in claim 2 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 8

A composition as in claim 2 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 9

A composition as in claim 3 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 10

A composition as in claim 3 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 11

A process for preventing the scorching of a vulcanizable composition which is susceptible to scorching during the processing thereof at temperatures of about 120° to 160° C. prior to the intended vulcanization thereof, said composition comprising, in weight ratio, 100 parts by weight of ethylene polymer, and about 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of dicumyl peroxide, which comprises, admixing into said composition, prior to said processing, sufficient amounts of at least one hydroperoxide selected from the group consisting of cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide as to increase the efficiency factor of said compositions at least about 3 units when said efficiency factor is determined on the basis of rheometer curves obtained from a Monsanto Rheometer at a cure temperature of 360° F. using a rheometer oscillation of 110 CPM and an arc of ± 5°, said dicumyl peroxide and said hydroperoxide being used in a weight ratio, to each other, of about 4:1 to 40:1, and vulcanizing the resulting composition.

Claim 12

A process for preventing the scorching of a vulcanizable composition which is susceptible to scorching during the processing thereof at temperatures of about 120° to 160° C. prior to the intended vulcanization thereof, said composition comprising, in weight ratio, 100 parts by weight of ethylene polymer, and about 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight of dicumyl peroxide, which comprises, admixing into said composition, prior to said processing, sufficient amounts of at least one hydroperoxide selected from the group consisting of cumene hydroperoxide and tertiary butyl hydroperoxide as to increase the efficiency factor of said compositions at least about 3 units when said efficiency factor is determined on the basis of rheometer curves obtained from a Monsanto Rheometer at a cure temperature of 360° F. using a rheometer oscillation of 110 CPM and an arc of ± 5°, said dicumyl peroxide and said hydroperoxide being used in a weight ratio, to each other, of about 4:1 to 40:1, and vulcanizing the resulting composition.

Claim 13

A process as in claim 10 in which said ethylene polymer is a homopolymer.

Claim 14

A process as in claim 10 in which said ethylene polymer is a copolymer of at least 30 weight percent of ethylene and up to about 70 weight percent of at least one other organic compound which is interpolymerizable therewith.

Claim 15

A process as in claim 12 in which said ethylene polymer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

Claim 16

A process as in claim 12 in which said ethylene polymer is an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer.

Claim 17

A process as in claim 11 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 18

A process as in claim 11 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.

Claim 19

A process as in claim 12 in which said hydroperoxide is cumene hydroperoxide.

Claim 20

A process as in claim 12 in which said hydroperoxide is tertiary butyl hydroperoxide.