Thermoplastic composition of polyolefin and high ethylene content ethylene/alkyl acrylate elastomer

Claim 2

A melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of: (A) 15-75 parts by weight of a crystalline polyolefin resin comprising polymerized monomer units of ethylene or propylene or mixtures thereof, and (B) 25-85 parts by weight of a crosslinked ethylene/alkyl acrylate elastomer made from dynamically crosslinking an ethylene/alkyl acrylate/monoalkyl ester of 1,4-butenedioic acid copolymer containing about 60-90 weight percent ethylene and wherein the alkyl group of the alkyl acrylate contains 1-6 carbon atoms, the dynamically crosslinked elastomer being dispersed throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 3

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the dynamically crosslinked elastomer contains from about 65-80 weight percent ethylene.

Claim 4

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the alkyl acrylate of the dynamically crosslinked elastomer is methyl acrylate.

Claim 5

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 3 wherein the monoalkyl ester of 1,4-butenedioic acid of the dynamically crosslinked elastomer is monoethyl hydrogen maleate.

Claim 6

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of ethylene.

Claim 7

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of propylene.

Claim 8

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 4 wherein the crystalline polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of propylene.

Claim 9

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein the polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of propylene and the dynamically crosslinked elastomer comprises ethylene, methyl acrylate and monoethyl hydrogen maleate.

Claim 10

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 6 wherein the dynamically crosslinked elastomer contains from about 65-80 weight percent ethylene.

Claim 11

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 containing an inorganic filler.

Claim 12

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 containing a hydrocarbon oil.

Claim 13

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 1 containing a plasticizer.

Claim 14

A melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked elastomer which comprises: (A) 20-70 parts by weight of a crystalline polyolefin resin comprising polymerized monomer units of ethylene or propylene or mixtures thereof, and (B) 30-80 parts by weight of a crosslinked ethylene/alkyl acrylate elastomer made from dynamically crosslinking an ethylene/methyl acrylate/monoethyl hydrogen maleate copolymer containing about 65-80 weight percent ethylene, the dynamically crosslinked elastomer being dispersed throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 15

A melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked elastomer which comprises: (A) 20-70 parts by weight of a crystalline polyolefin resin comprising polymerized monomer units of ethylene or propylene or mixtures thereof, and (B) 30-80 parts by weight of a crosslinked ethylene/alkyl acrylate elastomer made from dynamically crosslinking an ethylene/methyl acrylate/monoethyl hydrogen maleate copolymer containing about 65-80 weight percent ethylene, the dynamically crosslinked elastomer being dispersed throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 16

A melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 13 wherein the polyolefin resin comprises polymerized monomer units of propylene.

Claim 17

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked elastomer which comprises: (1) adding to a mixer (A) 15-75 parts by weight of the crystalline polyolefin resin, polyethylene, polypropylene or copolymers thereof, (B) 25-85 parts by weight of an uncrosslinked elastomer comprising about 60-90 weight percent ethylene, an alkyl acrylate wherein the alkyl group contains 1-6 carbon atoms and the monoalkyl ester of 1,4-butenedioic acid, (C) a crosslinking agent for the ethylene, alkyl acrylate elastomer, and (2) mixing and shearing the composition at a temperature sufficient to soften the polyolefin resin and to dynamically crosslink said elastomer resulting in the crosslinked elastomer being dispersed throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 18

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked elastomer which comprises: (1) adding to a mixer (A) 15-75 parts by weight of the crystalline polyolefin resin, polyethylene, polypropylene or copolymers thereof, (B) 25-85 parts by weight of an uncrosslinked elastomer comprising about 60-90 weight percent ethylene, an alkyl acrylate wherein the alkyl group contains 1-6 carbon atoms and the monoalkyl ester of 1,4-butenedioic acid, (C) a crosslinking agent for the ethylene, alkyl acrylate elastomer, and (2) mixing and shearing the composition at a temperature sufficient to soften the polyolefin resin and to dynamically crosslink said elastomer resulting in the crosslinked elastomer being dispersed throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 19

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer an uncrosslinked elastomer comprising about 65-80 weight percent ethylene.

Claim 20

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 wherein the cure-site of the uncured elastomer is monoethyl hydrogen maleate.

Claim 21

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer an uncrosslinked elastomer comprising ethylene, methyl acrylate and monoethyl hydrogen maleate.

Claim 22

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer the crystalline polyolefin resin polyethylene.

Claim 23

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer the crystalline polyolefin resin polypropylene.

Claim 24

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer an inorganic filler.

Claim 25

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer a hydrocarbon oil.

Claim 26

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 15 which comprises adding to the mixer a plasticizer.

Claim 27

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked elastomer which comprises: (1) adding to the mixer (A) 25-70 parts by weight of the crystalline polyolefin resin polyethylene, or polypropylene, and (B) 30-75 parts by weight of an uncrosslinked elastomer comprising about 65-80 weight percent ethylene, methyl acrylate and the monoalkyl ester of 1,4-butenedioic acid wherein the alkyl group contains 1-6 carbon atoms, (C) a crosslinking agent for the ethylene, methyl acrylate elastomer, and (2) mixing and shearing the composition at a temperature sufficient to soften the polyolefin resin and to dynamically crosslink the elastomer resulting in the crosslinked elastomer being dispersed throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 28

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of a crystalline polyolefin resin and a dynamically crosslinked elastomer which comprises: (1) adding to the mixer (A) 25-70 parts by weight of the crystalline polyolefin resin polyethylene, or polypropylene, and (B) 30-75 parts by weight of an uncrosslinked elastomer comprising about 65-80 weight percent ethylene, methyl acrylate and the monoalkyl ester of 1,4-butenedioic acid wherein the alkyl group contains 1-6 carbon atoms, (C) a crosslinking agent for the ethylene, methyl acrylate elastomer, and (2) mixing and shearing the composition at a temperature sufficient to soften the polyolefin resin and to dynamically crosslink the elastomer resulting in the crosslinked elastomer being dispersed throughout the crystalline polyolefin resin.

Claim 29

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 24 wherein the polyolefin resin is polypropylene.

Claim 30

A process for making a melt processible thermoplastic composition of claim 25 wherein the monoalkyl ester of 1,4-butenedioic acid is monoethyl hydrogen maleate.