This invention relates to moulded, non-dusting, non-caking, free-flowing masticating agents based on 2,2'-dibenzamidodiphenyl disulphide and mixtures of saturated fatty acids having an iodine number <25, a solidification point in the range from 50.degree. to 68.degree. C. and an acid number of 179 to 215. The masticating agents according to the invention are employed for reducing the viscosity of rubbers containing double bonds, and are normally used in amounts of 0.01 to 3 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of rubber.

This invention relates to moulded, non-dusting, non-caking, free-flowing 
masticating agents based on 2,2'-dibenzamidodiphenyl disulphide (DBD). 
Masticating agents are chemical agents with the aid of which the viscosity 
of natural rubber (NR) can be reduced in a time-saving and energy-saving 
manner compared to purely mechanical mastication. The processability of 
NR, which has little plasticity, is improved by mastication, i.e. the 
incorporation of fillers and chemicals is made easier and a positive 
effect is exerted on its behaviour on calendering, extrusion and injection 
moulding. Masticating agents also have a viscosity-reducing effect in 
synthetic rubbers provided that these contain double bonds in the main 
chain, such as polyisoprene rubber, polybutadiene rubber or 
styrene-butadiene rubber, for example. Mastication may be carried out on a 
roll or in a kneader (W. Hoffmann, Kautschuk-Technologie, page 419 and 
page 429, Genter Verlag, Stuttgart, 1980). 
A multiplicity of compounds has become known which act as masticating 
agents. Only masticating agents based on pentachlorothiophenol (PCTP) or 
DBD have been established industrially, however. 
It is known that PCTP can be used as a masticating agent in the form of its 
zinc salt. It is also known that PCTP, as a formulation with activators 
(metallo-organic complexes) and inactive fillers (dispersing agents) such 
as kaolin for example, can be used as a masticating agent in the form of 
powder, oil coated powder or wax granules (M. Abele and Th. Kempermann, 
Kautschuk+Gummi Kunststoffe 42 (1989) 209). 
Mastication procedures using mixtures of zinc salts of fatty acids and 
sulphur-containing aromatic masticating agents (e.g. DBD or the zinc salt 
of PCTP) are described in FR-PS 1 580 550. Analogous masticating agents, 
which also contain iron phthalocyanine in addition, are known from DE-PS 2 
820 978. 
DBD is also known as a masticating agent in the form of a powder (e.g. 
Pepton 22, a masticating agent manufactured by Anchor Chemical (UK) Ltd., 
Manchester MR11 4SR). 
In addition, masticating agents comprising DBD, iron phthalocyanine and a 
diluent, e.g. various clays, diatomaceous earth, calcium carbonate, silica 
or waxes have been described (DE-OS 2 440 092). A preferred diluent is 
hydrous aluminium silicate. However, mixtures of inert, solid diluents can 
also be used (see page 6, lines 10-16). These masticating agent mixtures 
which contain diluents are free-flowing powders. 
Small reductions in viscosity can also be obtained by the use of processing 
additives, such as stearic acid for example. However, to obtain large 
reductions in viscosity NR has to be masticated (W. Hoffmann, 
Kautschuk-Technologie, page 234, Genter Verlag, Stuttgart, 1980). 
A common feature of all masticating agents or masticating agent 
formulations in powder form is firstly that they are flowable or 
free-flowing to a greater or lesser extent and secondly that they give 
rise to large amounts of dust when handled, e.g. when being weighed out, 
dosed and processed. This is a severe disadvantage as regards industrial 
hygiene. Oil coated powders exhibit a reduced tendency to give off dust. 
However in practice they are not completely dust-free if they are still to 
be made sufficiently free-flowing. 
Moulded, non-dusting, non-caking, flee-flowing masticating agents based on 
DBD are increasingly being demanded by the rubber processing industry, 
both for reasons of industrial hygiene and for reasons of rationalising 
its operations as regards automated metering of the masticating agent fix 
the mastication process. 
Moulded masticating agents which do not cake under load and which are 
produced from DBD, alumina, processing oil, a nonionic emulsifying agent 
and water are known from IP 067077 (18.04.83). A disadvantage of this 
method of production is that after granulation of the moistened mixture 
the water used, which is cited in Example 20 as parts per 100 parts DBD, 
has to be evaporated again. This constitutes a time-consuming and costly 
operation. In-house evaluations based on the teaching of DE-OS 2 440 092 
(page 6, lines 10-16) have shown that low-dusting, moulded masticating 
agents can be obtained from DBD, kaolin, iron phthalocyanine and wax. 
Non-dusting, moulded masticating agents can also be easily obtained from 
DBD and wax (see Examples 1 to 4 of this Application). However, all these 
products have the disadvantage that they cake when stored under pressure 
at elevated temperature, which rules out the automated metering of these 
products for the mastication process. 
The object of the present invention is to provide moulded, non-dusting 
masticating agents containing DBD which do not cake when stored under 
pressure and elevated 3.5 temperature, and which are thus always perfectly 
free-flowing and which can be incorporated and dispersed faultlessly and 
rapidly in the rubber to be masticated, in the usual mixing units of the 
rubber processing industry (e.g. rolls, kneaders). 
The present invention therefore relates to moulded, non-dusting, 
non-caking, free-flowing masticating agents, characterized by a content of 
90 to 10 weight % of 2,2'-dibenzamidodiphenyl disulphide (DBD), preferably 
80 to 20 weight %, particularly 75 to 25 weight %, and a content of 10 to 
90 weight %, preferably 20 to 80 weight %, particularly 25 to 75 weight %, 
of a mixture of saturated fatty acids with an iodine number &lt;25, 
preferably &lt;5, particularly &lt;2, a solidification point in the range from 
50.degree. to 68.degree. C., preferably in the range from 55.degree. to 
63.degree. C., and an acid number of 179 to 215, preferably 195 to 210, 
and optionally 0.01 to 5 weight %, preferably 0.05 to 2 weight %, of 
activators to be deducted from the quantity of DBD, and/or optionally 10 
to 70 weight %, preferably 20 to 60 weight %, of inert fillers to be 
deducted from the quantity of the mixture of saturated fatty acids, with 
the proviso that the fatty acid content must not fall below 10 weight %, 
preferably not below 20 weight %, in the mixture. 
Fatty acids which are preferred in the sense of the invention are mixtures 
of saturated fatty acids having a carbon number of 14 to 22 C atoms, such 
as those which arise during the industrial fat-splitting of fats and fatty 
oils, optionally with a lower content of unsaturated fatty acids having an 
even carbon number and a maximum of three double bonds per molecule, such 
as palmitoleic acid, oleic acid or ricinoleic acid, linoleic acid or 
linolenic acid for example, characterized by an iodine number &lt;25, 
preferably &lt;5, particularly &lt;2, a solidification point in the range from 
50.degree. to 68.degree. C., preferably in the range from 55.degree. to 
63.degree. C., and an acid number of 179 to 215, preferably 195 to 210. 
In addition to industrial mixtures of saturated fatty acids, pure, 
saturated fatty acids with an even carbon number and a carbon chain length 
of C.sub.14 to C.sub.22, or mixtures thereof, can also be used. 
Typical fatty acids for use as pure substances or as a mixture include 
myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachic acid and behenic acid. 
Activators in the sense of the invention are the known compounds iron 
phthalocyanine and iron hemiporphyrazine (DE-OS 2 440 092; Ullmann's 
Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Fifth Edition, page 405, VCH 
Verlagsgesellschaft, Weinheim, 1993 ), or mixtures thereof. 
Examples of inactive fillers (diluents) in the sense of the invention 
include kaolin, calcium carbonate, diatomaceous earth, kieselguhr and 
barium sulphate, and also mixtures thereof. Kaolin and calcium carbonate 
are particularly preferred inactive fillers. 
In order to mould the masticating agent, the DBD, optionally the inactive 
fillers and optionally the activators, are used as fine powders in each 
case. The average particle diameter of these materials is &lt;200 .mu.m, 
preferably 0.01 to 100 .mu.m, particularly 0.1 to 80 .mu.m. 
The saturated fatty acids in the sense of the invention are preferably used 
as a fine, spray-granulated material. The average particle diameter of 
this granular material is preferably &lt;1000 .mu.m, most preferably 10 to 
800 .mu.m, particularly 50 to 600 .mu.m. 
A preferred process for the production of the moulded masticating agents 
comprises batch mixing of the pulverulent constituents in rotating mixing 
vessels, such as drum mixers for example, which optionally also have 
installed mixing tools, such as plough blade mixers, propeller mixers or 
paddle mixers, for example, and also mixers with rapidly rotating mixing 
tools. Continuous mixers may also be used, however. 
The pulverulent masticating agent mixture is then fed to a continuous 
single-shaft mixer (extruder), preferably to a continuous double-shaft 
mixer (double screw extruder), preferably with shafts rotating in the same 
direction. The saturated fatty acids in the sense of the invention are 
melted by suitably controlling the temperature in the extruder, and the 
paste obtained is pressed through a suitable perforated plate for the 
purpose of forming extruded granules. 
However, the saturated fatty acids in the sense of the invention may also 
be pumped in molten form at a suitable point into the extruder on to the 
pulverulent, homogeneously mixed materials which are to be bonded, or may 
be sprayed into the mixing vessel as fine droplets. 
A paste consisting of pulverulent DBD and molten fatty acids and/or 
pulverulent activators can also be processed to form flakes by spreading 
or pouring it on a chill roll, or can be processed to form pellets by 
means of a pelletising belt. 
The moulded masticating agents can be excellently incorporated and 
dispersed in the rubber to be masticated. 
Depending on the desired reduction in viscosity, the moulded masticating 
agent is used in amounts of 0.01 to 3 parts by weight, preferably 0.05 to 
1 part by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of rubber.

EXAMPLE 1 (COMATIVE EXAMPLE) 
A mixture of 40.8 weight % of DBD powder, 0.5 weight % of iron 
phthalocyanine powder and 33.2 weight % of kaolin powder was mixed in the 
laboratory in a 20 liter drum mixer with plow-shaped baffles manufactured 
by Lodinge, for 10 minutes at 150 rpm. The powdered mixture was then 
sprayed with molten paraffin (solidification point 66.5.degree. C. 
according to DIN ISO 2207, viscosity 6.3 mm.sup.2 /sec at 100.degree. C. 
according to DIN 51562, needle penetration 12 in 0.1 mm at 25.degree. C. 
according to DIN 51579) in a high speed laboratory mixer fitted with 
knife-shaped blades, and was mixed so that the DBD, kaolin and activator 
formed a homogeneous dispersion in the wax. Extruded granules were then 
produced in a double-shaft extruder with shafts rotating in the same 
direction, fitted with a perforated plate. The diameter of the granules 
was 3.5 mm. The length of the granules was between about 5 and 8 mm. 
EXAMPLE 2 (COMATIVE EXAMPLE) 
The procedure employed was as in Example 1, except that a paraffin was used 
which had a solidification point of 71.degree. C. according to DIN ISO 
2207, a viscosity of 13.5 mm.sup.2 /sec at 100.degree. C. according to DIN 
51562, and a needle penetration of 26 in 0.1 mm at 25.degree. C. according 
to DIN 51579. 
EXAMPLE 3 (COMATIVE EXAMPLE) 
81.6 weight % of DBD powder was sprayed with the same paraffin as described 
in Example 1, in a high speed laboratory mixer fitted with knife-shaped 
blades, and was mixed so that the DBD was homogeneously dispersed in the 
wax. Extruded granules were then produced as in Example 1. 
EXAMPLE 4 (COMATIVE EXAMPLE) 
The procedure employed was as in Example 3, except that the paraffin 
described in Example 2 was used. 
EXAMPLE 5 
0.8 weight % of DBD powder, 33.2 weight % of kaolin powder, 0.5 weight % of 
iron phthalocyanine powder and 25.5 weight % of a spray granulate of a 
saturated fatty acid mixture having an acid number of 205, an iodine 
number of 0.6, a solidification point of 59.degree. C. and an average 
particle diameter of 380 .mu.m (C.sub.14 : 2%, C.sub.15 :&lt;1%, C.sub.16 : 
28%, C.sub.17 : 2%, C.sub.18 : 66%, &gt;C.sub.18 : 2%) were mixed in the drum 
mixer used in Example 1. Extruded granules were then produced as in 
Example 1. 
EXAMPLE 6 
The procedure employed was as in Example 5, except that 71.4 weight % of 
DBD powder and 28.6 of the spray-dried saturated fatty acid mixture were 
used, followed by granulation. 
EXAMPLE 7 
The caking behaviour of the extruded granules obtained in Examples 1 to 6 
was tested under pressure and at elevated temperature, as follows: 
50 g of extruded granules were previously introduced into a glass tube 
(inside diameter 50.3 mm) standing upright in a Petri dish and were loaded 
by a ram. (outside diameter 47.0 mm) at a pressure of 0.1729 kg/cm.sup.2 
for 2.5 days at an ambient temperature of 40.degree. C. Thereafter the 
Petri dish was removed and the granular material was pushed out of the 
tube if necessary. The degree of caking was assessed as follows: 
Rating 0: Sample poured from the glass tube by itself; no caking to the 
glass, no caking between individual granules. 
Rating 1: Sample adhered to the glass and had to be pushed out with the 
ram; slight caking of the granules which could easily be loosened by hand. 
Rating 2: Sample adhered to the glass and had to be pushed out with the 
ram; average caking of granules. 
Rating 3: Sample adhered to the glass and had to be pushed out with the 
ram; pronounced caking of granules; granules could only be parted from 
each other with partial destruction. 
The test results are summarized in Table 1. It can clearly be seen that the 
products according to the invention according to Examples 5 and 6 do not 
cake, and are thus clearly superior to the prior art products according to 
Examples 1 to 4. 
TABLE 1 
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Example No. according 
Comparative Example No. 
to the invention 
1 2 3 4 5 6 
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Rating 
1-2 2 2-3 3 0 0 
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