SEALANT COMPOSITION

Abstract: 1. A sealant composition comprises:- (a) 100 parts by weight of a silane functionalized polymer component prepared by reacting silane of formula RR′ n SiY 3-n (where n = 0, 1 or 2 and R is a non-hydrolyzable organic group, capable of grafting onto the polymer, R′ is a non-hydrolyzable organic group incapable of grafting onto the polymer and Y is a hydrolyzable organic group) with a polymer component; said polymer component comprising an A′B′ block copolymer, a multiblock copolymer having at least two end blocks A and at least one midblock B, or mixtures of an A′B′ block copolymer and the multiblock copolymer wherein: the A′ and A blocks comprise monoalkenyl arene blocks and the B′ and B blocks comprise hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer blocks, and the average molecular weight of the A and A′ blocks is greater than the minimum molecular weight needed to obtain microphase separation and domain formation of the A and A′ blocks, and is less than the maximum molecular weight which would render the polymer incapable of being melt processed; the multiblock copolymer comprises a monoalkenyl arene content no more than the maximum weight per cent needed to retain a modulus suitable as a sealant in the resultant composition and no less than the minimum weight per cent needed to obtain the desired phase separation and the desired minimum cohesive strength for the resultant composition; and, if a B is present, (b) an amount of a midblock compatible component wherein said midblock compatible component is at a content to maintain the resultant composition in a plyable condition at room temperature and to maintain the glass transition temperature of the resultant composition below 10 °C.

Description: Numerous sealant compositions are known, for example from U.S. Patent Specification No. 3,239,478, which shows combinations of styrene-diene block copolymers with tackifying resins to produce a wide variety of sealants and adhesives. Further, it is known that butyl rubbers can be used in a variety of adhesives, sealants and coatings. It is known that these butyl rubber compounds do not adhere well to polar substrates, especially in the presence of water, since the butyl rubber does not form strong chemical bonds to polar substrates. An attempt to provide a sealant composition which improved the adhesive qualities of the base butyl rubber compound is described in U.S. patent specification No. 3,984,369. This known composition covers a formulation which comprises 3 to 30 weight per cent of a block copolymer, 2 to 40 weight per cent of butyl rubber, 10 to 70 weight per cent of a plasticizing oil having a solubility parameter ranging from 6 to 8, about 1 to 50 weight per cent of an adhesion promoting resin having a solubility parameter ranging from about 8 to about 12, about 1 to about 70 weight per cent of an inorganic filler and about 0.01 to about 2.0 weight per cent of an ultraviolet/oxidation (UV/oxidation) stabilizer or a mixture of UV/oxidation stabilizers. This composition gave better adhesion and lower melt viscocity than previously taught similar compositions by teaching the use of a primer containing a silane coupling agent. This sealant composition had the disadvantage that the added silane coupling agent is migratory in character. In particular, for hot melt sealants, a migratory silane may be lost during processing because of its volatility at the high temperatures required for mixing and applying hot melt sealants. In hot melt sealants for insulated glass or for headlight assembly, the migratory silane may cause fogging between the panes of insulated glass or on the inside of the headlight assembly. In certain coatings for glass bottles, the migratory silane may cause an objectionable odour. In coatings for electrical components the migratory silane can cause excessive corrosion. U.S. Patent 4,113,914 claims a process for applying a sealing composition to at least a portion of an area between two surfaces wherein the composition comprises:- (a) 100 parts by weight of a block copolymer selected from the group consisting of: aa. polymers of the structural formula (S--D) m Y, bb. polymers of the structural formula (S--D′) n Y, and cc. polymers of the structural formula S--D′--S, wherein S is a block of polymerized styrene, D is a block of polymerized butadiene or isoprene, D′ is a hydrogenated block of polymerized butadiene or isoprene, Y is a residue of a polyfunctional coupling agent or of a polyfunctional initiating agent, m is an integer of about 2, n is an integer of 2 or more, the block copolymer having a weight average molecular weight of 200,000 to 750,000 for polymers aa., 50,000 to 500,000 for polymers bb. and cc., (b) 1 to 30 parts by weight of an epoxy resin, (c) 10 to 250 parts by weight of a modifying resin, (d) 25 to 250 parts by weight of a filler. This patent also claims an article produced in accordance with the process claimed. This process for applying the sealant and the subsequent article produced using the process involves a sealant composition with hydrogenated styrene diene block copolymers and the use of an organosilane coupling agent for improving the adhesion of the sealant to glass after water immersion. Like the composition described in U.S. patent specification 3,984,369, this added silane coupling agent is also migratory in character and for hot melt sealants, the migratory silane may be lost during processing because of its volatility at high temperatures which is required for mixing and applying th e hot melt sealants. Additionally, like the sealant of U.S. patent 3,984,369, the low flash point of the migratory silane may prohibit its use in some hot melt applications because of safety considerations, including a fire hazard. U.S. patent specification No. 4,296,008 describes essentially the basic sealant composition for which the present invention is an improvement. This known composition contains about 0.1 to about 10 parts of a silane coupling agent which however, is not bound covalently to the block polymer and therefore is migratory in character. A sealant composition with a silane grafted polymer component has now been found which avoids the problems produced by the migratory silane coupling agent. Moreover, the sealant composition now found possesses good UV stability and oxidative stability, and good adhesion. In some cases the proper rheology requires the sealing composition to be capable of low melt viscosity, along with the cohesive failure mechanism and in other cases thixotropic characteristics are provided by the inventive sealant composition without migrating silane disadvantages. Accordingly, the invention relates to the use as sealant of a composition which comprises:- (a) 100 parts by weight of a silane functionalized polymer component which is prepared by reacting from 0.1% to 20% by weight of silane of the general formula RR' n SiY 3-n - in which n is 0, 1 or 2 and where R is a non-hydrolyzable organic group which is capable of grafting onto the polymer, R' is a non-hydrolyzable organic group incapable of grafting onto the polymer and Y is a hydrolyzable organic group with a polymer component to thereby functionalize the polymer component and provide a resultant sealant composition with adhesion which is resistant to deterioration in the presence of water; said polymer component comprising an A'B' block copolymer, a multiblock copolymer having at least two end blocks A and at least one midblock B, or mixtures of an A'B' block copolymer and the multiblock copolymer wherein: the A' and A blocks comprise monoalkenyl arene blocks and the B' and B block comprise substantially completely hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer blocks, and the average molecular weight of the A and A' blocks is greater than the minimum molecular weight needed to obtain microphase separation and domain formation of the A and A' blocks, and is less than the maximum molecular weight which would render the polymer incapable of being melt processed; the multiblock copolymer comprises a monoalkenyl arene content which is no more than the maximum weight per cent needed to retain a modulus suitable as a sealant in the resultant composition and no less than the minimum weight per cent needed to obtain the desired phase separation and the desired minimum cohesive strength; and, (b) an amount of a midblock compatible component wherein said midblock compatible component is at a content to maintain the resultant composition in a pliable condition at room temperature and to maintain the glass transition temperature of the resultant composition below 10 °C. The midblock compatible component can be either a midblock compatible resin or a midblock compatible plasticizer or mixtures thereof; up to 400 parts by weight of the midblock compatible component are preferably present in the composition according to the invention. When mixtures of midblock compatible components are used, the total may be included in the formulation at up 800 parts by weight. The silane functionalized polymer component preferably comprises an A'B' block copolymer and a multiblock copolymer having at least two end blocks A and at least one midblock B as described, wherein the average molecular weights of the A and A' blocks are between 3000 and 40,000 and the multiblock copolymer has a monoalkenyl arene content in the range of from 7% to 45% by weight. The most preferred weight per cent of the monoalkenyl arene of the multiblock copolymer is in the range of from 10% to 30% by weight. Other hydrogenated polymers may serve as the starting polymer component. These can include multiarmed polymers such as (A-B)a-Y-(C-A)b or (A-B)x-Y-Cy where A is a poly (monoalkenylarene) block, B and C are poly (conjugated diene) blocks and Y is the residue of a multifunctional coupling agent. If A = styrene, B = isoprene, C = butadiene for example, these structures would be (S-I)a-Y-(B-S)b or (S-I)x-Y-By. The sealant may also contain an endblock compatible component in a content which is less than the solubility limit of the component in the polymer with utility to maintain the cohesive qualities of the resultant composition at elevated temperatures. Additional components may be present in the sealant, including up to 900 parts by weight of a filler, an antioxidant, a solvent, an ultraviolet stabilizer, a silanol condensation catalyst or a thixotroping agent or of a mixture of two to six of these additional components. The term "silane functionalized polymer component" refers to the combination of a multiblock copolymer and an A′B′ block copolymer reacted with a silane, such as the copolymer described in Japanese patent specification 58,225,103 laid open December 27, 1983. This specification teaches the preparation of the desired component by reacting a hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer with a silane of the general formula RR′SiY₂ (where R is a non-hydrolyzable organic group, Y is a hydrolyzable organic group and R′ is either an R or Y group) at a temperature of at least 140 °C in the presence of an organic peroxide (half-life of not more than 6 min at the reaction temperature) capable of generating free radicals in the hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer. This component can be produced using the usual equipment for processing hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymers under normal processing conditions. The silane grafted polymer may be contacted with water in the presence of a silanol condensation catalyst in order to obtain a crosslinked hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer product. The multiblock copolymer preferably contains in the range of from 10% to 30% by weight of monoalkenyl arene, preferably styrene. Examples of the group R in the general formula RR′ n SiY 3-n are vinyl, allyl, butenyl, cyclohexenyl, cyclopentadienyl and methacryloxypropyl. Vinyl is the most preferred. Examples of the Y group include alkoxy groups such as methoxy, ethoxy, butoxy, acyloxy groups such as formyloxy groups, acetoxy, propionoxy; and oxime groups such as -ON=C(CH₃)₂, -ON=C(C₆H₅)₂; alkylamino groups and arylamino groups. Preferred silane compounds of the above described general formula include vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES). The amount of silane compound to be added to the copolymer component depends on the desired degree of crosslinking. From 0.1% by weight to 20% by weight of silane is used. Preferably, from about 0.5% by weight to about 10% by weight of silane is used. The silane-functionalized polymer component is prepared using a free radical generator which consists of an organic peroxide which can generate free radicals in a typical hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer at a reaction temperature resulting in a half-life of not more than 6 min and preferably less than 1 min at the reaction temperature. Typical examples of organo peroxides are dialkyl peroxides such as dicumyl peroxide and 1,3-bis(tert-butylperoxyisopropyl)benzene. Other peroxides such as diacyl peroxides, alkyl peresters and percarbonates may be suitable for initiating graft sites on the polymer. The amount of free radical generator to be added to facilitate the functionalization of the polym er component depends on the properties (copolymer composition and melt index) of the hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer used and the desired degree of crosslinking as well as on the type of free radical generator. From about 0.01% by weight to about 3% by weight of free radical generator is added. Preferably from about 0.05% by weight to about 1.5% by weight of free radical generator is used. In the first step of preparing the sealant composition of the present invention, the reaction between the hydrogenated monoalkenyl arene-butadiene-monoalkenyl arene copolymer and silane is executed in the temperature range between 140 °C up to the decomposition temperature of the hydrogenated monoalkenyl arene-butadiene-monoalkenyl arene copolymer. This reaction can be carried out in any appropriate device as long as an adequate dispersion of the added material and an adequate temperature of the kneaded material are achieved. For example, single or double screw extruders, the Ko-Kneader, the Banbury mixer or roll mills, may be used within the scope of the invention. The silane modified block copolymer component by itself lacks the required adhesion needed for a sealant composition. Therefore, it is necessary to add an adhesion promoting or tackifying resin that is compatible with the elastomeric hydrogenated conjugated diene block. A common tackifying resin is a diene-olefin copolymer of piperylene and 2-methyl-2-butene having a softening point of about 95 °C. This resin is available commercially under the tradename Wingtack 95, and is prepared by the cationic polymerization of 60% piperylene, 10% isoprene, 5% cyclopentadiene, 15% 2-methyl-2-butene and about 10% dimer, as taught in U.S. patent specification 3,577,398. Other tackifying resins of the same general type may be employed in which the resinous copolymer comprises 20-80 weight per cent of piperylene and 80-20 weight per cent of 2-methyl-2-butene. The resins normally have softening points (ring and ball) between about 80 °C and about 115 °C. Other adhesion promoting resins which are also useful in the compositions of this invention include hydrogenated resins, esters of rosins, polyterpenes, terpenephenol resins, and polymerized mixed olefins. To obtain good ultraviolet resistance, it is preferred that the tackifying resin be a saturated resin, e.g., a hydrogenated dicyclopentadiene resin such as Escorez 5000 series resin made by Exxon ("Escorez" is a trade name) or a hydrogenated polystyrene or polyalphamethylstyrene resin such a Regalrez resin made by Hercules ("Regalrez" is a trade name). The amount of adhesion promoting resin employed varies from about 20 to about 400 parts by weight per hundred parts rubber (phr), preferably between about 100 to about 350 phr. The adhesive composition of the instant invention may contain plasticizers, such as rubber extending plasticizers, or compounding oils or liquid resins. Rubber compounding oils are well-known in the art and include both oils having a high content of saturates and oils having a high content of aromatics. Preferred plasticizers are highly saturated oils, e.g. Tufflo 6056 made by Arco ("Tufflo" is a trade name). The amount of rubber compounding oil employed in the inventive composition can vary from 0 to about 100 phr, and preferably between about 0 to about 60 phr. Optionally, an endblock-compatible resin may be employed. Compatibility is judged by the method disclosed in U.S. patent specification No. 3,917,607. Normally, the resin should have a softening point above about 100 °C, as determined by ASTM method E28, using a ring and ball apparatus. Mixtures of endblock compatible resins having high and low softening points may also be used. Useful resins include coumarone-indene resins, polystyrene resins, vinyl toluene-alphamethylstyrene copolymers, and polyindene resins. An amorphous alphamethylstyrene resin is most preferred. The amount of endblock-compatible resin can vary from 0 to about 200 phr. A silanol condensation catalyst such as an organometallic compound may be included in the formulation to accelerate the cross-linking reaction of the silane-modified hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer. Examples of this catalyst include organotin compounds such as dibutyltin dilaurate, dibutyltin dioctoate and a dibutyltin diacetate. Among these, dibutyltin diacetate and dibutyltin dilaurate are preferred. The desired silane functionalized polymer component, with its non-migratory silane component is usually a one component compound consisting of a silane-modified hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer. However, it is also contemplated that a two component mixture can be used as the silane functionalized polymer component. In these situations, the two components would include a silane modified hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer and a hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer which contains the silanol condensation catalyst but which has not been modified with silane. The two component mixture should be properly mixed and kneaded in the appropriate ratio to form a composition which forms siloxane linkages in the presence of water, with the preferred mixing proportion consisting of not more than 10% by weight of the second component based on the total mixed composition. The compositions of this invention may be modified with supplementary materials including oxidation /UV stabilizers, pigments and fillers, such as calcium carbonate, talc, clay, aluminium trihydrate (an accelerator) or zinc oxide (a retarder). For some applications it may be desirable to apply the sealant as a hot melt. In those situations, no additional solvents or carriers are required. In other situations, it may be desirable to employ the novel sealant at ambient temperatures. In those situations additional solvents or carriers are added. Suitable carrier materials include organic solvents such as hexanes, naphthas, mineral spirits, and toluene, ester solvents such as ethyl acetate and propyl acetate, and ketone solvents such as methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone. The amount of solvent added can vary from 0 to about 400 parts per hundred, and preferably from 0 to about 200 parts per hundred. The invention is further illustrated by means of the following Examples. The sealants used in the Examples generally have the combination of properties which are normally found in relatively soft, elastomeric sealants. All of the sealants in the Examples had Shore A hardness in the 15 to 50 range. The critical test which distinguishes sealants made with conventional technology from the sealants according to the present invention is the 180 °C peel test of the sealant on glass. This test is run according to the testing procedure given in Federal Specification TT-S-00230C. Test samples made with the solvent based sealants were prepared according to the procedure given in TT-S-00230C, applying the sealant and curing it for 21 days prior to testing. Test samples made with the hot melt sealants were prepared according to the procedure given in TT-S-00230C except that the sealants were applied with a standard hot melt applicator. After the sealants cool, they are conditioned 24 h at standard conditions before testing. The polymers used to illustrate the invention are shown in Table 1. Polymers 1 and 2 are unfunctionalized KRATON G1652 and G1726X ("KRATON" is a trade name). KRATON G1652 and KRATON G1726X are A-B/A-B-A type block polymers where A is polystyrene and B is hydrogenated polybutadiene. Both polymers contain 30% by weight polystyrene. KRATON G1652 and KRATON G1726X contain a 0/100 and 70/30 ratio of A-B/A-B-A, respectively. The average molecular weight of KRATON G1652 is 7000/35000/7000 and that of KRATON G1726X is (7000/18000)× 2. These polymers are included to illustrate the performance which can be achieved with known technology. The polymers used to illustrate the present invention are polymers 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Table 1. Polymers 3, 4 and 5 have been silane grafted by extruding the KRATON G polymers with silane and peroxide using a 30 mm corotating twin screw extruder. The amount of silane actually grafted onto the polymers was 1.3% by weight to 2.0% by weight. The temperature profile in the extruder during grafting varied from about 150 °C at the feed port to about 250 °C at the exit. Example 1 and Comparative Experiments A and B The use of the silane grafted polymers in a solvent based sealant is illustrated by the results presented in Table 2. Results in Comparative Experiment A show that a sealant containing no added or grafted silane has good initial adhesion but that the bond to glass is destroyed by immersing the bonded assembly in water for 7 days at 25 °C. Technology taught in earlier patent specifications is demonstrated by Formulation B in Table 2. In Formulation B, an ungrafted silane has been added to Formulation 1. Results show that the ungrafted silane prevents the bond of the sealant to glass from being destroyed by water immersion. Example 1 in Table 2 demonstrates that a silane, grafted onto the polymer according to the present invention, remains just as effective as an ungrafted silane in protecting the bond of the sealant against destruction by water immersion. Examples 2 and 3 and Comparative Experiments C and D The use of the silane grafted polymers in a hot melt sealant is illustrated by the results presented in Table 3. Comparative Experiments C and D in Table 3 use ungrafted KRATON G polymers as taught by known technology. Results in Table 3 show that the initial bond of the hot melt sealant is good. However, the bond is drastically weakened or destroyed by immersion of the bonded assembly in water. Results in Example 2 in Table 3 show that by using a silane grafted polymer of the present invention, a hot melt sealant can be prepared which not only has good initial adhesion to glass but also has a bond which withstands water immersion. Results in Example 3 in Table 3 show that a hot melt sealant based on a silane grafted polymer when used in combination with a silanol condensation catalyst also gives a good initial bond to glass and that the bond is maintained during water immersion. Examples 4-7 Results presented in Table 4 show the effectiveness of two different silanes grafted onto the KRATON G polymer. Example 4 and 5 in Table 4 are based on KRATON G1652 Rubber grafted with vinyl triethoxy silane and vinyl trimethoxy silane, respectively. Examples 6 and 7 show the same two polymers used in hot melt sealants which also contain the silanol condensation catalyst. Results show that either silane can be grafted onto the polymer and will be effective in preventing the bond of a hot melt sealant to glass from being destroyed by immersion in water. 1 2 3 4 5 6 KRATON G1652 Rubber 100 -- 100 -- 100 100 KRATON G1726X Rubber -- 100 -- 100 -- -- Vinyl-triethoxy-silane (Silane A-151) -- -- 3 3 -- -- Vinyl-trimethoxy-silane (Silane-A-171) -- -- -- -- 3 -- Peroxide (Lupersol 101) -- -- 0.1 0.1 0.1 -- Condensation Catalyst (Dibutyl Tin Dilartate) -- -- -- -- -- 2

Claims: The use as sealant of a composition which comprises:- (a) 100 parts by weight of a silane functionalized polymer component which is prepared by reacting from 0.1% to 20% by weight of silane of the general formula RR' n SiY 3-n - in which n is 0, 1 or 2 and where R is a non-hydrolyzable organic group which is capable of grafting onto the polymer, R' is a non-hydrolyzable organic group incapable of grafting onto the polymer and Y is a hydrolyzable organic group - with a polymer component to thereby functionalize the polymer component and provide a resultant sealant composition with adhesion which is resistant to deterioration in the presence of water; said polymer component comprising an A'B' block copolymer, a multiblock copolymer having at least two end blocks A and at least one midblock B, or mixtures of an A'B' block copolymer and the multiblock copolymer wherein: the A' and A blocks comprise monoalkenyl arene blocks and the B' and B block comprise substantially completely hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer blocks, and the average molecular weight of the A and A' blocks is greater than the minimum molecular weight needed to obtain microphase separation and domain formation of the A and A' blocks, and is less than the maximum molecular weight which would render the polymer incapable of being melt processed; the multiblock copolymer comprises a monoalkenyl arene content which is no more than the maximum weight per cent needed to retain a modulus suitable as a sealant in the resultant composition and no less than the minimum weight per cent needed to obtain the desired phase separation and the desired minimum cohesive strength; and, (b) an amount of a midblock compatible component wherein said midblock compatible component is at a content to maintain the resultant composition in a pliable condition at room temperature and to maintain the glass transition temperature of the resultant composition below 10 °C. The use of a composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the A'B' block copolymer and the multiblock copolymer are both present and the A and A' blocks have an average molecular weight between 3000 and 40,000 and the multiblock copolymer has a monoalkenyl arene content in the range of from 7% to 45% by weight. The use of a composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein the multiblock copolymer has a monoalkenyl arene content in the range of from 10% to 30% by weight. The use of a composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said monoalkenyl arene portion of the silane functionalized polymer component is styrene and said conjugated diene portion of the silane functionalized polymer component is butadiene. The use of a composition as claimed in claim 4, wherein said multiblock copolymer of the silane functionalized polymer component is a selectively hydrogenated linear polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene block copolymer. The use of a composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said A'B' block copolymer of the silane functionalized polymer component is a selectively hydrogenated polystyrene-polybutadiene block copolymer. The use of a composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said A'B' block copolymer of the silane functionalized polymer component is a selectively hydrogenated polystyrene-polyisoprene block copolymer. The use of a composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said multiblock copolymer of the silane functionalized component is a selectively hydrogenated multiarmed polymer of the general formula (A-B)a-Y-(C-A)b or (A-B)x-Y-Cy where A is a poly (monoalkenylarene) block, B and C are poly(conjugated diene) blocks and Y is the residue of a multifunctional coupling agent. The use of a composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said midblock compatible resin is a midblock compatible plasticizer or a mixture thereof. The use of a composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said midblock compatible component is present in an amount of up to 800 parts by weight, when mixtures of midblock compatible components are present and up to 400 parts by weight when one midblock compatible component is present. The use of a composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises an amount of endblock compatible component wherein said component is at a content which is less than the solubility limit of the component in the polymer with utility to maintain the cohesive qualities of the resultant composition at elevated temperatures. The use of a composition as claimed in claim 11, wherein said endblock compatible component is an endblock compatible resin. The use of a composition as claimed in claim 12, wherein said endblock compatible resin is amorphous polyalphamethyl styrene. The use of a composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises up to 900 parts by weight of a filler, an antioxidant, a solvent, an ultraviolet stabilizer, a silanol condensation catalyst or a thixotroping agent or of a mixture of two to six of these additional components.

Inventors: CHIN, STEVEN SOOHYUN, GELLES, RICHARD, ST. CLAIR, DAVID JOHN
Applicants: SHELL INTERNATIONALE RESEARCH MAATSCHAPPIJ B.V.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: C09K3
IPC codes: C09J151, C09K3, C08F285, C08F287