Soft polymeric compounds including hydrophobic fillers

Abstract

A polymer gel composition having a Shore A hardness less than 20. The polymer gel composition includes a polymer having at least 2 blocks derived from a vinyl-substituted aromated hydrocarbon, a R 1 R 2 ethylene, an alkyl vinyl ether, a maleimide, and a conjugated diene. At least one hydrophobic filler is included and, optionally, an extender. If maleimide is chosen, a maleated polyalkylene and a grafting agent are also included in the polymer composition.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A polymer gel composition having a Shore A hardness less than 50 comprising: 
 a. a polymer having at least 2 blocks selected from a vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, a R 1 R2ethylene, an alkyl vinyl ether, a maleimide, and a hydrogenated conjugated diene,    b. optionally, an extender, and    c. at least one hydrophobic filler, with the proviso that when maleimide is chosen, a maleated polyalkylene and a grafting agent are also included in the polymer gel composition.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon is chosen from any one or combination of styrene, α-methylstyrene, 1-vinylnaphthalene, 2-vinyl-naphthalene, 1-α-methylvinylnaphthalene, 2-α-methylvinylnaphthalene, as well as alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, and aralkyl derivatives thereof, in which the total number of carbon atoms in the combined hydrocarbon is generally not greater than 12, as well as any di- or tri-vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbons.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein said vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon is styrene.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said R 1 R 2 ethylene is one or more of ethylene, propylene, butylene, isobutylene, pentene, hexene, and heptene.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4  wherein said R 1 R 2 ethylene is isobutylene.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said alkyl vinyl ether is one or more of methyl vinyl ether, ethyl vinyl ether, propyl vinyl ether, butyl vinyl ether, pentyl vinyl ether, hexyl vinyl ether, and an alkyl vinyl ether with up to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl substituent.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein said alkyl vinyl ether is methyl vinyl ether.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said maleimide is the reaction product of maleic anhydride and a mono-primary amine.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8  wherein said mono-primary amine is octyl amine.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said extender comprises at least about 10% of the composition.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10  wherein said extender is a paraffinic oil.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the monomer from which the alkylene moiety of said maleated polyalkylene is derived from at least one of ethylene, and propylene.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein said grafting agent comprise at least one of primary amines, secondary amines, carboxyl, formyl, and hydroxyl.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said grafting agent is a diamine.  
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said hydrogenated conjugated diene is at least one of 1,3-butadiene, and isoprene.  
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said hydrophobic filler comprises at least one of hydrophobically treated oxidic or siliceous fillers such as hydrophobically treated fumed silica, hydrophobically treated colloidal silica, hydrophobically treated precipitated silica, hydrophobically treated clay, hydrophobically treated titanium oxide, hydrophobically treated zeolites, and hydrophobically treated alumina.  
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said hydrophobic filler has a methanol wettability between about 1 and 60%.  
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said hydrophobic filler is a fumed silica treated with a silicon compound to convert surface silanol groups to hydrophobic surface groups.  
     
     
         19 . A composition comprising: 
 a. a polymer having at least 2 blocks derived from a vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon and at least one block derived from a conjugated diene,    b. an extender, and    c. at least one hydrophobic oxidic or siliceous filler.    
     
     
         20 . A polymer gel composition having a Shore A hardness less than 20 comprising: 
 a. a copolymer having at least 1 blocks select from a vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, a R 1 R 2 ethylene, an alkyl vinyl ether, and at least one additional block containing maleimide contributed monomer units,    b. optionally, an extender,    c. at least one oxidic or siliceous filler having surface hydroxyl groups replaced by alkyl or alkoxy groups,    d. a maleated polyalkylene, and    e. a grafting agent.