Method of making thermoplastic vulcanizates and thermoplastic vulcanizates made therefrom

A method for making a thermoplastic vulcanizate, the method comprising the steps of:

• (i) introducing an elastomer to an extrusion reactor, wherein the elastomer comprises less than about 25 phr of extender oil;
• (ii) introducing a thermoplastic resin to the extrusion reactor;
• (iii) introducing at least 7 phr of an inert solid particulate to the extrusion reactor;
• (iv) introducing a first amount of process oil to the extrusion reactor at a first oil injection location;
• (v) introducing a second amount of process oil to the extrusion reactor at a second oil injection location, where the second oil injection location is downstream of the first oil injection location, and wherein the second amount of process oil is greater than the first amount of process oil;
• (vi) introducing a curative to the extrusion reactor a location that is downstream of the second oil injection location;
• (vii) introducing a third amount of process oil to the extrusion reactor at a third oil injection location, where the third oil injection location is downstream of the location where the curative is introduced to the extrusion reactor;
• and
• (viii) dynamically vulcanizing the elastomer with the curative in the presence of the thermoplastic resin to form the thermoplastic vulcanizate;
• wherein the total weight percent of oil in the thermoplastic vulcanizate is greater than 25 wt % based on the weight of the thermoplastic vulcanizate;
• and
• wherein the amount of process oil injected at the first and second oil injection locations comprises at least 30 wt % of the total weight of the process oil introduced to the extrusion reactor, wherein the extrusion reactor operates at an extrusion rate of from about 50 kg/hr to about 120 kg/hr.