Dissolvable rubber

A degradable, elastomeric composite material consisting essentially of a continuous matrix having first and second phases, and at least one secondary component, said first phase of said continuous matrix including a first material, said second phase of said continuous matrix including a second material, said first material is a polymer that is dissolvable in a fluid, degradable in a fluid, or combinations thereof and constitutes about 5 vol. % to about 60 vol. % of said composite material, said second material includes particles of elastomer that are evenly disbursed in said first material and constitutes about 5 vol. % to about 90 vol. % of said composite material, said one or more optional secondary components constitute up to about 60 vol. % of said composite material, said particles of elastomer having a particle size of 30-1000 min, said elastomer has a stretched length that is at least 20% greater than its relaxed unstretched length, said elastomer includes olefinic elastomer, ethylene elastomer, vulcanized elastomer and/or nitrile rubber, said second material having a different composition than said first material, said first material is a water-soluble and/or water reactive polymer that has a solubility at below about 30° C. that is less than a solubility at about 70-130° C., said composite material formulated to have at least 10% dissolution or hydrolyzation in a 2-3 hour period at a temperature of at least 55° C., said at least one secondary component includes plasticizer, compatibilizer, binder, polyester, filler, adhesion addition, reactive and/or swellable additive, said at least one optional component having a different composition from said first and second materials.

A degradable, elastomeric composite material comprised of a first material, a second material, and a secondary component, said first material is a polymer that is dissolvable in a fluid and/or degradable in a fluid, said first material constitutes about 5-60 vol. %© of said composite material, said second material is particles of elastomer that are evenly disbursed in said first material, said second material about 5-90 vol. % of said composite material, said secondary component constitutes 1-60 vol. % of said composite material, said particles of elastomer have a particle size of 30-1000 μm, said elastomer has a stretched length that is at least 20% greater than its relaxed unstretched length, said elastomer includes olefinic elastomer, ethylene elastomer, vulcanized elastomer and/or nitrile rubber, said first material includes 1) vinyl alcohol polymers;

• 2) copolymers of vinyl alcohol;
• 3) monomers of vinyl pyrrolidone, hydroxyethyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl acrylate, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylic esters, acrylic vinyl pyridine, methacrylic esters, methacrylic vinyl pyridine, acrylamide, vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, ethylene oxide, and/or polyvinylpyrrolidone;
• 4) polyamides;
• 5) polyesters;
• and/or 6) polycarbonates, said first material is a water-soluble and/or water-reactive polymer that has a solubility and/or dissolution rate of less than 1% after five hours at a temperature of below about 30° C. and has a solubility and/or dissolution rate of at least 10% after three hours at a temperature of at least 55° C. in water and/or brine, said secondary component includes plasticizer, compatibilizer, binder, filler, adhesion additions, reactive and/or swellable additive, said secondary component having a different composition from said first and second material.