Synthesis of isoprene-butadiene copolymer rubbers
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorThomas Franklin Spilker
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AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorThomas Franklin Spilker
Estimating the term…
It has been unexpectedly found that certain neodymium catalyst systems can be used to copolymerize isoprene and 1,3-butadiene to produce random isoprene-butadiene copolymer rubbers which are not tapered. These random isoprene-butadiene copolymer rubbers have properties which are beneficial for use in rubber formulations for manufacturing a wide variety of rubber products, such as tires, hoses, conveyor belts, power transmission belts, and shoe soles. These random isoprene-butadiene rubbers are synthesized by copolymerizing (a) isoprene monomer or a substituted isoprene monomer and (b) 1,3-butadiene monomer in the presence of a neodymium catalyst system, wherein the neodymium catalyst system is prepared by (1) reacting a neodymium carboxylate with an organoaluminum compound in the presence of a conjugated diolefin monomer to produce neodymium-aluminum catalyst component, and (2) subsequently reacting the neodymium-aluminum catalyst component with an alkyl aluminum chloride to produce the neodymium catalyst system.
A process for the synthesis of an isoprene-butadiene rubber which comprises copolymerizing (a) isoprene monomer or a substituted isoprene monomer and (b) 1,3-butadiene monomer in the presence of a neodymium catalyst system, wherein the neodymium catalyst system is prepared by (1) reacting a neodymium carboxylate with an organoaluminum compound in the presence of a conjugated diolefin monomer to produce neodymium-aluminum catalyst component, and (2) subsequently reacting the neodymium-aluminum catalyst component with an alkyl aluminum chloride to produce the neodymium catalyst system, wherein the neodymium catalyst is prepared at a temperature that is within the range of about −60° C. to about 150° C., wherein the organoaluminum compound is selected from the group consisting of trialkylaluminum compounds and dialkylaluminum hydride compounds, and wherein the molar ratio of isoprene monomer to neodymium ranges from about 5/1 to about 500/1.
A process for the synthesis of an isoprene-butadiene rubber which comprises copolymerizing (a) isoprene monomer or a substituted isoprene monomer and (b) 1,3-butadiene monomer in the presence of a neodymium catalyst system, wherein the neodymium catalyst system is prepared by (1) reacting a neodymium carboxylate with an organoaluminum compound in the presence of a conjugated diolefin monomer to produce neodymium-aluminum catalyst component, and (2) subsequently reacting the neodymium-aluminum catalyst component with an alkyl aluminum chloride to produce the neodymium catalyst system, wherein the polymerization is terminated by the addition of an alkaline aqueous neutralizer solution, and wherein the alkaline aqueous neutralizer solution has a pH within the range of 7.1 to 9.5.
A process for the synthesis of an isoprene-butadiene rubber which comprises copolymerizing (a) isoprene monomer or a substituted isoprene monomer and (b) 1,3-butadiene monomer in the presence of a neodymium catalyst system, wherein the neodymium catalyst system is prepared by (1) reacting a neodymium carboxylate with an organoaluminum compound in the presence of a conjugated diolefin monomer to produce neodymium-aluminum catalyst component, and (2) subsequently reacting the neodymium-aluminum catalyst component with an alkyl aluminum chloride to produce the neodymium catalyst system, where from 40 weight percent to 60 weight percent isoprene is copolymerized with 40 weight percent to 60 weight percent 1,3-butadiene.
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