Heat-stabilized acrylate elastomer composition and process for its production

A process for production of a polyamide-filled acrylate copolymer composition, the process comprising the steps of:

• A. providing a polymer blend composition comprising
• 1. 40 to 90 wt. % of one or more amorphous acrylate Copolymers comprising
• a) at least 50 wt. %, based on the total weight of the amorphous acrylate copolymer, of polymerized units of at least one monomer having the structure
• wherein R1 is H or C1-C10alkyl and R2 is C1C12 alkyl, C1-C20 alkoxyalkyl, C1-C12 cyanoalkyl, or C1-C12 fluoroalkyl;
• and
• b) copolymerized units of a cure site monomer selected from the group consisting of unsaturated carboxylic acids, anhydrides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, unsaturated epoxides, and mixtures of two or more thereof;
• and
• 2. 10-60 wt. % of one or more polyamides having a melting peek temperature greater than 16° C.;
• wherein the weight percentages of the one or more amorphous acrylate copolymers and one or more polyamides are based on the combined weight of the one or more amorphous acrylate copolymers and the one or more polyamides in the polymer blend composition:
• B. mixing the polymer blend composition at a temperature above the melting peak temperatures of the one or more polyamides to disperse the one or more polyamides within the one or more amorphous acrylate copolymers, thereby forming polyamide-filled acrylate copolymer composition;
• and
• C. cooling the polyamide-filled acrylate copolymer composition to a temperature below the crystallization peak temperatures of the one or more polyamides, thereby forming a polyamide-filled acrylate copolymer composition that i) comprises a continuous amorphous acrylate copolymer phase and a discontinuous polyamide phase and ii) has a green strength of less than about 2 MPa as determined according to ASTM D 6746-10.