Shrinkage-resistant polymers

1. An uncured gasket composition curable at room temperature on a first sealing surface and positionable against a second sealing surface comprising a mixture of:

a) a moisture curable silyl functionalized polyacrylate having the structure,

wherein each R 1 is independently selected from a C 1 to C 6 alkyl, each R 2 is independently selected from a C 1 to C 10 alkyl, a is integer from 0-3, q is an integer from 2 to about 1,000, and A is a hydrocarbon diradical containing at least one (meth)acrylate linkage;

b) at least one component which reduces shrinkage of the cured composition upon exposure of the cured composition to a hydrocarbon fluid, wherein the component is present in an amount sufficient to reduce shrinkage of the cured composition when exposed to a hydrocarbon fluid as compared to the same cured composition without the at least one component;

c) optionally a filler; and

d) optionally a moisture-cure catalyst.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the component is a polyolefin.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the component is a polyolefin in particulate form dispersed in the composition.

4. The composition of 1 , wherein the component is present in an amount of about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition.

5. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the polyolefin in particulate form has an average particle size of about 0.1 to about 50 microns.

6. A method of using the composition of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

a) providing the composition of claim 1 ;

b) permitting the composition to cure; and

c) exposing the cured composition to a hydrocarbon fluid.

7. A composition comprising:

a) a moisture curable silyl functionalized polyacrylate; and

b) a polyolefin in particulate form present in an amount sufficient to reduce shrinkage of the cured composition when exposed to a hydrocarbon fluid.

8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the polyolefin in particulate form has an average particle size of about 0.1 to about 50 microns.

9. A method of using the composition of claim 7 , comprising the steps of:

a) providing the composition of claim 7 ;

b) permitting the composition to cure; and

c) exposing the cured composition to a hydrocarbon fluid.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the component is polyethylene.

11. A method of reducing shrinkage of a gasket comprising a cured polyacrylate composition the shrinkage caused by exposure of the cured polyacrylate composition to a hydrocarbon fluid, including the steps of:

providing a curable silyl functionalized polyacrylate polymer;

preselecting an amount of the shrinkage-reducing component sufficient to reduce volume change of the cured polyacrylate composition caused by exposure to a hydrocarbon fluid;

mixing the silyl functionalized polyacrylate polymer and the preselected amount of a shrinkage-reducing component to form a curable polyacrylate composition; and

permitting the polyacrylate composition to cure.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising curing the polyacrylate composition on a substrate to be sealed.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising curing the polyacrylate composition on a substrate to be sealed and subsequently exposing the cured polyacrylate composition to a hydrocarbon fluid.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the shrinkage-reducing component is a polyolefin.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the shrinkage-reducing component is polyethylene.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the curable silyl functionalized polyacrylate has the structure,

wherein each R 1 is independently selected from a C 1 to C 6 alkyl, each R 2 is independently selected from a C 1 to C 10 alkyl, a is integer from 0-3, q is an integer from 2 to about 1,000, and A is a hydrocarbon diradical containing at least one (meth)acrylate linkage.