Stabilization of cross-linked silane group containing polymers
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a composition for cross-linking and stabilization of a polymer containing hydrolysable silane groups comprising a sulfonic acid as a silanol condensation catalyst characterized in that it comprises a stabilizer which is neutral or acidic, does not contain ester groups and is a compound according to formula (I): wherein R is an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbyl radical which may comprise heteroatoms, R′ is a hydrocarbyl radical, R″ is a hydrocarbyl radical and R′ and/or R″ being a bulky radical, X 1 , X 2 or X 3 is the same or different H or OH, whereby at least X 1 , X 2 or X 3 is OH, and n is 1 to 4; or a compound according to formula (II): R′″—(S) p —R′″ (II) wherein R′″ is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical and p is 1 to 6; or a mixture of any of such compounds, to a stabilized polymer comprising the above stabilizers and to a process for cross-linking and stabilization of silane group containing polymers in the presence of the above mentioned stabilizers.
1. A composition comprising a sulphonic acid and a stabilizer, the stabilizer having the structure of formula (II):
R′″—(S) p —R′″ (II)
wherein
R′″ is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical and
p is 1 to 6; and
wherein the sulphonic acid has the structure of formula (III):
ArSO 3 H (III)
wherein Ar is a hydrocarbyl substituted aryl group and the total compound of formula (III) contains at least 14 carbon atoms.
2. The composition according to claim 1
wherein R′″ is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical from C 12 to C 20 and p is 1 or 2.
3. The composition according to claim 2 ,
wherein R′″ is octadecyl, and p is 2.
4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the sulphonic acid contains from 14 to 28 carbon atoms.
5. A composition comprising a sulphonic acid, a first stabilizer, and a second stabilizer, the first stabilizer having the structure of formula (II):
R′″—(S) p —R′″ (II)
wherein
R′″ is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical and
p is 1 to 6, and
wherein the second stabilizer is neutral or acidic, does not contain ester groups, and has the structure of formula (I):
wherein
R is an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbyl radical which may comprise heteroatoms,
R′ is a hydrocarbyl radical,
R″ is a hydrocarbyl radical,
X 1 , X 2 and X 3 are independently H or OH, wherein at least one of X 1 , X 2 and X 3 is OH,
and n is 1 to 4.
6. The composition according to claim 5 wherein
R is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical which may comprise hydroxy groups,
X 1 is OH, X 2 and X 3 is H,
R′ is a bulky aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical,
R″ is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical, and
n is 2.
7. The composition according to claim 6 , wherein
R′ is 1-methylcyclohexyl or tert-butyl; and
R″ is CH 3 .
8. The composition according to claim 7 , wherein R is CH 2 .
9. A stabilized polymer comprising cross-linked silane groups, a sulphonic acid, and a stabilizer having the structure of formula (II):
R′″—(S) p —R′″ (II)
wherein
R′″ is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical and
p is 1 to 6.
10. The polymer according to claim 9 wherein
R″ is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical from C 12 to C 20 and
p is 1 or 2.
11. The polymer according to claim 10 , wherein
R′″ is octadecyl
and p is 2.
12. The polymer according to claim 9 , further comprising a second stabilizer, wherein the second stabilizer is neutral or acidic, does not contain ester groups, and has the structure of formula (I):
wherein
R is an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbyl radical which may comprise heteroatoms,
R′ is a hydrocarbyl radical,
R″ is a hydrocarbyl radical,
X 1 , X 2 and X 3 are independently H or OH, wherein at least one of X 1 , X 2 and X 3 is OH,
and n is 1 to 4.
13. The polymer according to claim 12 wherein
R is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical which may comprise hydroxy groups,
X 1 is OH, X 2 and X 3 is H,
R′ is a bulky aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical,
R″ is an aliphatic hydrocarbyl radical, and
n is 2.
14. The polymer according to claim 13 wherein
R′ is 1-methylcyclohexyl or tert-butyl; and
R″ is CH 3 .
15. The polymer according to claim 14 wherein R is CH 2 .
16. The polymer of claim 9 , wherein the sulphonic acid has the structure of formula (III):
ArSO 3 H (III)
wherein Ar is a hydrocarbyl substituted aryl group and the total compound of formula (III) contains at least 14 carbon atoms.
17. The polymer of claim 16 , wherein the sulphonic acid contains from 14 to 28 carbon atoms.
18. The polymer of claim 9 , wherein the cross-linked silane groups are formed by the crosslinking of a polyolefin containing hydrolysable silane groups.
19. The polymer of claim 18 , wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene.