Curable composition

1. A curable composition which comprises:

(A) an organic polymer containing a silicon-containing group capable of crosslinking by siloxane bond formation and

(B) a silanol condensation catalyst

wherein the silanol condensation catalyst is an amine compound and

an aqueous solution prepared by adding 5 millimoles of the amine compound to 100 g of a mixed solvent composed of isopropyl alcohol and water in a weight ratio of 10:3 has a pH value of not lower than 13.4 as measured at 23° C. according to JIS Z 8802,

wherein the component (A) is at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyoxyalkylene polymers, saturated hydrocarbon polymers and (meth)acrylate ester polymers, and

wherein the amine compound is at least one member selected from the group consisting of an amidine compound, a guanidine compound and a biguanide compound, and

wherein the amidine compound is represented by the general formula (1):

R 1 N═CR 2 —NR 3 2   (1)

wherein R 1 , R 2 and the two R 3 moieties each independently is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group and any two or more of R 1 , R 2 and the two R 3 moieties are bound together to form a ring structure, and

the guanidine compound is at least one member selected from the group consisting of 1-methylguanidine, 1-n-butylguanidine, 1,1-dimethylguanidine, 1,1-diethylguanidine, 1,1,2-trimethylguanidine, 1,2,3-trimethylguanidine, 1,1,2,3,3-pentamethylguanidine, 2-ethyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-2-n-propylguanidine, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-2-isopropylguanidine, 2-n-butyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine, 2-tert-butyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine, 1,2,3-tricyclohexylguanidine, 7 -methyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7 -ethyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-n-propyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-isopropyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-n-butyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-isobutyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-tert-butyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7 -cyclohexyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-n-octyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-2-ethylhexyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene and 7-decyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene.

2. The curable composition according to claim 1 wherein the amine compound is the amidine compound represented by the general formula (1):

R 1 N═CR 2 —NR 3 2   (1)

wherein R 1 , R 2 and the two R 3 moieties each independently is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group and any two or more of R 1 , R 2 and the two R 3 moieties are bound together to form a ring structure.

3. The curable composition according to claim 2 wherein the amidine compound is a cyclic amidine compound represented by the general formula (2):

wherein R 4 is a divalent organic group and R 5 and R 6 each independently is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group and R 5 and R 6 may be bound together to form a ring structure.

4. The curable composition according to claim 1 wherein the amine compound is an amine compound containing 2 or more carbon atoms within the molecule.

5. The curable composition according to claim 1 wherein the amine compound is an amine compound having a molecular weight of not lower than 60.

6. The curable composition according to claim 1

wherein the polyoxyalkylene polymer is a polyoxypropylene polymer.

7. The curable composition according to claim 1

wherein the main chain skeleton of the polyoxyalkylene polymer is composed of hydrogen atoms, carbon atoms and oxygen atoms alone.

8. The curable composition according to claim 1

which comprises the component (B) in a proportion of 0.001 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the component (A).

9. The curable composition according to claim 1

which further comprises an adhesion promoter (C) in a proportion of 0.01 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the component (A).

10. A sealing composition which comprises the curable composition according to claim 1 .

11. An adhesive composition which comprises the curable composition according to claim 1 .

12. The curable composition according to claim 1 wherein an amount of an organotin compound is not higher than 0.05 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the component (A), when the organotin compound is contained in the composition.

13. The curable composition according to claim 1 wherein the amidine compound is at least one member selected from the group consisting of 1,2-dimethyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, 1-ethyl-2-methyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, 1,2-diethyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, 1-n-propyl-2-methyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, 1-isopropyl-2-methyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, 1-ethyl-2-n-propyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine and 1-ethyl-2-isopropyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine.

14. The curable composition according to claim 1 wherein the guanidine compound is at least one member selected from the group consisting of 7 -methyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-ethyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-n-propyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-isopropyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-n-butyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-isobutyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-tert-butyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7 -cyclohexyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-n-octyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene, 7-2-ethylhexyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene and 7-decyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene.