Cure system for halogenated elastomer compositions, a curable halogenated elastomer composition, and a method for curing halogenated elastomer compositions

1. A cure system composition comprising:

a polymercapto crosslinking agent;

an inorganic base; and

a hydrated salt, said hydrated salt being selected from the group consisting of lithium citrate, trilithium citrate pentahydrate, trilithium citrate tetrahydrate, and monolithium dihydrogen citrate monohydrate.

2. The cure system according to claim 1 , wherein said hydrated salt being a trilithium citrate tetrahydrate.

3. The cure system composition according to claim 1 , wherein said polymercapto crosslinking agent being a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole and a derivative thereof, preferably 2-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole-5-thiobenzoate.

4. The cure system according to claim 1 , wherein said cure system further comprising a nitrogen containing chelating agent.

5. The cure system according to claim 1 , wherein said cure system further comprising a first accelerator, said first accelerator being an ammonium or phosphonium salt, wherein said ammonium or phosphonium salt having a formula selected from the group consisting of

wherein Z is a nitrogen or phosphorous atom, R 1 to R 4 are independently alkyl or aryl groups containing between 2 and 8 carbon atoms, and the total number of carbon atoms on R 1 -R 4 is between 10 and 14,

wherein R 5 and R 6 are alkyl groups containing between 1 and 8 carbon atoms, and the total number of carbon atoms on R 5 -R 6 being between 5 and 9; and

wherein X is an anion.

6. The cure system according to claim 1 , wherein said cure system further comprising a second accelerator, said second accelerator being a quaternary ammonium salt having a formula selected from the group consisting of

wherein R 1 being an alkyl or aryl group containing between 4 and 12 carbon atoms;

wherein R 2 and R 3 being independently alkyl or aryl groups containing between 1 and 8 carbon atoms;

wherein the total number of carbon atoms on R 2 and R 3 being between 3 and 9;

wherein R 4 and R 5 being methyl groups, and R 6 being an alkyl group containing between 2 and 8 carbon atoms; and

wherein X being an anion.

7. The cure system of claim 1 , wherein said cure system further comprising a combination of at least two or more of;

(a) a nitrogen containing chelating agent;

(b) a first accelerator, said first accelerator being an ammonium or phosphonium salt, wherein said ammonium or phosphonium salt having a formula selected from the group consisting of

wherein Z is a nitrogen or phosphorous atom, R 1 to R 4 are independently alkyl or aryl groups containing between 2 and 8 carbon atoms, and the total number of carbon atoms on R 1 -R 4 is between 10 and 14,

wherein R 5 and R 6 are alkyl groups containing between 1 and 8 carbon atoms, and the total number of carbon atoms on R 5 -R 6 being between 5 and 9; and

wherein X is an anion; or

(c) a second accelerator, said second accelerator being a quaternary ammonium salt having a formula selected from the group consisting of

wherein R 1 being an alkyl or aryl group containing between 4 and 12 carbon atoms;

wherein R 2 and R 3 being independently alkyl or aryl groups containing between 1 and 8 carbon atoms;

wherein the total number of carbon atoms on R 2 and R 3 being between 3 and 9;

wherein R 4 and R 5 being methyl groups, and R 6 being an alkyl group containing between 2 and 8 carbon atoms; and

wherein X being an anion.

8. The cure system of claim 7 , wherein said nitrogen containing chelating agent is an aromatic heterocyclic base containing a nitrogen bidentate ligand, preferably, 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2-bipyridyl; a tridentate nitrogen containing compound, selected from the group consisting terpyridine, diethylenetriamine, and derivatives thereof; a tetradentate nitrogen containing compound, selected from the group consisting of triethylenetetramine, porphyrin, phthalocyanine, and derivatives thereof; or a polyamine selected from the group consisting of an aziridine homopolymer, aziridine/1,2-diaminoethane copolymers, and the polymeric condensation product of ammonia and 1,2-dichloroethane.

9. The cure system of claim 7 , wherein said first accelerator being selected from the group consisting of tetrapropylammonium bromide, and triethylhexylammonium bromide.

10. The cure system of claim 7 , wherein said second accelerator being selected from the group consisting of 1-octylpyridinium chloride, 1-octylpyridinium bromide, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolinium chloride, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolinium chloride, and 1-hexyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolinium chloride.

11. A curable chlorinated elastomer composition comprising:

a chlorinated elastomer; and

a cure system according to claim 1 .

12. The curable chlorinated elastomer composition according to claim 11 , wherein said chlorinated elastomer being a chlorinated olefin elastomer having a heat of fusion <0.2 calories/gram and having a chlorine content of from 15-48 percent by weight; said chlorinated olefin elastomer being prepared from an olefin polymer selected from the group consisting of i) polyethylene homopolymers having I 10 values of from 0.05-0.8 dg/minute and ii) copolymers of ethylene and up to 25 weight percent of a copolymerizable monomer, said copolymers having I 10 values of from 0.05-0.8 dg/minute.

13. The curable chlorinated elastomer composition according to claim 11 , wherein said curable chlorinated composition further comprising an additive package.

14. The curable chlorinated elastomer composition according to claim 13 , wherein said additive package comprises at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of i) fillers, said filler preferably being selected from the group consisting of carbon black, talc, mica, silica, clay, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, colorants and combinations thereof; ii) plasticizers, said plasticizers preferably being selected from the group consisting of dioctyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, dioctyl adipate, trioctyltrimellitate, dioctyl sebacate, diundecyl phthalate, and chlorinated paraffins; iii) process aids, said process aid preferably being selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax and oxidized polyethylene wax; iv) acid acceptors; v) antioxidants; vi) antiozonants; and vii) combinations thereof.

15. The curable chlorinated elastomer composition according to claim 11 , wherein said chlorinated elastomer being selected from the group consisting of polychloroprene, polyepichlorohydrin, epichlorohydrin/ethylene oxide copolymers, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, chlorinated polyethylene, and chlorinated butyl rubbers.

16. An article comprising:

at least one curable chlorinated elastomer composition according to claim 11 .