Method for making a high solids cross-linked ethylene propylene diene terpolymer latex

1. A method for making a cross-linked ethylene propylene diene terpolymer latex with a customer specified solids content from 30 weight percent to 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the latex, the method comprising:

a. blending 15 weight percent to 88 weight percent of a premixed liquid ethylene propylene diene terpolymer component, with 10 weight percent to 70 weight percent of a water and 1 weight percent to 30 weight percent of a surfactant, wherein the premixed liquid ethylene propylene diene terpolymer component comprises:

(i) 4 weight percent to 50 weight percent of a solid polymer with a molecular weight from 1300000 Mw to 5000 Mw consisting of: a random covalently linked monomers of ethylene and propylene having weight ratios from 40:60 to 85:15 of ethylene:propylene respectively; and wherein 0.25 weight percent to 15 weight percent of the solid polymer is a non-conjugated diene; and

(ii) 50 weight percent to 96 weight percent of a solvent;

b. performing a mixing using the premixed liquid ethylene propylene diene terpolymer component, water and surfactant at an atmospheric pressure from 0.5 to 1.25 atmospheres until an homogenous uniform intermediate latex is formed;

c. adding a first curative to the intermediate latex, forming a latex with curative;

d. applying a first heating to the latex with curative at a temperature ranging from 40 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius, at a pressure from 0.5 to 1.25 atmospheres to remove 95 weight percent to 99 weight percent of the solvent, thereby forming a partially cross-linked latex;

e. testing the partially cross-linked latex for crosslink density using ASTM test D3616 effective 2014 and if the ASTM test reveals a crosslink density less than a preset limit, adding at least one of: additional first curative and a second curative to achieve a total weight percent from 0.3 weight percent and 1.76 weight percent and further, wherein the first and second curatives are at least one of: a sulfur donating curative, and a free radical generating curative; and

f. applying a second heating to the partially cross-linked latex to remove a quantity of water using a temperature ranging from 50 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes to 60 minutes sufficient to form a cross-linked ethylene propylene diene terpolymer latex with a customer specified solids content from 30 weight percent to 60 weight percent solids based on the total weight of the latex and wherein the ethylene propylene diene polymer is cross-linked from 30 percent to 100 percent.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adding 0.01 to 0.5 weight percent of a defoaming agent prior to mixing to form the intermediate latex or adding the defoaming agent after the mixing to form the intermediate latex.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the defoaming agent is selected from the group: a poly-dimethyl siloxane, a poly-dimethyl siloxane with finely divided silica, petroleum distillate based agents or combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein in the first heating achieves from 50 percent to 98 percent cross-linking in the partially cross-linked latex.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing is high shear mixing using a high shear mixer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adding to the latex after adding the curative at least one of:

a. 1 weight percent to 10 weight percent of an anti-settling stabilizer before removing the water, wherein the anti-settling stabilizer is a surfactant;

b. 0.1 weight percent to 0.2 weight percent of a biocide;

c. 5 weight percent to 30 weight percent of a filler selected from the group: a silica, a talc, a starch, a carbon black, or combinations thereof; and

d. 0.1 weight percent to 20 weight percent of a pigment, wherein the pigment is selected from the group: a dye, carbon black, a metal oxide.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first heating and the second heating can be performed using a heat exchanger, a heat transfer fluid, electrical heat, steam, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing is within a closed vessel to prevent venting of volatile organic vapors.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water is selected from the group: distilled water, deionized water, tap water, process water, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group: cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants or combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-conjugated diene comprises at least one of methylidene norbornene, dicyclopentadiene, ethylidene norbornene, and 1,4-hexadiene, vinyl norbornene.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent is at least one of: hexane, xylenes, naphtha, isopar, mineral spirits, toluene, and another hydrocarbon solvent capable of dissolving ethylene propylene diene terpolymer.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the curatives are at least one of: a peroxide, a persulfate, hydroperoxide, peroxy-carbonate, thiuram, thiazole, dithiocarbamate, and xanthate.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating by using a laser or radiation to initiate generation of free radicals which in turn initiate crosslinking of the ethylene propylene diene terpolymer component in the intermediate latex.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a vacuum to the latex with curative during at least one of: the first heating and second heating, wherein the vacuum is from 0.001 to 0.1 megaPascals (MPa).

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preset limit for the crosslink density is 30 percent of the terpolymer.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of: a tetra-octyl ammonium chloride, a sulfo-succinate, a carboxylates, polyoxyethylene sorbates, cetyl ammonium chloride, sodium alkyl benzyl sulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, potassium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, rosin acids, tallow fatty acids, polyethylene stearyl ethers, perfluoro butane sulfonic acid, alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, or combinations thereof.

18. A paint comprising the ethylene propylene diene terpolymer latex made by the method of claim 1 .

19. An adhesive comprising the ethylene propylene diene terpolymer latex made by the method of claim 1 .