Elastomer formulation using a combination of polymers to create ozone resistance without addition of wax

1. A method for making a vulcanizable rubber composition, the method comprising:

heating while mixing a first composition comprising EPDM elastomer and alkylphenol disulfide polymer at a minimum temperature of 165° C. for a time greater than 1 minute and less than 5 minutes to make a first pass intermediate comprising the EPDM elastomer covalently bound to the alkylphenol disulfide polymer;

combining the first pass intermediate with a second composition comprising a sulfur crosslinkable natural or synthetic rubber to make a second pass intermediate; and

combining, with mixing, the second pass intermediate and a curing package comprising ZnO and elemental sulfur to make an uncured vulcanizable rubber composition.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first composition, the second composition, or both comprise a filler selected from carbon black and silica.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second composition comprises natural rubber.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first composition further comprises a sulfur donor.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the sulfur donor is caprolactam disulfide.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alkylphenol disulfide polymer is poly (t-butylphenol disulfide).

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the alkylphenol disulfide polymer is poly (t-amylphenol disulfide).

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first composition is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the alkyl phenol disulfide polymer.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first composition is heated at 165° C. for over one minute and for less than 5 minutes.

10. A method comprising making a vulcanizable rubber composition by a method according to claim 1 , and applying conditions of temperature for a time sufficient to cure the vulcanizable rubber composition.

11. A method of curing a blend to make an ozone-resistant rubber composition, the method comprising:

applying heat to a blend comprising an EPDM polymer covalently bound to an alkylphenol disulfide polymer, an uncured diene rubber polymer, and a curing package comprising elemental sulfur and ZnO to form the cured ozone-resistant rubber composition,

wherein the uncured rubber polymer is an olefin copolymer having unsaturation in the main chain, and

wherein the EPDM polymer covalently bound to the alkylphenol disulfide polymer is prepared by reacting the EPDM polymer with the alkylphenol disulfide polymer at a minimum temperature of 165° C. for a time greater than 1 minute and less than 5 minutes.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the alkylphenol disulfide polymer is a poly(t-amylphenol disulfide).

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the alkylphenol disulfide polymer is a poly(t-butylphenol disulfide).

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the EPDM polymer covalently bound to the alkylphenol disulfide polymer is characterized by having a cure rate in the presence of the curing package higher than that of an EPDM polymer without pre-treatment.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the cured blend comprises 10 phr to 50 phr of EPDM.

16. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the cured blend comprises less than 35 phr of EPDM.

17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the cured blend comprises 25 phr or less of EPDM.

18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the rubber polymer is selected from natural rubber, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, acrylonitrile polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene, or polychloroprene.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the rubber polymer is natural rubber or polyisoprene.