Method for preparing a siloxane-based elastomer composition

1. A method for preparation of a siloxane-based elastomer composition comprising at least one elastomer, said method comprising crosslinking at least a vinyl functional polymer component comprising poly(alkylene oxide) groups in the presence of a peroxide catalyst, said poly(alkylene oxide) groups being present in the elastomer as alkoxy-terminated grafts of polysiloxane units and linked to the polysiloxane units by silicon-carbon bonds.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said peroxide catalyst is a non-vinyl specific catalyst.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said non-vinyl specific catalyst is dichlorobenzoyl peroxide.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said peroxide catalyst is a vinyl specific catalyst.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said vinyl specific catalyst is selected from the group consisting of 2,5-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-2,5-dimethylhexane, dicumyl peroxide, tert-butyl cumyl peroxide and 2,2-bis(tert-butylperoxy)butane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer consists essentially of polysiloxane units which comprise said poly(alkylene oxide) groups.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the formula of the polysiloxane unit is

—(SiR′R″O) q SiR′R″—

where R′ and R″ are

groups, which are the same or different and which are a lower alkyl group, or a phenyl group, in which case said alkyl or phenyl group may be substituted or unsubstituted, or alkoxy-terminated poly(alkylene oxide) groups having the formula

where alk is a lower alkyl group, R is hydrogen or a lower alkyl, R 3 is a straight-chain or branched C 2 -C 6 alkylene, and m is 1 to 30,

optionally some unreacted groups selected from the group consisting of vinyl and vinyl-terminated alkene, and

q is 1 to 3000.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said alk is methyl.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the R′ and R″ groups are a lower alkyl group.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said lower alkyl group is methyl.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl-functional polymer component comprises a vinyl-functional polysiloxane copolymer having the formula

R′—SiR′R″O(SiR′R″O) r (SiR′R″O) p SiR′R″—R′

where, in the first block, R′ and R″ are the same or different and are a lower alkyl group, or a phenyl group, in which case said alkyl or phenyl group may be substituted or unsubstituted, and where some of the substituents R′ and/or R″ have been substituted for by vinyl groups, and r is 1 to 27000, and

where, in the second block, R′ is a lower alkyl group, or an alkoxy-terminated poly(alkylene oxide) group having the formula

where alk is a lower alkyl group, R 3 is a straight or branched C 2 -C 6 alkylene group, R is hydrogen or a lower alkyl group, and m is 1 to 30, or R′ is a phenyl group, in which case said alkyl or phenyl group may be substituted or unsubstituted, and R″ is a lower alkyl group or a phenyl group, in which case said alkyl or phenyl group may be substituted or unsubstituted, and p is 1 to 5000.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein alk is methyl.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the vinyl functional polymer component further comprises a vinyl-functional polysiloxane having the formula

R′—SiR′R″O(SiR′R″O) r SiR′R″R′

where R′ and R″ are the same or different and are a lower alkyl group or a phenyl group, in which case said alkyl or phenyl group may be substituted or unsubstituted, and where some of the substituents R′ and/or R″ have been substituted for by vinyl groups, and r is 1 to 27000.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vinyl-functional polymer component contains a filler.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said filler comprises silica.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer composition further comprises a non-crosslinked polymer.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the poly(alkylene oxide) groups are poly(ethylene oxide) groups.