US-20260125529-A1 - Multi-Stage Processing of Sealant Materials

US20260125529A1US 20260125529 A1US20260125529 A1US 20260125529A1US-20260125529-A1

Abstract

The present teachings generally relate to a sealant composition that is adapted to be foamed, cured or some combination thereof, a method of making the activatable sealant composition and methods of using the same. The activatable sealant composition comprises one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials; one or more foaming agents; one or more foaming agent activators; and one or more hydrocarbon resins; wherein the activatable sealant composition is supplied to an article of manufacture for providing functional attributes such as scaling, baffling, dampening, reinforcement, or a combination thereof.

Inventors

Michael Czaplicki
Christopher Hable
Jeff Apfel

Assignees

ZEPHYROS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20221103

Claims (20)

1 . A sealant composition comprising: i. at least 50% by weight of one or more high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials; ii. one or more foaming agents; iii. one or more foaming agent activators; and iv. one or more temperature processing aids.
2 . The sealant composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processing aids are selected from hydrocarbon resins, waxes, liquid elastomers, low molecular weight polymers, and combinations thereof.
3 . The sealant composition of claim 1 , including a coagent wherein the coagent is selected from acrylates, methacrylates, or maleimides.
4 . The sealant composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials is selected from: high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), or linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE).
5 . The sealant composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials is recycled from post-industrial or post-consumer sources.
6 . (canceled)
7 . The sealant composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more foaming agents is azodicarbonamide.
8 . The sealant composition of claim 7 , wherein the one or more foaming agent activators is selected from: zinc oxide, dicyandiamide, calcium salts, ureas, or substituted ureas.
9 - 11 . (canceled)
12 . The sealant composition of claim 4 , wherein the composition is heat-activated.
13 . The sealant composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is supplied as a sheet, a strip, a patch, a ring, a disc, or combinations thereof to an article of manufacture.
14 . The sealant composition of claim 13 , wherein the article of manufacture is a sealing baffle for an automotive vehicle.
15 . An article of manufacture comprising a volume expandable sealant composition comprising: (i) a polymeric material comprising or essentially consisting of a polyolefin; preferably a polyethylene; more preferably a polyethylene selected from the group consisting of high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), and combinations thereof; (ii) one or more foaming agents; (iii) one or more foaming agent activators; and (iv) one or more temperature processing aids.
16 . The article of manufacture according to claim 15 , wherein the polymeric material comprises or essentially consists of polyethylene.
17 . The article of manufacture according to claim 16 , wherein the polyethylene has a melt flow rate (MFR), determined according to ISO 1133 at 190° C., 2.16 kg of at least 5 g/10 min, preferably at least 10 g/10 min, more preferably at least 20 g/10 min, still more preferably at least 30 g/10 min, yet more preferably at least 40 g/10 min, even more preferably at least 50 g/10 min, most preferably at least 60 g/10 min, and in particular at least 70 g/10 min.
18 . The article of manufacture according to claim 16 , wherein the polyethylene has a melt flow rate (MFR), determined according to ISO 1133 at 190° C., 2.16 kg of at most 70 g/10 min, preferably at most 60 g/10 min, more preferably at most 50 g/10 min, still more preferably at most 40 g/10 min, yet more preferably at most 30 g/10 min, even more preferably at most 20 g/10 min, most preferably at most 10 g/10 min, and in particular at most 5 g/10 min.
19 . The article of manufacture according to claim 16 , wherein the polyethylene comprises or essentially consists of high density polyethylene (HDPE).
20 . The article of manufacture according to claim 16 , wherein the polyethylene comprises or essentially consists of low density polyethylene (LDPE).
21 . (canceled)
22 . The article of manufacture according to claim 16 , wherein the polyethylene comprises at least about 30% by weight, preferably at least about 40% by weight, more preferably at least about 50% by weight, still more preferably at least about 60% by weight of the overall polymeric material.

Description

FIELD The present teachings generally relate to a multi-step processing method and composition types for activatable sealing materials that would otherwise be activated by heat during compounding using a single step process. BACKGROUND For many years the automotive industry has been concerned with the sealing of vehicles from noise, fuel fumes, and harsh weather conditions such as rain, snow, excess heat, and humidity. Proper sealing can isolate the cabin of the vehicle from exterior noise, protect the interior components such as electronics from moisture and salt, as well as prevent corrosion of components located within vehicle panel cavities and aid in the overall comfort of the vehicle. Among the sealing strategies employed by the automotive industry is the use of heat-activated foamable or non-foamable pre-formed sealants that may be cross-linkable. These sealants are activated during one or more of the processing steps used to cure the various layers of paint during coating the vehicle. Thus, the heat reactive sealant must develop adhesion and foam, if necessary, at similar times and temperatures to the paint coatings that are utilized. These times and temperatures are typically in the range of about 20 to 40 minutes and about 150 to 200° C., respectively. Therefore, to avoid premature activation (e.g., foaming and/or crosslinking) of the sealant material, compounding and formation of the sealant must typically occur well below these temperature ranges. The present teachings provide for multi-stage processing methods that allow for a broad selection of polymeric materials that may have higher initial compounding temperatures, and therefore would not be traditionally used for these types of activatable sealants. This may include polymeric materials that are lower in cost, more readily available from a wider supply base and from more diversified sources. In some cases, the polymeric materials may have mechanical and physical properties that are difficult to obtain when using traditional ingredients. Furthermore, processing of sealant materials according to the present teachings may make possible the use of polymeric materials readily available from recycled post-industrial or post-consumer sources. In view of the above, it would be desirable to a provide a method of forming a foamable/curable sealant composition utilizing a multi-step processing method. It would be desirable to provide an foamable/curable sealant composition that uses polymeric materials not traditionally utilized in the field, enabling the selection of polymeric materials from a wider supply base and more diversified sources. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide an foamable/curable sealant composition that is cheaper in cost and environmentally friendly (e.g., from the utilization of recycled materials). SUMMARY The present teachings relate generally to an foamable/curable sealant, which may address one or more of the above needs, the foamable/curable sealant composition comprising: one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials; one or more foaming agents: one or more foaming agent activators; and one or more temperature processing aids; wherein the foamable/curable sealant composition is supplied to an article of manufacture for providing functional attributes such as sealing, baffling, dampening, reinforcement, or a combination thereof. The foamable/curable sealant composition described herein may include one or more of the following aspects. The foamable/curable sealant composition may include one or more coagents, process oils, pigments, and/or inert fillers. The one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials may be from recycled post-industrial or post-consumer sources. In one aspect, the teachings herein disclose an foamable/curable sealant composition comprising: one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials; one or more foaming agents: one or more foaming agent activators; and one or more temperature processing aids selected from hydrocarbon resins, process oils, waxes, EPDM, liquid elastomers, high melt flow copolymers or low melting point copolymers. The foamable/curable sealant composition is supplied to an article of manufacture. The composition may include a coagent. The coagent may be selected from acrylates, methacrylates, or maleimides. The coagent may be any component having free radical reactivity. The one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials may be selected from: high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), or linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). The one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials may be recycled from post-industrial or post-consumer sources. The one or more preferably high softening point or high melting point polymeric materials may comprise at least about 50% or mo