CA2172768A1

CA2172768A1 - Mineral filled epdm membrane compositions with improved adhesion performance

Info

Publication number: CA2172768A1
Application number: CA002172768A
Authority: CA
Inventors: James A. Davis; Jeffrey W. Henegar; William F. Barham, Jr.
Original assignee: Bridgestone Firestone Inc
Current assignee: Firestone Diversified Products LLC
Priority date: 1995-03-31
Filing date: 1996-03-27
Publication date: 1996-10-01
Also published as: US5700538A; EP0736640A1

Abstract

Vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet materials for roofing having improved adhesion performance and prepared from a polymeric composition of matter comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins prepared from monomers containing at least two carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, the polymer having a crystallinity of up to about 2 percent byweight; about 20 to 125 parts by weight of one or more mineral fillers per 100 parts of the polymer, about 50 to 110 parts by weight of one or more black-type fillers per 100 parts of the polymer; and from about 50 to 70 parts by weight ofa processing material per 100 parts of the polymer and having improved peel adhesion to itself using commercially available bonding and lap- splice adhesives.
A method of covering a roof comprises the steps of applying layers of vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material prepared from a vulcanizable polymeric composition of matter, to the roof being covered; overlapping adjacentedges of the layers; and adhesively seaming the overlapped edges of the layers together to form an acceptable seam. The composition of matter is devoid of any flame retardant rubber chemical additives, heavy metals, oxidants and halogen-containing polymers.

Description

9406041 (P11 1) MINERAL FILLED EPDM MEMBRANE COMPOSITIONS
WITH IMP~OVED ADHESION PERFOR~ANCE

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to sheeting material used for roofing. More particularly, the present invention relates to heat seamable sheeting material which exhibits improved adhesion performance. Specifically, the sheeting material comprises mineral fillers such as soft and hard clays, chemically modified clays, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide and the like and elastomers such as ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer, referred to herein as EPDM, ethylene-propylene rubber, referred to herein as EPM, ethylene-butene copolymer or similar olefinic-type polymers, and mixtures thereof. The elastomers are amorphous rather than crystalline or semi-crystalline, however, blends of amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers may have utility in this invention. A method is also provided for covering the roofs of buildings which includes the step of employing the sheeting material of the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ethylene-propylene copolymers (EPM) and ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers (EPDM) are extensively utilized in a variety of applications. A
particular application wherein EPM and EPDM are preferred because of their excellent physical properties, weathering and heat aging resistance, is in rubber sheeting, such as roofing, agricultural pond liners and water distribution membranes. EPM and EPDM sheeting materials usually are prepared by compounding the EPM, EPDM or mixtures thereof with the appropriate fillers, plasticizers, antidegradants, etc. in a suitable internal mixer, and calendering the resulting compound into the desired sheet rubber.
Because of outstanding weathering resistance and flexibility, cured elastomeric roof sheeting has been rapidly gaining acceptance. This material normally is prepared by vulcanizing the composition in the presence of sulfur orsulfur containing compounds such as mercaptans. An earlier U.S. patent, No.
4,803,020 also teaches the use of radiation crosslinking promoters in an EPDM

2 9406041 (P111) sheeting composition which can be cured by ionizing radiation. Vulcanization and curing can be done in the presence of other compounds as well. For example, ethylene-butene copolymers may be cured in the presence of a triazine or organic peroxide.
Notwithstanding the usefulness of radiation curing, sulfur curing, and triazine curing, a disadvantage of utilizing these elastomers is the lack of adhesion of these elastomers, especially cured olefinic elastomers to themselves. This is a serious problem because in applying elasfomeric sheets to a roof, it is usually necessary to seam the cured elasfomeric sheets together. This splice or seam area is subjected to both short-ferm and long-term sfresses such as fhose caused by roof movement, heavy winds, freeze-thaw cycling and thermal cycling. Such stresses may manifest ~ ."selves in shear forces or peel forces, i.e., the seam peels back under severe stress conditions or results in a partially open seam (often referred to as a fish-mouth condition) under less severe conditions. Suffice to say, it is necessary that the adhesion of the roofing membrane to itself be considered in order to develop good seams.
Therefore, elimination of the need to employ more expensive crystalline and semi-crystalline elastomers would be advantageous. Also, a need for elastomeric roofing material with improved adhesion performance continues to exist. Moreover, the elasfomeric roof sheeting materials of the present invention are also devoid of additives that fradifionally are employed to imparfflame and burn resistivity. Generally, in order to improve flame resistivity of the product using fhe olefinic elasfomers, fillers such as antimony frioxide, decabromo diphenyl oxide (DBDPO), dechlorane (chlorinated alicyclic hydrocarbon), alumina frihydrate, and chlorinated or brominated paraffins, are normally incorporated into fhe composition as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,839,412 and 4,851,463. No halogen-containing rubber chemical additives, heavy metals, oxidants, halogen-containing polymers or the like are present in the roofing membrane compositions of the present invention.

3 9406041 (P1 1 1) SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheeting materials that possess improved adhesion performance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheeting materials that are environmentally friendly in that they do not contain any oxidants, heavy metals or halogen-containing rubber chemical additives and mixtures thereof.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheeting materials that possess improved adhesion performance in applications where an improvement in burn resistivity is desired.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheeting materials that exhibit superior long-termheat aging, ozone and weathering resistance.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheeting materials that possess improved dimensional stability.It is yet another object of the present invention to provide vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheeting materials that possess unaged and heat aged physical properties that exceed the requirements of the Rubber Manufacturers Association for unreinforced black EPDM membranes used in roofing applications.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for covering roofs which employs vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheeting materials possessing improved adhesion performance in low slope uses.
In general, the present invention relates to vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet materials for roofing having improved adhesion performance and prepared from a vulcanizable polymeric composition of matter comprising at leastone polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins prepared from monomers containing at least 2 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof; about 20 to 125 parts by weight of one or more mineral fillers per 100 parts of the polymer;about 50 to 110 parts by weight of one or more black-type fillers per 100 parts of said polymer; and from about S0 to 70 parts by weight of a processing material, per 100 parts of the polymer, the composition of matter being devoid of flame retardant rubber chemical additives, oxidants, heavy metals and halogen-containing polymers and having improved peel adhesion to itself using an 4 9406041 (P111) adhesive selected from the group consisting of neoprene-based adhesives and butyl-based adhesives.
A method for covering a roof is also provided and comprises the steps of applying layers of a vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material prepared from 5 a polymeric composition of maffer to the roof being covered; overlapping adjacent edges of the layers; and adhesively seaming the overlapped edges of thelayers together to form an acceptable seam, the composition of matter being devoid of flame retardant rubber chemical additives, heavy metals, oxidants, andhalogen-containing polymers and having improved peel adhesion to itself using 10 an adhesive selected from the group consisting of neoprene-based adhesives and butyl-based adhesives.
At least one or more of the foregoing objects which shall become apparent to those skilled in the art are described in greater detail with reference to the specification which follows.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
As noted hereinabove, the roof sheeting materials of the present invention comprise EPDM and EPM. The term EPDM is used in the sense of its definition as found in ASTM-D-1418-85 and is intended to mean a terpolymer of 20 ethylene, propylene and a diene monomer with the residual unsaturation portion of the diene in the side chain. Illustrative methods for preparing such terpolymers are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,082 and British Pat. No. 1,030,289,the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The preferred polymers have from about 50 to about 70 weight percent ethylene and from 25 about zero to about 10 weight percent diene with the balance of the polymer being propylene or some other similar olefin-type polymer. Also, the polymers are amorphous which results from having a crystallinity of from zero up to abouttwo percent by weight as determined using DSC technique. Accordingly, crystalline and semi-crystalline EPDM and EPM polymers are not required for 30 practice of the present invention, however, blends of amorphous and semi-crystalline EPDM and EPM may be used to practice this invention, provided the resulting blend of polymers does not exceed about 2 percent by weight crystallin;ty as determined by DSC techniques.

217276~

P

5 9406041 (P111) Semi-crystalline and crystalline EPDM and EPM materials are generally defined as those having at least two percent crystallinity and higher, up to about 13 percent by weight, as is known in the art. Where these materials have higher crystallinity than the amorphous EPDM and EPM materials, it is within the present invention to utilize blends with the amorphous materials. Relative amounts of the amorphous and crystalline materials can be varied although the amorphous component will comprise the majority, that is, usually at least 80 percent by weight of the 100 percent amount of EPDM or EPM material. When blends are employed, they should be compounded in relative amounts taking into account 10 their crystallinity in order that the EPDM and/or EPM blend has a crystallinity of less than or up to about two percent by weight, in keeping with the preferred use of amorphous polymer materials.
To be useful in such polymer blends, according to the present invention, the EPDM will have at least about 2 weight percent crystallinity, from 15 the ethylene component; an Mn as measured by GPC of at least about 30,000 andan Mw, as measured by GPC of at least about 100,000. Similarly, the EPR should have at least about 2 weight percent crystallinity (ethylene); an Mn, as measured by GPC of at least about 30,000 and an Mw, as measured by GPC of at least about 100,000.
The diene monomer utilized in forming the EPDM terpolymer is preferably a non-conjugated diene. Illustrative examples of non-conjugated dienes which may be employed are dicyclopentadiene; alkyldicyclopentadiene;
1,4-pentadiene; 1,4-hexadiene; 1,5-hexadiene; 1,4-heptadiene; 2-methyl-1,5-hexadiene; cyclooctadiene; 1 ,4-octadiene; 1 ,7-octadiene; 5-ethylidene-2-25 norbornene; 5-n-propylidene-2-norbornene; 5~2-methyl-2-butenyl)-2-norbornene and the like. Moreover, the preferred EPDM rubbers have from about zero to about 10 weight percent unsaturation.
Preferably, when a least two EPDM terpolymers are utilized to prepare the membrane composition, one of the polymers should have a weight average 30 molecular weight of a least 200,000. The second EPDM terpolymer should have a weight average molecular weight from about 100,000 to about 200,000. If only one EPDM terpolymer is employed to develop the membrane composition, the 217276~

6 9406041 (P111) polymer should have a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000, and more preferably, a weight average molecular weight of 150,000 to 300,000.
The preferred EPDM rubbers suitable for use in this invention generally have an ethylene content from about 50 to 70 weight percent and from about 5 zero to 10 weight percent diene (third monomer) with the balance of the polymer being propylene or some other similar olefin-type polymer. The viscosity of the preferred EPDM terpolymers should range from about 25 to about 55 Mooney units (ML/4 at 125C) and the glass transition temperature (Tg) of from about -40C to about -60C, and more preferably from about -45C to about -55C.
10 In addition, although any EPDM rubber can be used in the polymer blend, preferred EPDM rubbers are amorphous or non-crystalline so as to provide for improved processability, especially during the calendering process. Generally, preferred EPDM rubbers include those EPDM's having less than two percent by weight crystallinity as determined by DSC technique. In some instances, blends 15 of major amounts of amorphous EPDM rubbers and minor amounts of crystalline EPDM rubbers may be used and may be preferred in this invention.
Particularly useful and preferred in preparing the EPDM portion of the polymer blend for use in the membrane compound composition are EPDM
rubbers commercially available from DSM Copolymer of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 20 under the trademark Keltan@); Exxon Chemical Company of Houston, Texas, underthetrademarkVistalon; Uniroyal Chemical Companyof Naugatuck, Connecticut, under the trademark Royalene, Miles Inc. (Polysar Rubber Division) under the trademark Polysar EPDM~); and E.l. DuPont de Nemours of Wilmington, Delaware, under the trademark Nordel6).
EPDM rubbers which are available from the above polymer suppliers are sulfur vulcanizable and have an ethylene content, a polymer viscosity, and aglass transition temperature, as noted hereinabove for preferred EPDM's.
More particularly, some suitable sulfur vulcanizable EPDM rubbers used to practice this invention include those which have a weight average molecular weight of at least about 200,000. Several examples of such EPDM
rubbers include Royalene@) 535, Royalene(~) 3180, Royalene<~) 580HT;
Keltan@)4506, Keltan(~)4906, Keltan(~) 5206, Keltan DE-296, Polysar EPDM~ 826X, 21727S~

7 9406041 (Pl 1 1) Nordel(}' 1145 and Nordel 1660. A few of the main functions of the these EPDM rubbers are to provide high tensile ~llen~ and improved tear resistance as well as impart needed green strength to the membrane composition during the manufacturing process.
More particularly, a higher molecular weight EPDM terpolymer may be blended with an EPDM terpolymer which has a weight average molecular weight of about 100,000 to about 200,00. Commercially available EPDM
terpolymers which have the desired weight average molecular weight ranging from about 100,000 to about 200,000 include, for example, Royalene~5~ 501, Royalene'~521, RoyaleneO 3399, Keltan'9 378, Keltan 2308, and Keltan~9 2506.
The primary function of the lower molecular weight EPDM terpolymer is to reduce the overall viscosity of the membrane compound as well as to impart sufficient tack and smoothness to the calendered sheet.
Accordingly, if the EPDM terpolymer does not possess inherent low viscosity, it can be blended with one or more lower viscosity EPDM terpolymers which are known to those skilled in the art and within the scope of the present invention. Where the viscosity is satisfactory for processing, no blending of the polymers is required, but may be employed for other reasons such as cost, availability, physical properties and the like.
More specifically, where a blend of EPDM rubbers are employed, they are preferably employed in amounts ranging from about 50 to about 95 parts by weight of the first EPDM (weight average molecular weight of at least about 200,000), and from about 5 to 50 parts by weight of the second EPDM (weight average molecular weight from about 100,00 to about 200,000), to total 100 parts by weight of the polymer blend. Where amounts of the two EPDM rubbers are not equal, it is preferred that the EPD~ rubber having the higher weight average molecular weight be employed in the greater amount. Also, wherein the membrane compound viscosity is satisfactory for processing, no blending of the polymers may be necessary.
The term EPM is used in the sense of its definition as found in ASTM
D-1418-85 and is intended to mean a copolymer of ethylene and propylene. The preferred copolymers contain from about 55 to 70 weight percent ethylene with the balance to total 100 weight percent being propylene. As noted hereinabove, 21 7276~

8 9406041 (P111) it is within the scope of the present invention to blend minor amounts of low Mooney EPDM terpolymers with major amounts of high Mooney EPDM terpoly-mers to reduce the overall viscosity of the membrane compound.
Also, useful as a roofing material in the present invention is a 5 copolymer of ethylene and butene. This particular copolymer has about 82 weight percent ethylene with the balance to total 100 weight percent being butene. A typical ethylene/butene copolymer is GERS-1085 (Union Carbide Corporation) having a Mw, as measured by GPC of at least about 221,000. Other similar olefinic polymers (e.g., ethylene/octene copolymer) can be used to 10 practice this invention. For purposes of discussion herein, references to polymers is intended to include any of the EPDM, EPM or similar olefinic polymers of the present invention. As noted hereinabove, it is within the scope of the present invention also to blend low Mooney EPDM terpolymers with the olefinic polymers disclosed herein to reduce the overall viscosity of the membrane compound.
The composition of the membrane compound employed to form the roof sheeting material comprises 100 parts by weight of EPDM, EPM, or other similar olefinic type copolymers, including mixtures thereof, to which are added- mineral fillers as a partial replacement for traditionally used carbon black fillers, and processing materials as well as optionally other components, all of which are discussed hereinbelow.
With respect first to the mineral fillers, suitable fillers are selected from the group comprising of hard clays, soft clays, chemically modified clays, mica, talc, alumina trihydrates, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, amorphous precipitated hydrated silica and mixtures thereof. These fillers may partially replace "black" fillers, I.e. carbon black and other related petroleum-derived materials.
Some four basic types of clays are normally used as reinforcing fillers for rubber elastomers. The different types of clay fillers include; airfloated, water washed, calcined and surface treated or chemically modified.
The airfloated clays are the least expensive and most widely used.
They are divided into two general groups, hard and soft, and offer a wide range of reinforcement and loading possibilities. Hard clays are used in the amount ofabout 25 parts to about 125 parts per 100 parts of polymer (phr) by weight, 9 9406041 (Pl 1 1) preferably in an amount from about 25 to 110 phr. In order to maintain equivalent compound hardness, 1.5 to 1.75 phr hard clay is used to replace 1 phrof carbon black in preparing sulfur cured EPDM roof sheeting. Any commercially available hard clay may be used. The preferred airfloated hard clays used are:
5 Suprex~, Barden R'E'; LGB~ all commercially available from- J.M. Huber Corporation.
The airfloated soft clays are used in the amount of about 25 parts to about 125 parts per 100 parts of polymer (phr), preferably in an amount of about65 phr. Again, in order to maintain equivalent compound hardness, 1.5 to 1.75 10 phr soft clay is used to replace 1 phr of carbon black in preparing sulfur cured EPDM roof sheeting. The preferred airfloated soft clays used are Paragon~'; and K-786' commercially available from l.M. Huber Corporation and Hi-White R~ clay from Evans Clay.
Water washed clays are normally considered as semi-reinforcing fillers.
15 This particular class of clays are more closely controlled for particle size by the water-fractionation process. This process permits the production of clays ~vithin controlled particle size ranges. The preferred ranges of water washed clays are very similar to the preferred amounts of airfloated soft clays mentioned hereinabove. Some of the preferred water washed clays include Polyfil~' DL, 20 Polyfil~ F, Polyfil~ FB, Polyfil~ HG-90, Polyfil~ K and Polyfil~ XB, all are commercially available from J.M. Huber Corporation.
The third type of clay includes the calcined clay. Clays normally contain approximately 14 percent water of hydration, and most of this can be removed by calcination. The amount of bound water removed determines the 25 degree of calcination. The preferred ranges of calcined clays are very similar to the preferred amounts of airfloated hard clays mentioned hereinabove. Some of the preferred calcined clays include Polyfil~ 40, Polyfil~' 70, and Polyfil6' 80, all commercially available from J.M Huber Corporation.
The final type of clay includes the chemically modified reinforcing 30 clays. Cross-linking ability is imparted to the clay by modifying the surface of the individual particles with a polyfunctional silane coupling agent. Chemically modified clays are used in the amount of about 25 parts to about 110 parts per 100 parts of polymer (phr), preferably in an amount of about 65 phr. In an effort 10 9406041 (P111) to achieve equivalent compound hardness, about 1.5 phr of chemically modified clay is used to replace 1 phr carbon black in preparing sulfur cured EPDM roof sheeting. Normally the specific gravity of most clays is about 2.60 at 25 C. The preferred chemically modified clays are commercially available from J.M. Huber S Corporation and include: Nucap~ 100, Nucap~ 200, Nucap~ 190, Nucap6' 290, Nulok6' 321, Nulok~' 390 and Polyfil~ 368.
Other useful non-black mineral fillers include amorphous silica (silicon dioxide). Silicas are generally classed as wet-process, hydrated silicas becausethey are produced by a chemical reaction in water, from which they are precipitated as ultrafine, spherical particles. Silica can be employed in the amount of about 20 parts to about 75 parts per 100 parts of polymer (phr), preferably in an amount from about 20 to 50 phr. The useful upper range is limited by the high viscosity imparted by fillers of this type. Some of the commercially available silicas which may be used include: Hi-Sil~ 215, Hi-Sil~
233, Hi-Sil~ EP and Silene6' D all produced by PPG Industries. Also, a number ofuseful commercial grades of different silicas are available from J.M. Huber Corporation.
Finely ground calcium carbonate is employed in the amount of about 20 parts to about 200 parts per 100 parts of polymer tphr), preferably in an amount from about 35 to 125 phr. In order to maintain equivalent compound hardness the replacement ratio for calcium carbonate to carbon black is about 2:1. Calcium carbonate generally has a specific gravity of about 2.71 and is commercially available from a number of suppliers including Harwick Chemical, J.M. Huber Corporation, Georgia Marble, Genstar Stone Products and Omya, Inc.
Titanium dioxide is employed in the amount of about 5 parts to about 100 parts per 100 parts of polymer (phr), preferably in an amount from about 10 to 60 phr. Both the rutile and anatase form of titanium dioxide may be used, however, the rutile form is preferred and includes such products as TiPure~ R-960, which is a fine, white powder having a specific gravity of 3.90 and commercially available from DuPont de Nemours of Wilmington, Delaware.
Other commercially available non-black mineral fillers that may be employed to practice this invention include; talc (magnesium silicate), mica tmixtures of sodium and potassium aluminum silicate) and alumina trihydrate.

1 1 9406041 (P111) Alumina trihydrate can also be used as a flame retardant and smoke suppressant in vulcanizable EPDM roof sheeting.
Other suitable fillers are selected from the group consisting of reinforcing materials, and mixtures thereof, as are customarily added to rubber.5 Examples include such materials as carbon black, ground coal, cryogenically ground rubber and the like. Generally, preferred black-type fillers include carbon black, ground coal and cryogenically ground rubber.
Carbon black is used in an amount of about 20 parts to about 150 parts per 100 parts of polymer (phr), preferably in an amount of about 50 to about 110 phr. The preferred range of carbon black herein (50 to 110 phr) is about equal to the amount of carbon black normally used in preparing sulfur cured EPDM roof sheeting. The carbon black useful herein is any conventional carbon black. Preferred are furnace blacks such as GPF (general-purpose furnace), FEF (fast-extrusion furnace) and SRF (semi-reinforcing furnace). Also,small amounts of a reinforcing carbon black, i.e. HAF (high-abrasion furnace) may have utility in this invention.
The ground coal employed as a filler in the compositions of the invention is a dry, finely divided black powder derived from a low volatile bituminous coal. Ground coal has a particle size ranging from a minimum of 0.26 microns to a maximum of 2.55 microns with the average particle size of 0.69 + 0.46 as determined on 50 individual particles using Transmission ElectronMicroscopy. The ground coal produces an aqueous slurry having a pH of about 7.0 when tested in accordance with ASTM D-1512. A preferred ground coal of this type is designated Austin Black which has a specific gravity of about 1.253+ 0.03, an ash content of 4.80 weight % and a sulfur content of 0.75 weight %.
Austin Black is commercially available from Coal Fillers, Inc., P.O. Box 1063, Bluefield, Virginia. Amounts range from about 10 to 35 phr with about 10 to 20 phr being preferred. Use of ground coal is optional and an attendant reduction in the amount of carbon black can be made to compensate.
Finally, essentially any cryogenically ground rubber may be employed as a filler in the composition of the invention. The preferred cryogenically ground rubbers are cryogenically ground EPDM, butyl, neoprene and the like.
A preferred cryogenically ground rubber is a cryogenically ground EPDM rubber.

21 7276g 12 9406041 (Pl 11) The preferred cryogenically ground EPDM rubber is a fine black rubbery powder having a specific gravity of about 1.129 + 0.015 and a particle size ranging from about 30 to about 300 microns with an average particle size ranging from about 50 to about 80 microns. Amounts may range from about 5 to 40 phr with about 5 10 to 25 phr being preferred.
Mixtures of Austin black and cryogenically ground rubber useful herein may be utilized as a partial replacement for carbon black; Where mixtures of these two fillers are employed the relative amounts thereof can be widely varied;
the overall total not exceeding about 60 phr. The ratio of Austin black to 10 cryogenically ground rubber may range from a desired ratio of 2:1 to perhaps even a ratio of 3:1. Again, as noted hereinabove, other filler materials can be employed. Amounts thereof fall within the range of amounts normally employed in preparing sulfur cured conventional EPDM roof sheeting.
With respect to the processing oil, it is included to improve the 15 processing behavior of the membrane composition (i.e. reduce mixing time and increase calendering rate). The processing oil is included in an amount ranging from about 20 parts to about 105 parts by weight of process oil per 100 parts ofelastomer component, preferably in an amount ranging from about 50 parts to about 70 parts by weight. Preferred processing oils are a paraffinic oil, e.g.
20 Sunpar 2280 which is available from the Sun Oil Company. Other petroleum derived oils including naphthenic oils may be used.
Curing of the EPDM membrane compounds when used in the compositions of the invention can be effected by any of the well known curing systems, including sulfur and sulfur-donor cure systems, peroxide cure systems, 25 and quinone-type cure systems. Curing of the EPM rubbers, when used in the compositions of this invention, can generally be effected with a peroxide cure system.
As noted, the sulfur and sulfur-containing cure systems used in the present invention typically include one or more sulfur cure accelerators. Suitable 30 accelerators commonly employed include, for example, thioureas such as ethylene thiourea, N,N-dibutylthiourea, N,N-diethylthiourea and the like; thiuram monosulfides and disulfides such as tetramethylthiuram monosulfide (TMTMS), tetrabutylthiuram disulfide (TBTDS), tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTDS), 1 3 9406041 (P1 1 1) tetraethylthiuram monosulfide (TETMS), dipentamethylenethiuram hexasulfide (DPTH) and the like; benzothiazole sulfenamides such as N-oxydiethylene-2-benzothiazole sulfenamide, N-cyclohexyl-2-benzothiazole sulfenamide, N,N-diisopropyl-2-benzothiazole sulfenamide, N-tertbutyl-2benzothiazole sulfenamide (TBBS) and the like; 2-mercaptoimidazoline, N,N-diphenylguanadine, N,N-di~2-methylphenyl)-guanadine, thiazole accelerators such as 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2~morpholinodithio)benzothiazole disulfide, zinc 2-mercaptobenzoth;azole and the like; dithiocarbamates accelerators such as tellurium diethyldithiocarbamate, copper dimethyldithiocarbamate, bismuth dimethyldithiocarbamate, cadmium diethyldithiocarbamate, lead dimethyldithiocarbamate, zinc diethyldithiocarbamate and zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate.
It should be appreciated that the foregoing list is not exclusive, and that other vulcanizing agents known in the art to be effective in the curing of EPDM terpolymers employed in the polymer blend may also be utilized. For a list of addifional vulcanizing agents, see The Vanderbilt Rubber Handbook, RT
Vanderbilt Co., Norwalk CT 06855 (1990). It should also be understood that these sulfur donor-type accelerators may be used in place of the elemental sulfur or in conjunction therewith. Suitable amounts of sulfur to be used in the cure package can be readily determined by those skilled in the art, and generally range from about 0.25 to 2.0 phr, while the amount of accelerator can also be readily determined by those skilled in the art and generally range from about 1.5 to about 8 phr.
Accelerators generally require a metal oxide, i.e., zinc oxide for cure activation in most all types of rubbers. Zinc oxide is almost always the metal oxide of choice because of its effectiveness and lack of toxicity. The amount ofzinc oxide may vary, but about 1 to about 10 parts by weight in the formulation have been found to give the desired effect. Also, in order to initiate the vulcanization process, a small amount (generally about 1 to 2 parts by weight) of stearic acid is present in the composition. Using heat, both zinc oxide and stearic acid act as cure activators in the presence of sulfur, one or more accelerators and unsaturated rubber to help promote the formation of sulfur crosslinks during thevulcanization process. Some of the initial chemical reactions which take place during the early stages of the vulcanization process include reacting zinc oxide 21727~

14 9406041 (P111) with stearic acid to form salts of even greater vulcanization activity. Zinc oxide itself acts as a cure activator or vulcanization promoter, speeding the rate of reaction of elemental sulfur with the unsaturation in the diene portion of the ethylene-propylene rubber. In addition to its use as a curing component, the sulfur component of the present invention may also be used in conjunction with zinc oxide to improve the heat aging resistance of the rubber composition.
Sulfur donor-type accelerators may be used in place of elemental sulfur or in conjunction with elemental sulfur if desired. Suitable amounts of sulfur and/or sulfur donor-type compounds can be readily determined by those of ordinary skill in the art and generally range from about 1 to about 4 phr. The amounts of sulfur vulcanization accelerator can also be readily determined by those of ordinary skill in the art and generally range from about 1.5 to about 8phr.
Examples of suitable peroxides that can be used as curing agents or co-curing agents include alpha-cumyl hydroperoxide, methylethylketone peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, acetylacetone peroxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, t-butyl peroxybenzoate, 2,5-bis(t-butyl peroxy)-2,5-dimethylhexene, lauryl peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, 2,4-dichlorobenzoyl peroxide, dibenzoyl peroxide, bis(p-monomethylene-benzoyl) peroxide, bis(p-nitrobenzoyl) peroxide, phenylacetyl peroxide, and the like. Suitable amounts of peroxide crosslinking agents can be readily determined by those having ordinary skill in the art and generally rangefrom about 1 to about 6 phr.
Examples of inorganic peroxides which can be used as co-curing agents with p-quinone dioxime include lead peroxide, zinc peroxide, barium peroxide, copper peroxide, potassium peroxide, silver peroxide, sodium peroxide, calcium peroxide, metallic peroxyborates, peroxychromates, peroxydicarbonates, peroxydiphosphates, peroxydisulfates, peroxygermanates, peroxymolybdates, peroxynitrates, magnesium peroxide, sodium pyrophosphate peroxide, and the like.
Examples of polysulfide activators for the quinone-type co-curing agents include calcium polysulfide, sodium polysulfide, as well as organic polysulfides having the general formula R~S)X-R, wherein R is a hydrocarbon 21727fi8 1 5 9406041 (P1 1 1) group and x is a number from 2-4. Examples of organic polysulfides are disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,481.
Conventional radiation equipment and techniques can also be employed in the practice of this invention. Suitable ionizing crosslinking 5 promoters which can be used include: liquid high-vinyl 1,2-polybutadiene resins containing 90 percent 1 ,2-vinyl content; Sartomer SR-206 (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate), Di-Cup R (dicumyl peroxide, about 98 percent active), and Pental A (pentaerythritol resin prepared from tall oil). Preferably, these rubber chemical additives can be included in an amount of from about 1.5 to about 20 phr. Such 10 rubber chemical additives should be compatible with the other ingredients in the composition and function to reduce the dosage of ionizing radiation needed to obtain the desired level of crosslinking.
The compositions of this invention can be compounded with various conventional additives as desired, including process and extender oils; processing 15 aids such as various metal salts of stearic acid, sodium dodecyl sulfate as well as tackifyingresins,plasticizers,antioxidants,antiozonants,waxes,cureaccelerators, zinc oxide, stearic acid, UV stabilizers and the like. Such additives can be utilized in amounts conventionally employed in such rubber compounds.
The membrane compositions of this invention can also be prepared by 20 conventional means using conventional rubber processing equipment such as a Brabender, Banbury, Sigma-blade mixer, two-roll mill, or other mixers suitable for forming viscous, relatively uniform admixtures. Mixing techniques depend on a variety of factors such as the specific types of polymers used, and the fillers,processing oils, waxes and other ingredients used. The ingredients can be added 25 together in a single shot, loaded with the fillers, oils, etc. going in first and the polymer going in last, or in a more conventional manner with the polymer added first, depending on the actual ingredients used.
Mixing cycles generally range from about 3 to 6 minutes. Better mixing is generally attained by an incremental procedure in which part of the 30 fillers are added first with little or no oil, with the remaining fillers and oil being added in additional increments and the polymer being added last. Rapid mixing and good dispersion can also be achieved by adding part of the EPM or EPDM on 1 6 9406041 (Pl 1 1) top of the fillers, plasticizers, etc. This procedure can be further modified bywithholding part of the oil which is then added incrementally.
The cure package (sulfur/accelerator) is typically added near the end of the mixing cycle and at lower temperatures to prevent premature crosslinking 5 of the EPDM composition. When utilizing a type B Banbury internal mixer, in a preferred mode, the dry or powdery materials such as the non-black mineral fillers (i.Q, untreated clay, treated clays, talc, mica, and the like) of the present invention are added first, followed by the liquid process oil and finally the polymer (this type of mixing can be referred to as an upside-down mixing 1 0 technique).
Two-stage mixing can be employed when better filler dispersion is desired. The rubbery composition can then be formed into a sheet via calendering. The compositions of the invention can also be formed into various types of articles using other techniques such as extrusion.
The resulting admixture is sheeted to thickness ranging from 5 to 200 mils, preferably from 35 to 60 mils by conventional sheeting methods, for example, milling, calendering or extrusion. Preferably, the admixture is sheetedto at least 40 mils (0.040-inches thick) which is the minimum thickness specified in manufacturing standards established by the Roofing Council of the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) for non-reinforced EPDM rubber sheets used in roofing applications. In many cases, the admixture is sheeted to a thickness of 40-45 mils, since this is the thickness for a large percentage of "single-ply"
roofing membranes used commercially. The sheeting can be visually inspected and cut to the desired length and width dimensions after curing.
The method of the present invention is practiced by utilizing an elastomeric sheet material as described herein. As the sheet is unrolled over the roof substructure in an otherwise conventional fashion, the seams of adjacent sheet layers are overlapped. The width of the seam can vary depending on the requirements specified by the architect, building contractor or roofing contractor and thus, do not constitute a limitation of the present invention.
The overlapping edges of the roofing membranes can be cleaned with soap and water or the appropriate solvent to remove any grease, oil or other contaminants which could interfere with providing adequate adhesion, and/or 21727~8 1 7 9406041 (P1 1 1) may be solvent cleaned as desired, to enhance bond formation and increase peel strength. Typical solvents used for cleaning the overlapped edges of the roofingmembrane include hexane, heptane, or toluene, however, solvent cleaning is generally not required. Where a bonding adhesive is used, one example suitable 5 for use with this invention is BA-2004, a neoprene-based adhesive commerciallyavailable from Firestone Building Products Company and where a lap-splice seam adhesive is used, one example suitable for use with this invention is Firestone's SA-1065, a commercially available butyl-based lap-splice adhesive. Application of the adhesive can be facilitated by spray, brush, swab or other means known 10 in the art.
In order to demonstrate the practice of this invention, adhesive-coated membrane compositions, listed in Table 1, were prepared and seams were formed by bonding together conventional EPDM sheet material with plywood or aluminum plates as well as to itself using BA-2004 bonding adhesive. Also, a 15 number of seams were exposed to various aging times and temperatures, before being subjected to peel adhesion tests, the results of which are provided in Tables I I-X. The membrane compound compositions exemplified hereinbelow are submitted for the purpose of further illustrating the nature of the present invention and are not to be considered as a limitation on the scope thereof. For20 each membrane composition, three peel tests were conducted and the results averaged. Peel adhesion test values are reported in pounds per linear inch (pli).
The following examples in Table I represent EPDM rubber membrane compositions with improved adhesion performance which are based upon EPDM
terpolymers and are submitted for the purpose of further illu~lrdling the nature25 of the present invention and are not to be considered as a limitation on the scope thereof. Parts of each ingredient are by weight, unless otherwise specified.
Example No. 1 is a conventional sulfur cured black EPDM membrane of the prior art. Examples 24 contain an untreated clay filler and coal filler, to impart improved peel adhesion.

18 9406041 (P1 1 1) TABLE I
EPDM MEMBRANE COMPOSITIONS

EXAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 4 EPDM Rubbera 100 58.22 58.22 80 EPDM Rubberb - 41.78 41.78 20 N-650 HiStr GPF black 137 91.07 91.07 91.07 Austin black (Coal filler) - 13.93 13.93 13.93 Mistron vapor talc - 13.93 Air floated clay - 51.07 65 65 Paraffinic process oil96 60 60 60 Zinc oxide 2.50 3 3 3 Stearic acid 1 1.25 1.25 1.25 Sulfur 0.90 0.85 0.85 0.85 Cure package 3.90 3.55 3.55 3.33 TOTAL 341.30 338.65338.65 338.33 aWeight average molecular weight; from at least about 200,000 bWeight average molecular weight; from about 100,000 to about 200,000 The foregoing conventional EPDM rubber membrane control, Example 1, and Examples 2-4 were next subjected to comparative peel adhesion testing by bonding cured sheets of two layers of cured conventional EPDM membrane to aluminum plates, plywood and to itself using BA-2004 bonding adhesive. Also, several peel adhesion test samples were prepared using the overlapped edges of cured EPDM sheet material bonded to itself using SA-1065, a commercially available butyl-based lap-splice adhesive. The procedure employed is set forth next, followed by the adhesion test results in Tables ll - X.

Detailed Peel Adhesion Test Procedure Each of the above mineral filled black EPDM membrane compounds were subjected to testing which necessitated the building of adhesion test pads 19 9406041 (P111) 1. A number of 6 by 9-inch, uncleaned sheets of sulfur-cured, factory produced conventional black EPDM membrane of approximately 45 mills in thickness were adhesive coated with either a layer of commercially available solvent-based bonding adhesive (neoprene-based) or lap-splice adhesive (butyl 5 based). Also, bonding adhesive was applied to a number of one-inch wide by 6-inch long strips of plywood (quarter-inch thick) and aluminum plates (27 mils thick). The adhesive-coated membranes and adhesive-coat-ed strips of plywood and aluminum plates were allowed to air-dry at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before assembling the adhesion test pads.
2. The peel adhesion test samples were prepared by firmly securing by hand a three-inch wide strip of adhesive-coated black EPDM membrane to a second piece of adhesive-coated black EPDM membrane. Also, samples of the bonding adhesive-coated black EPDM membrane were firmly secured by hand to strips of bonding adhesive-coated plywood and aluminum plates.
3. Each test assembly was individually mated by rolling a 2.75-inch wide, 15 pound metal roller in a back and forth motion at least four times over the surface of the seam. The test assemblies were then aged an additional 30 minutes at room temperature prior to aging.
4. A clicker machine with a one-inch wide die was utilized to 20 prepare a number of rubber-to-rubber test specimens for peel adhesion testing.
5. The one-inch wide specimens were aged for either 24-hours or seven days at either 23C, 70C,100C or 116C prior to testing, and then each were tested at the same temperature or, in several test situations where specimens were aged at 70C, 100C or 116C were tested after being allowed 25 to equilibrate at 23C for at least 30 minutes prior to testing.
6. Testing machine: Table Model 4301 Instron Universal Tester- The Instron 4301 testing machine utilizes a screw drive which provides a constant rate-ofjaw separation. Sample securement was achieved through the use of pneumatic clamps which provide 200 psi force to combat slippage of the test 30 specimen during actual testing.
7. The one-inch wide specimens were tested at the rate (both crosshead and chart speed) of two-inches per minute using the adhesion test 20 9406041 (P1 1 1) method set forth in ASTM D-413 (machine method). Peel adhesion seam strength was determined at room temperature (i.e., 23C) as well as at 70C.
8. Adhesion strength is defined as:
Peel adhesion strength (Ibs./inch)= pounds force/sample width Examples 1-4 prepared from the membrane compositions of Table I are listed in Table Il-X as Examples 1-4 hereinbelow. Table ll shows a comparison ofpeel adhesion properties obtained on the mineral filler-free conventional black EPDM membrane control (Example 1) and the mineral filler containing black EPDM membrane compositions (Examples 2-4) of this invention.
In Table ll, the surface of each EPDM membrane composition (Examples 1-4) was scrubbed with hexane and allowed to air-dry for 30 minutes before coating the surface of the membrane with bonding adhesive; the seams were formed by hand and the test samples were aged for seven days at 23C and then tested at 23C.

ME~BR~NE ADHESION TO ITSEU USING BONDING ADHESIVE

TEST SAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 AVERAGE
20Example No. 1 2.33 3.11 3.573.00pli Example No. 2 8.96 6.52 8.277.92pli Example No. 3 8.26 6.94 8.067.75pli Example No. 4 6.34 6.06 6.786.39pli In Table lll, the surfaces of the EPDM membrane compositions and aluminum plates (about 27 mils thick) were untreated before coating the surface of each membrane and aluminum plate with bonding adhesive; after 30 minutes air-drying the adhesive-coated membrane was applied to the adhesive-coated 30 aluminum plate and the seam formed by hand. The test samples were aged for 7 days at 23C and then tested at 23C.

21 9406041 (Pl l l) MEMBR~NE ADHESION TO ALUMINUM PLA~ES
USING BONDING ADHESIVE

TEST SAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 AVERAGE
Example No. 1 0.65 0.60 0.56 0.604pli Example NO. 2 1.82 2.55 2.51 2.30pli Example NO. 3 1.61 2.30 1.26 1.72pli Example NO. 4 1.97 2.16 1.95 2.03pli Table IV, the surfaces of the EPDM membrane compositions were scrubbed with hexane and allowed to air-dry for 30 minutes before coating the surface of each membrane with bonding adhesive. The untreated plywood plaque (0.25-inch thick) was coated with a layer of bonding adhesive, after 30 minutes air-drying the adhesive-coated membrane was applied to the adhesive-coated plywood plaque and the seam formed by hand. The test samples were aged for 7 days at 23C and then tested at 23C.

TABLE IV
MEMBRANE ADHESION TO PLY~VOOD USING BONDING ADHESIVE

TEST SAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 AVERAGE
Example NO. 1 5.77 5.66 8.84 6.76pli 25Example NO. 2 12.17 11.75 12.24 12.05 Example NO. 3 8.99 9.91 11.3810.09pli Example No. 4 9.46 9.89 9.96 9.77pli In Table V, the surface of each membrane composition was scrubbed with hexane and allowed to air-dry for 30 minutes before coating the surface of each membrane with lap-splice adhesive. After air-drying the adhesive-coated membranes, the seams were formed by hand. The test samples were aged for 24 hours at 23C and then tested at 23C.

217276~

22 9406041 (P111) TABLE V
MEMBRANE ADHESION TO ITSELF USING LAP-SPLIOE ADHESIVE

TEST SAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 AVERAGE
5Example No. 1 4.9 4.25 5.444.86pli Example No. 2 6.79 7.04 6.396.7pli Example No. 3 6.18 6.16 6.436.26pli Example No. 4 5.83 6.34 5.916.03pli In Table Vl, the surface of each membrane composition was scrubbed with hexane, allowed to air-dry for 30 minutes, before coating the surface of each membrane with lap-splice adhesive. After allowing the adhesive-coated membranes to air-dry for 30 minutes, the seams were formed by hand. The test samples were aged for 7 days at 70C and then tested at 70C

TABLE Vl MEMBR~NE ADHESION TO ITSEU USING LAP-SPLIOE ADHESIVE

20TEST SAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 AVERAGE
Example No. 1 1.41 1.53 1.931.63pli Example No. 2 1.89 1.97 N/A1.93pli Example No. 3 1.62 1.72 1.821.71pli Example No. 4 1.49 1.87 1.761.71pli In Table Vll, the surface of each membrane composition was scrubbed with hexane, allowed to air-dry for 30 minutes and adhesive~oated with lap-splice adhesive. After allowing the adhesive~oated membranes to air-dry for 30 30 minutes, the seams were formed by hand. The test samples were aged for 7 days at 70C and then tested at 70C

21 72 7~

23 9406041 (P1 1 1) TABLE Vll MEMBRANE ADHESION TO ITSELF USING LAP-SPLIOE ADHESIVE

TEST SAMPLE NO. 12 3 AVERAGE
Example No. 1 1.96 1.39 1.331.55pli Example No. 2 1.83 2.14 1.831.93pli Example No. 3 1.98 2.01 1.551.85pli Example No. 4 1.91 1.96 1.801.89pli In Table Vlll, the surface of each membrane composition was scrubbed with hexane, allowed to air-dry for 30 minutes and adhesive-coated with lap-splice adhesive. After allowing the adhesive-coated membranes to air-dry 30 minutes, the seams were formed by hand. The test samples were aged for 7 days 15 in water and then tested at 23C.

TABLE Vl l l MEMBRANE ADHESION TO ITSELF USING LAP-SPLIOE ADHESIVE

TEST SAMPLE NO. 1 2 - 3 AVERAGE
Example No. 1 8.03 9.16 8.378.52pli Example No. 2 8.54 12.24 11.9710.92pli Example No. 3 8.55 10.0 11.249.93pli Example No. 4 9.47 9.73 10.219.80pli In Table IX, the surface of each membrane was scrubbed with hexane, allowed to air-dry for 30 minutes and adhesive-coated with lap-splice adhesive.
After allowing the adhesive-coated membranes to air-dry for 30 minutes, the 30 seams were formed by hand. The test samples were aged 7 days at 100C and then tested at 23C.

21 7276g 24 9406041 (P111) TABLE IX
MEMBRANE ADHESION TO ITSELF USING LAP-SPLICE ADHESIVE

NO.
Example No. 1 5.54 5.76 4.565.29pli Example No. 2 5.95 5.8 6.065.94pli Example No. 3 5.21 5.34 5.355.31pli Example No. 4 5.03 5.47 5.215.24pli In Table X, the surface of each membrane was scrubbed with hexane, allowed to air-dry for 30 minutes and coated with lap-splice adhesive. After allowing the adhesive-coated membrane to air-dry for 30 minutes, the seams were 15 formed by hand. The test samples were aged for 7 days at 116C and then tested at 23C.

TABLE X
MEMBRANE ADHESION TO ITSEU USING LAP-SPLIOE ADHESIVE
TEST SAMPLE NO. 1 2 3 AVERAGE
Control 9.29 10.92 8.619.61 pli Example No. 1 8.18 12.59 11.0710.61pli Example No. 2 11.6 9.75 11.210.85pli Example No. 3 10.24 10.87 10.3610.49pli Summarizing, peel adhesion as shown in Table ll for the sulfur cured conventional black EPDM membrane control (Example No. 1) at 23C was an 30 average of 3 Ibs./inch, while peel strength for the three mineral filler containing black EPDM membrane compositions (Examples Nos.2-4) of this invention ranged from 6.39 to 7.92 Ibs./inch at 23C using bonding adhesive. In the peel adhesiontest, failure occurred at the interface of the seam. Test failures of this type are commonly referred to as adhesive failures. In Tables lll and IV, the mineral filler 35 containing black EPDM membrane compositions (Examples Nos. 2-4) developed ..

9406041 (P1 1 1) better seam peel strength to both aluminum plates and plywood than the sulfur cured conventional black EPDM membrane control (Example No. 1) using the bonding adhesive. The sulfur cured conventional black EPDM membrane is commercially available from Firestone Building Products Company and marketed 5 as a RUBBERGARD~ roofing membrane.
In Tables V to X, the three mineral filler-containing EPDM membrane compositions (Examples Nos. 2-4) of the present invention provided better 24-hour and 7 days aged peel adhesion than the conventional black EPDM
membrane control (example No.1) using the lap-splice adhesive. The 10 conventional EPDM membrane control comprised EPDM with only one type of carbon black and no mineral fillers or coal filler. Test samples were aged at various elevated temperatures, i.e., 23C, 70C, 100C and 116C and tested at either 23C or 70C. The test samples listed in Tables ll - X were tested at a crosshead speed in accordance with the adhesion test set forth in ASTM D~13.
In view of the properties described above, the compositions of the present invention are valuable in the production of roofing membranes. Roofing membranes formed from the compositions of the present invention may be produced by any method conventionally used for producing roofing membranes from filled polymeric compositions. For example, the membranes may be formed 20 by a conventional calendering technique. Roofing membranes formed from the compositions of the present invention may optionally be scrim reinforced.
While a typical use for the composition of the present invention is as roofing membranes, the compositions have other utilities. In the automotive areafor instance, the composition can be employed to manufacture liners and seals 25 for doors, headlamps and lamps, wheel well liners and other applications where rubber can be applied against an metal surface or component. In addition, the composition of the present invention can be used to cover piles of wood, barns and other buildings. Another possibility for use is as a liner for canals and ponds.
In conclusion, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited 30 to the specific types of EPDM exemplified herein or by the disclosure of other typical EPDM, EPM or other semi-crystalline olefin type polymers provided herein, the examples having been provided merely to demonstrate the practice of the subject invention. Those skilled in the art may readily select other EPDM, 21 7276~

,.

26 9406041 (Plll) EPM or other similar olefin polymers including copolymers of ethylene and butene and ethylene and octene, according to the disclosure made hereinabove.
It should be clear from the foregoing examples and specification disclosure thatthe use of amorphous EPDM terpolymers or blends of amorphous and semi-5 crystalline EPDM terpolymers having a combined crystallinity of up to about twoweight percent can be used to prepare elastomeric roof sheet material with improved adhesion performance.
Similarly, the roof sheet material is environmentally friendly, in that, it does not contain halogen-based or halogen-containing rubber chemical 10 additives; nor, does it contain oxides of metals, such as, antimony, mercury, lead, manganese and the like. It is to be understood that the invention is not limitedto the specific types of amorphous EPDM terpolymers exemplified herein or by the disclosure of other typical olefinic elastomers provided herein, the examples having been provided merely to demonstrate the practice of the subject invention.
15 Similarly, the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular filler,processing material and additives exemplified or the amounts thereof. Those skilled in the art may readily select other amorphous elastomers, or fillers, processing materials and the like according to the disclosure made hereinabove.
Thus, it is believed that any of the variables disclosed herein can 20 readily be determined and controlled without departing from the scope of-the invention herein disclosed and described. Moreover, the scope of the invention shall include all modifications and variations that fall within the scope of theattached claims.

Claims

1. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material for roofing having improved adhesion performance and prepared from a polymeric composition of matter comprising:
at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins prepared from monomers containing at least 2 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, said polymer having a crystallinity of up to about 2 percent by weight;
about 20 to 125 parts by weight of one or more mineral fillers per 100 parts of said polymer;
about 50 to 110 parts by weight of one or more black-type fillers per 100 parts of said polymer; and from about 50 to 70 parts by weight of a processing material, per 100 parts of said polymer, said composition of matter being devoid of flame retardant rubber chemical additives, heavy metals, oxidants and halogen-containing polymers and having improved peel adhesion to itself using an adhesive selected from the group consisting of neoprene-based adhesives and butyl-based adhesives.

2. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-black mineral filler is selected from the group consisting of hard clays, soft clays, chemically modified clays, mica, talc, alumina trihydrate, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, amorphous precipitated hydrated silica and mixtures thereof.

3. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said polymer further comprises a diene monomer component.

4. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said polymer comprises EPDM.

5. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said processing material is selected from the group consisting of paraffinic oils, naphthenic oils and waxes and mixtures thereof.

6. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said mineral filler comprises about 65 parts by weight of a clay and said polymeric composition of matter includes about 60 parts by weight of processing oil.

7. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said clay is chemically modified.

8. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said clay is untreated.

9. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising from about 10 to 35 parts by weight of ground coal filler per 100 parts of said polymer.

10. A vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one or more polymers forming a mixture with said at least one polyolefinic polymer, wherein said one or more polymers forming said mixture are selected from the group consisting of polyolefins prepared from monomers containing at least 2 carbon atoms and have a crystallinity of at least about 2 percent by weight, and wherein said mixture is blended in relative proportions so that the overall crystallinity thereof does not exceed about 2 percent by weight.

11. A method for covering a roof comprising the steps of:
applying layers of vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material prepared from a mineral filled polymeric composition of matter to the roof being covered;
overlapping adjacent edges of said layers; and adhesively seaming said overlapped edges to form an acceptable seam, said composition of matter being devoid of flame retardant rubber chemical additives, heavy metals, oxidants and halogen-containing polymers and possessing improved adhesion performance and having improved peel adhesion to itself using an adhesive selected from the group consisting of neoprene-based bonding adhesives and butyl-based adhesives.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said mineral filled polymeric composition of matter comprises:
at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polyolefins prepared from monomers containing at least 2 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, said polymer having a crystallinity of up to about 2 percent by weight;
from about 20 to 125 parts by weight of one or more mineral fillers per 100 parts of said polymer;
about 50 to 110 parts by weight of one or more black-type fillers per 100 parts of said polymer; and from about 50 to 70 parts by weight of a processing material, per 100 parts of said polymer.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said non-black mineral filler isselected from the group consisting of hard clays, soft clays, chemically modified clays, mica, talc, alumina trihydrate, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, amorphous precipitated hydrated silica and mixtures thereof.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said polymer further comprises a diene monomer component.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein said polymer comprises EPDM.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said processing material is selected from the group consisting of paraffinic oils, naphthenic oils and waxes and mixtures thereof.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said mineral filler comprises about 65 parts by weight of a clay and said polymeric composition of matter includes about 60 parts by weight of processing oil.

18. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said clay is chemically modified.

19. A method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein said clay is untreated.

20. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said polymeric composition of matter further comprises from about 10 to 35 parts by weight of ground coal filler per 100 parts of said polymer.

21. A method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said mineral filled polymeric composition of matter further comprises at least one or more polymers forming a mixture with said at least one polymer, wherein said one or more polymers forming said mixture are selected from the group consisting of polyolefins prepared from monomers containing at least 2 carbon atoms and have a crystallinity of at least about 2 percent by weight and wherein said mixture is blended in relative proportions so that the overall crystallinity of said polymer mixture does not exceed about 2 percent by weight .