| abstract |
The present invention relates to a crosslinking agent for use in vulcanising a vulcanisable polysiloxane to form a silicone elastomer. The crosslinking agent comprises a silane in which at least one oxygen-bonded substituent is selected from functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C5-25 alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl; substituted or unsubstituted aryl; or substituted or unsubstituted acyl, in which the moiety bonded to the carboxyl group is a functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C4-25 alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl; or substituted or unsubstituted aryl. Silicone elastomers formed using such crosslinking agent(s) possess inherent lubricity. |