| abstract |
A process for crosslinking comprising the following steps: n (a) admixing, in a processing zone, a copolymer containing at least one hydrolyzable silane moiety; a dihydrocarbyltin oxide; and n (i) a carboxylic acid; n (ii) a compound bearing at least one carboxylate moiety, which is capable of forming a carboxylic acid when subjected to heat and/or moisture; or n (iii) mixtures thereof, with the proviso that: n (A) in the event that component (ii) is present, the conditions in the processing zone are such that the carboxylate moiety forms a carboxylic acid; n (B) the residence time of the mixture in the processing zone is sufficient to at least partially complete the processing of the copolymer, but of sufficient brevity to substantially avoid a reaction of the carboxylic acid with the dihydrocarbyltin oxide; and n (b) passing the mixture from step (a) into a crosslinking zone under such reaction conditions that the carboxylic acid reacts with the dihydrocarbyltin oxide to form dihydrocarbyltin carboxylate, said crosslinking zone having a moisture content sufficient to crosslink the hydrolyzable copolymer in the presence of the dihydrocarbyltin carboxylate. |