| abstract |
A method for controlling any increase in Mooney viscosity during aging of siloxane-functionalized polymers includes the step of adding a viscosity stabilizing effective amount of a viscosity stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of alkyl alkoxysilanes of the structural formulawherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of C1 to C20 alkyl, C4 to C10 cycloalkyl, or C5 to C20 aromatic groups, wherein R2 may be the same as or different from R1 and is selected from the group consisting of C1 to C20 alkyl, C4 to C10 cycloalkyl, or C5 to C20 aromatic groups, and wherein n is an integer from 1 to 3. The method provides for the stabilization of Mooney viscosity of siloxane-functionalized polymers at any given level upon aging. The viscosity stabilizing agents react with the siloxane-functionalized polymers during hydrolysis of the siloxane end groups to form moisture stabilized polymers. |