The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company

Richard Gutierrez

Edward L Kay

Adel Farhan Halasa

David J Serbin

Walter R Hausch

Wendall R Conard

A process for achieving a high yield of rubber and/or resin from rubber containing plants such as guayule plants by crushing the plants, forming a slurry with a solvent and fine grinding said slurry with a high shear mixer. The time required by the process is very short in comparison with prior art techniques.

Fine grinding guayule shrub-solvent slurry

A process for extracting rubber and/or resin from rubber containing plants such as guayule utilizing a monophase mixture of an organic polar solvent and a hydrocarbon solvent.

Extraction of rubber and/or resin from rubber containing plants with a

Synthetic rubber is thermooxidatively stabilized with guayule resin. The guayule resin imparts favorable stabilization as evidenced by minimum bulk viscosity changes and minimum gel formation, especially with styrene-butadiene synthetic elastomers prepared by emulsion or hydrocarbon solvent techniques.

Synthetic rubber with guayule resin stabilization

Combinations of para-phenylene diamines and para di(nitroso) arenes act synergistically in guayule rubber-based compositions to protect them against oxidative degradation. A typically useful diamine is N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-phenyl-p-phenylene diamine and a useful arene is para-di(nitroso)benzene. Vulcanizable compositions, as well as articles made therefrom, are within the scope of the invention.

Synergistic additive combination for guayule rubber stabilization

Elastomers such as guayule rubber is stabilized by the addition of an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkyl substituted cycloalkyl phenyl-phenylenediamine compound with an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkyl substituted cycloalkyl phosphite compound which, in combination, yield an unexpectant and synergistic result.

Stabilization of elastomers with aliphatic-phenyl diamines and aliphatic

Tackifying agents for rubber comprising at least one chemically or physically treated guayule resin fraction are disclosed. Physical treatments include vacuum deoiling, steam stripping deoiling, hexane deoiling, while chemical treatments include formaldehyde reaction, phenol/formaldehyde reaction, urea formaldehyde reaction, acid reaction and sulphur reaction. Untreated guayule resin fractions can also be used. Vulcanized and unvulcanized rubber compositions containing guayule resin derived tackifying agents as well as articles made therefrom are also disclosed.

Rubber additives derived from guayule resins and compositions containing

A method of storing guayule and guayule-like plant material prior to processing which comprises mixing the material in communited form with at least one essentially water-free organic liquid to form a slurry in which the material is protected from contact with oxygen and storing said slurry for at least about 24 hours is disclosed. Preferably, the organic liquid is an alcohol, ether, ester, ketone, or hydrocarbon and optionally the slurry also contains an oxidation stabilizer.

Methods for storage of guayule plant material

Rubber, hydrocarbons, i.e., resins, and other useful by-products are extracted from shrubs such as guayule and guayule-like shrubs by a procedure wherein the shrub, after being comminuted, is processed in an aqueous and/or a non-aqueous system. An optional water treatment step can be used to remove water solubles and/or facilitate processing and achieve increased yield of desired by-products.

Process for extracting rubber and by-products from guayule and

Rubber, hydrocarbons, i.e., resins, and other useful by-products are extracted, recovered and isolated from shrubs such as guayule and guayule-like shrubs by a procedure wherein the entire non-defoliated shrub, after being comminuted, is processed in an aqueous and/or a non-aqueous system. An optional water treatment step can be used to remove water solubles and/or facilitate processing and achieve increased yield of desired by-products.

Guayule plant material can be stored in an aqueous system comprising (a) communited guayule plant material; (b) water and (c) an odor inhibitor. Typical inhibitors include protanic acids, acid salts, metal oxides and metal hydroxides. These storage systems permit efficient operation of guayule processing facilities while minimizing odors often developed in stored plant material.

Aqueous storage systems for storage of ground guayule plant material

A method of storing guayule and guayule-like plant material prior to processing which comprises mixing the material in communited form with at least one essentially water-free organic liquid to form a slurry in which the material is protected from contact with oxygen and storing said slurry for at least about 24 hours is discosed. Preferably, the organic liquid is an alcohol, ether, ester, ketone, or hydrocarbon and optionally the slurry also contains an oxidation stabilizer.

This invention relates to methods of processing guayule plant material. More particularly, it relates to processing methods, including volatilization and heating steps, by which resinous material, extracts and resins from guayule plants are converted and recovered.

Processing of guayule material by volatilizing and heating steps

Conjugated dienes and alpha-olefins, such as butadiene and propylene, are copolymerized by a new catalyst system which gives copolymers containing a high proportion of the alpha-olefin with accompanying desired properties. This catalyst system comprises: (1) A titanium or vanadium halide, preferably chloride, (2) an aluminum hydrocarbon compound which also has Cl, Br or H attached to the Al atom and preferably the hydrocarbon group or groups are alkyl groups which have 1-8 carbon atoms in each of said alkyl groups and (3) CS.sub.2. The copolymers produced by this process have molecular weights in the range of 100,000-5,000,000; referably 250,000-500,000, and other desirable properties.

Process for polymerizing conjugated dienes

Ethylene is grafted onto polymers of conjugated dienes to form copolymers having both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties. This grafting is effected by a catalyst system comprising (1) a titanium or vanadium halide, (2) an aluminum trihydrocarbon and (3) a carbonyl compound such as acetophenone. The resultant graft copolymer has elastomeric properties due to the diene polymer backbone and thermoplastic properties from the grafted polymeric ethylene blocks.

Process for grafting ethylene onto diene polymers

Conjugated dienes and alpha-olefins, such as butadiene and propylene, are copolymerized by a new catalyst system which gives copolymers containing a high proportion of the alpha-olefin with accompanying desired properties. This catalyst system comprises: (1) A titanium or vanadium halide, preferably chloride, (2) an aluminum hydrocarbon compound, preferably an aluminum trialkyl having 1-8 carbon atoms in each of said alkyl groups and (3) CS.sub.2. The copolymers produced by this process have molecular weights in the range of 100,000-5,000,000, preferably 250,000-500,000, and other desirable properties.

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Canal Fulton, OH, United States of America

Richard Gutierrez