Bridgestone/firestone, Inc.

William F Barham

James A Davis

Brian S Alexander

Edward G Kane

William Albert Wasitis

A premolded EPDM pipe flashing composition comprises 100 parts by weight of an elastomeric polymer comprising from about 70 to 95 parts by weight of at least one amorphous ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer and from 5 to about 30 parts by weight of at least one crystalline or semi-crystalline ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer; from about 35 to 175 parts by weight of a filler selected from the group consisting of reinforcing and non-reinforcing materials and mixtures thereof, per 100 parts of the polymer; from about 30 to 110 parts by weight of a processing material and mixtures thereof, per 100 parts of the polymer; and from about 0.6 to 7.5 parts by weight of a cure package, per 100 parts of the polymer, the cure package comprising from about 0.1 to 1.5 parts by weight sulfur and from 0.5 to 6 parts by weight of at least one sulfur vulcanizing accelerator. The premolded EPDM pipe flashing composition provides dimensional stability substantially equivalent to conventional black EPDM roofing membranes and meets the weathering, UV and heat aging resistance requirements as well as the viscosity, low temperature flexibility, and cured physical properties desired of commercial EPDM pipe flashing compositions.

Premolded pipe flashing compositions

Vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet materials for roofing having improved burn resistivity and prepared from a polymeric composition of matter comprise 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 by weight; about 20 to 125 parts by weight of one or more non-black 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 of a processing material or softener per 100 parts of the polymer. A method of covering a roof comprises the steps of applying sheets of vulcanizable elastomeric roof sheet material prepared from a vulcanizable polymeric composition of matter, to the roof being covered; overlapping adjacent edges of the roof sheet material; and adhesively seaming the overlapped layers of the roof sheet material together to form a continuous elastomeric roofing membrane. The composition of matter is devoid of any flame retardant rubber chemical additives, heavy metals and halogen-containing polymers and possess improved burn resistivity.

EPDM roofing membrane with improved burn resistivity

EPM and/or EPDM compositions exhibiting superior green strength as compared to conventional EPM/EPDM compositions are attained by adding, along with the rubber curing agents and various conventional additives as desired, colemanite and/or alumina trihydrate. Colemanite, alumina trihydrate or a mixture of the two have unexpectedly been found to enhance the green strength of EPM/EPDM compositions prior to vulcanization. The green strength promoters of this invention utilized in EPM/EPDM rubber compositions allows for faster mixing (shorter mixing cycles) and improved processing rates, such as faster calender throughput rates, to be achieved.

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Hope, AR, United States of America

William F Barham