Copolymer, rubber composition, cross-linked rubber, cross-linked foam, and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a rubber composition having adequate foamability, uses thereof, a copolymer contained in the rubber composition, a rubber composition capable of providing a cross-linked foam, which has a low specific gravity and an excellent shape-retaining property even when the usage of a nonconjugated polyene is reduced, and a cross-linked rubber and a cross-linked foam, which are produced from the rubber composition. A copolymer (A) according to the present invention is a copolymer including structural units derived from ethylene [A], an α-olefin [B], a nonconjugated polyene [C-1], in which one carbon-carbon double bond (C═C) polymerizable with a metallocene catalyst is present in one molecule, and a nonconjugated polyene [C-2], in which two bonds of C═C polymerizable with the metallocene catalyst are present in one molecule, and being synthesized with the metallocene catalyst, wherein (1) the units derived from the component [B] constitute 10 to 50 percent by mole, (2) the total of the units derived from the component [C-1] and the units derived from the component [C-2] is 1.0 to 6.0 percent by mole, (3) the molar ratio of the units derived from the component [C-1] to the units derived from the component [C-2] is 75/25 to 99.5/0.5, (4) [ML (1+4) 100° C.] is 10 to 200, and (5) 50>activation energy of fluidization (kJ/mol)>35 is satisfied.