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Broad Applicability: processes applicable to not only normal rubbers and elastomers, but also thermoplastic elastomers and thermoplastic vulcanizates.
About
Technology Dr. Alan Lesser, et al., have developed processes to form interpenetrating competitive networks within an elastomer or rubber to obtain improved/desired material properties including mechanical, thermal, physical, thermomechanical and dynamic mechanical properties. These processes involve deforming an elastomer or rubber and crosslinking the elastomer or rubber in one, two (as reported in the prior art ) or more stages to produce materials having a number of fundamentally different properties including stiffness behavior, fatigue life, and thermal properties. These processes provide a number of advantages over the prior art. This process can be used on any elastomer or rubber where better fatigue life, lower coefficient of thermal expansion, or materials with staged stiffness are important. Useful in automotive applications such as tires, controlled seals, EPDM coating products, high performance clothing, and diapers.