There are significant differences between the heat resistance and overall fluid resistance of fluoroelastomers and hydrocarbon elastomers. There are also significant cost differences between the two classes of elastomers. An elastomer approaching the performance characteristics of fluoroelastomers and the cost of hydrocarbon elastomers has long been desired. Previous attempts to meet this need by blending fluoroelastomers and hydrocarbon elastomers have met with limited success, since the two classes of elastomers are incompatible.
Tomoda et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,399, disclose a co-crosslinkable, peroxide-curable blend of iodine-containing fluoroelastomer and hydrocarbon elastomer. This reference teaches that conventional fluoroelastomers are crosslinkable with organic peroxides, but that practical use of them has not been made because of their inferior crosslinkability.
Sakai et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,293, disclose a rubber composition obtained by subjecting a mixture of fluoroelastomer, polyethylene or an ethylene copolymer, and organic peroxide to reaction while imparting shearing deformation to the mixture. This procedure is to crosslink the ethylenic resin but not the fluoroelastomer. To this end, the amount of peroxide used is no more than 5 phr. The rubber composition can subsequently be crosslinked by adding a crosslinking agent for the fluoroelastomer. It is taught that, when a crosslinking agent for the fluoroelastomer is compounded with a mere mixture of fluoroelastomer and ethylenic resin (which may contain filler and the like), it is impossible to obtain an extrudate of complex shape. There is no disclosure of simultaneous crosslinking of fluoroelastomer and elastomeric ethylenic resin with desirable results.