NIKE, Inc.
Method for molding an article from thermosetting elastomer compositions and article molded

Abstract:

An article is molded from first and second thermosetting elastomer compositions each comprising free-radically curable elastomer and free radical initiator but different from one another. The first thermosetting elastomer composition is molded to fill a first area of a mold cavity at a first temperature at which the first free radical initiator has a half-life.ltoreq.about 10 minutes or at which the first thermosetting elastomer composition has an increase in torque less than 10% of a total increase in torque at full cure. The second thermosetting elastomer composition is then inserted into the mold cavity, and the mold is heated to fully cure the article, for example a temperature at which each free radical initiator has a half-life.ltoreq.about 1 minute, with the second composition filling a second area of the mold cavity before or during heating and curing.