Compression-resistant weather-resistant TPE floating cable foaming material and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a compression-resistant weather-resistant TPE floating cable foaming material and a preparation method thereof. The material is prepared from the following raw materials in parts by weight through a closed foaming process; the thermoplastic elastomer comprises the following components in parts by weight: 100 parts of TPE, 17-28 parts of hydrophobic filler, 26-42 parts of polystyrene derivative, 2.5-5.5 parts of compatilizer, 1-5 parts of processing aid and 3.5-5 parts of foaming agent. The hydrophobic filling material is prepared from a cage type polysilsesquioxane and octa-epoxy group nano silicon dioxide dispersion body and hydrophobic hollow glass beads; the polystyrene derivative is composed of at least two of a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene-poly (hepta-isobutyl cage type polysilsesquioxane propyl methacrylate) and polystyrene-poly (4-[N, N-bis (trimethylsilyl)]-aminomethyl), and the styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, the polystyrene-poly (hepta-isobutyl cage type polysilsesquioxane propyl methacrylate) and the polystyrene-poly (4-[N, N-bis (trimethylsilyl)-aminomethyl) are at least one selected from and one of the block copolymers is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer. The TPE floating cable foaming material disclosed by the invention has relatively good physical properties, weather resistance, durability and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of thermoplastic elastomer foam materials, and more specifically, to a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] The field of thermoplastic elastomer foam materials has seen significant progress in recent years. With their unique properties, these materials have demonstrated significant application value across numerous industries. The demand for materials with specific properties is becoming increasingly urgent for cables used in both surface and underwater equipment. With the continuous advancements in fields such as floating solar power, underwater robots, pool robots, and offshore machinery, the performance of the corresponding cable materials directly impacts the operational stability and service life of these devices. High-performance cable materials are becoming a key factor in driving further development in these industries.

[0003] In the past, to meet the requirements of both surface and underwater cable applications, the industry typically relied on traditional materials and processes. For example, conventional thermoplastic elastomers were used, but these materials often required additional processing to withstand complex operating environments. Some added conventional fillers to improve certain properties, such as weight or strength, while others simply modified the material to enhance its water resistance. Furthermore, conventional extrusion processes were often used to form components such as the cable outer sheath. However, while these conventional methods could address some issues to a certain extent, they struggled to meet the increasingly stringent demands of practical use.

[0004] Existing conventional materials and processes have significant drawbacks. The materials currently used have low tolerance to environmental factors such as seawater, water, and sunlight. This is particularly true when exposed to high-pressure deep-water environments for extended periods, where they are prone to breakage and water seepage. Furthermore, the cables experience significant surface wear during prolonged use, significantly impacting their lifespan and safety. They are unable to effectively withstand the complex and demanding environments of both above and below the surface. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to overcome the above technical problems and provide a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material and preparation method. In a first aspect, the present application provides a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material, which is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight and is obtained through a closed-cell foaming process; TPE 100 parts 17-28 parts hydrophobic filler 26-42 parts of polystyrene derivatives Compatibilizer 2.5-5.5 parts 1-5 parts of processing aid 3.5-5 parts of foaming agent; The hydrophobic filler is composed of a cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres; the polystyrene derivative is composed of at least two of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene·poly(heptaisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxane propyl·methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl), and one of them is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer.

[0006] By adopting the above technical solution, the caged polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion in the hydrophobic filler can improve salt corrosion resistance and weather resistance, and the hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres can reduce material density, increase buoyancy, avoid water seepage and reduce moisture adsorption. The two synergistically form a double water barrier, reduce water absorption and optimize the pore structure; the styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer in the polystyrene derivative provides elasticity-rigidity balance, natural weather resistance and hydrolysis resistance, polystyrene·poly(heptadiisobutyl caged polysilsesquioxane propyl·methacrylate) enhances UV resistance, and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bis(2-(4-[N,N-bis(2-(4-[N,N-bis(2-(4-[N,N-bis(2-(4-[N,N-bis(2-(4-[N,N-bis(2-(4-[N,N-bis(2-(4-[N,N-bis(2- [trimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) reduces surface energy and improves compressive resilience. The three work together to achieve three-level weathering protection and multi-scale enhancement, improving the material's compressive resistance and resistance to environmental aging; the compatibilizer promotes interface bonding; the foaming agent controls the uniformity of the foam cells; the processing aid can optimize processing fluidity and inhibit long-term hydrolysis; the overall durability of salt resistance, weather resistance (UV resistance), and hydrolysis resistance is achieved, ensuring the lightweight and high-strength characteristics of buoyancy and compressive resistance, and the processing-friendly characteristics adapted to extrusion / injection molding, so that the material has low water absorption, high weather resistance and strong compressive resistance, adapting to harsh environments above / underwater, and improving the durability and operational stability of equipment such as cables.

[0007] Preferably, the hydrophobic filler is composed of a cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres in a weight ratio of 1:(2-5).

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, a hydrophobic filler composed of a cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres in a specific weight ratio is combined with TPE, a specific polystyrene derivative, a compatibilizer, a processing aid and a foaming agent through a closed-cell foaming process. The material has low water absorption because the two work together to form a double water barrier; it has high weather resistance, and the Si-O skeleton of POSS-SiO2 reflects ultraviolet rays to enhance weather resistance; it has strong pressure resistance, and HGMB reduces material density and increases buoyancy with its lightweight and high-strength characteristics, and the two optimize the pore structure through stress dispersion to reduce water seepage channels; at the same time, the material achieves good mechanical properties and foaming quality, and has good deep-sea pressure resistance and environmental durability.

[0009] Preferably, the polystyrene derivative is composed of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene·poly(heptisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxane propyl·methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) in a weight ratio of 10:(1.5-2.8):(1.2-1.5).

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, polystyrene derivatives composed of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene-poly(heptamidobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxane propyl methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) are used in a specific weight ratio. These can play a synergistic role and further improve the comprehensive performance of the TPE floating cable foam material, so that the material's deep-sea pressure resistance grade can reach S level (closed-cell rate attenuation rate ≤ 0.5%), and the elongation at break retention rate is above 95%. In addition, the material can be combined with hydrophobic fillers, compatibilizers, processing aids, foaming agents and TPE to achieve low water absorption, high weather resistance and strong pressure resistance, making it suitable for harsh above-water and underwater environments, and improving the durability and operational stability of cables and other equipment.

[0011] Preferably, the compatibilizer is a mixture of maleic rosin, EMA-g-GMA, stearic acid grafted SEBS, and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax.

[0012] By adopting the above-mentioned technical solution and using a variety of mixtures as compatibilizers, the interfacial bonding between the various components of the material can be promoted and chemical bonds can be formed. In combination with other raw materials, a closed-cell foaming process is used to produce a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material. This allows the elastomer to have triple durability, achieving salt resistance, weather resistance, and hydrolysis resistance. At the same time, it has the characteristics of lightness and high strength, ensuring buoyancy and pressure resistance. It is also suitable for extrusion / injection molding to meet the needs of complex cable structures.

[0013] Preferably, the compatibilizer consists of maleic rosin, EMA-g-GMA, stearic acid grafted SEBS, and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material is made from specific weight parts of TPE, hydrophobic filler, polystyrene derivative, compatibilizer, processing aid and foaming agent through a closed-cell foaming process, wherein the hydrophobic filler is composed of cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nanosilica dispersion and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres, which synergistically form a double water-blocking barrier, reduce water absorption and optimize the pore structure; the polystyrene derivative is composed of at least two types such as styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, achieving three-level weathering protection and multi-scale enhancement; when the compatibilizer is composed of maleic rosin, EMA-g-GMA, stearic acid grafted SEBS, and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax, these substances work together to make the material have low water absorption, high weather resistance, strong pressure resistance and good foaming quality, meet various qualified standards for mechanical properties, and can be used for above-water / underwater cables, significantly improving the durability and operational stability of cables and other equipment.

[0015] Preferably, the TPE is a combination of TPEE, TPAE, TPSIV and TPU.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, using various TPE components from TPEE, TPAE, TPSIV, and TPU, and using a closed-cell foaming process, combined with specific weight proportions of hydrophobic fillers, polystyrene derivatives, compatibilizers, processing aids, and foaming agents, the resulting compressive and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material exhibits low water absorption, high weather resistance, and strong pressure resistance. It is perfectly suited to the harsh environments above and below water, significantly improving the durability and operational stability of cables and other equipment. This combination leverages the unique characteristics of different TPE materials, further optimizing the performance of the elastomer.

[0017] Preferably, the processing aid is a mixture of multiple types of nano silver, PE wax, anti-UV agent, and antioxidant.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, a variety of mixtures of nanosilver, PE wax, anti-UV agent, and antioxidant are used as processing aids, and TPE, hydrophobic fillers, polystyrene derivatives, compatibilizers, and foaming agents are combined through a closed-cell foaming process to prepare a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material. Nanosilver can inhibit the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms, PE wax can optimize the processing fluidity of the material, the anti-UV agent can enhance the material's ultraviolet resistance, and the antioxidant can inhibit the material's long-term hydrolysis. As a result, the thermoplastic elastomer has good antibacterial, processing, UV resistance, and hydrolysis resistance, thereby improving the overall performance of the material and meeting the qualified standards of tests such as mechanical properties, foaming quality, deep-sea high pressure, and environmental durability. It is suitable for various application scenarios such as floating solar cables on water and underwater robot cables.

[0019] In a second aspect, a method for preparing a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material is provided, which is prepared by the following method: melt blending: weighing a hydrophobic filler, a polystyrene derivative, a compatibilizer, TPE, and a processing aid in parts by weight, pre-mixing them uniformly, heating them until melt blended, cooling them, adding a foaming agent, mixing them uniformly, and extruding and granulating them to obtain a masterbatch A; The masterbatch A is physically foamed to obtain a TPE floating cable foam material for cable sheath or buoyancy block.

[0020] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, this preparation method produces a compressive and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material with triple durability: salt, weather, and hydrolysis resistance. It is lightweight and high-strength, ensuring both buoyancy and compressive resistance. It is also process-friendly, suitable for extrusion and injection molding, and can meet the requirements of complex cable structures. Furthermore, the hydrophobic filler, polystyrene derivative, compatibilizer, TPE, processing aid, and foaming agent are fully mixed and reacted, leveraging the synergistic effects of the ingredients, ensuring that the resulting TPE floating cable foam material meets qualified standards for mechanical properties and foaming quality.

[0021] Preferably, the foaming agent is foaming agent H.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, hydrophobic filler, polystyrene derivative, compatibilizer, TPE, and processing aid are weighed by weight and pre-mixed uniformly, heated to melt and blended uniformly, and after cooling, foaming agent H is added and continued to mix uniformly, and extruded into granules to obtain masterbatch A. In the process of physical foaming of masterbatch A, foaming agent H plays a foaming role. In combination with TPE, hydrophobic filler, polystyrene derivative, compatibilizer and processing aid, a closed-cell foaming process is obtained to obtain a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material. This elastomer has triple durability, achieving salt resistance, weather resistance, and hydrolysis resistance, and is lightweight and high-strength. It reduces density while increasing strength to ensure buoyancy and pressure resistance. It also has good process-friendliness and is suitable for extrusion / injection molding to meet the requirements of complex cable structures.

[0023] Preferably, the foaming temperature is 198-208° C., the foaming pressure is 40-50 MPa, and the foaming time is 5-10 min.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, a hydrophobic filler, a polystyrene derivative, a compatibilizer, TPE, and a processing aid are weighed according to specific weight parts, pre-mixed and uniformly mixed, heated to melt and blended uniformly, and after cooling, a foaming agent is added and mixed uniformly, and extruded into granules to obtain a masterbatch A. The masterbatch A is foamed at a foaming temperature of 198-208°C and a foaming pressure of 40-50 MPa for 5-10 minutes, so that the raw materials can fully react and foam, thereby obtaining a TPE floating cable foam material for cable sheaths or buoyancy blocks that meets mechanical property test standards (compression strength>2MPa, compression permanent set<25%, tensile strength>10MPa, elongation at break>400%, mass loss<50mg) and foaming quality standards (cell size 10-30μm), so that the foam material has good compressive resistance, tensile properties and wear resistance. At the same time, the closed cell rate attenuation rate is low in deep-sea high-pressure tests, and the foam material has resistance to UV aging and high temperature and high salt aging.

[0025] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. The caged polysilsesquioxane octaepoxy nano-silica and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres in the hydrophobic filler synergistically form a double water barrier, reducing water absorption, reducing water seepage channels, improving the material's salt corrosion resistance and weather resistance, reducing material density, and increasing buoyancy; 2. Polystyrene derivatives, including styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene-poly(heptadiisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxanepropyl methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl), synergistically achieve three-level weathering protection and multi-scale reinforcement, improving the material's compressive resistance and resistance to environmental aging. 3. Compatibilizers promote interfacial bonding to form chemical bonds, foaming agents control cell uniformity, lubricants optimize processing fluidity, and anti-hydrolysis agents inhibit long-term hydrolysis, thereby improving the overall performance of the material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The present application is further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments.

[0027] Some raw material sources The hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres are hollow glass microspheres surface-modified with 1,3-bis(3-methacryloxypropyl)tetrakis(trimethylsiloxy)disiloxane, wherein the weight ratio of 1,3-bis(3-methacryloxypropyl)tetrakis(trimethylsiloxy)disiloxane to the hollow glass microspheres is 10:0.3; The molecular weight structure of cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nanosilica dispersion is as follows: The molecular structure of polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) is as follows, wherein n is 100-500; m is 20-50; Molecular formula of polystyrene·poly(heptamidobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxanepropyl·methacrylate): Molecular formula: [C8H8] n [C4H5O2-(CH2)3-Si8O 12 (C4H9)7] m , wherein n is 100-500; m is 10-30; The number average molecular weight of the styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer is 90,000-100,000; The maleic rosin is ML-103 Haizhuo Chemical; EMA-g-GMA (poly(ethylene methyl acrylate)-graft-glycidyl methacrylate): DuPont Elvaloy PTW; The manufacturer's model of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax is Mitsui Chemicals HI-WAX 1105A; TPEE uses injection molding grade HytreI American DuPont G3548 low temperature resistant TPEE, with a Shore hardness of 24D±2D; TPAE uses Arkema's 3533SP01 brand; TPSIV uses Dow Corning 3040-70A; TPU uses BASF 560APTSG; Nanosilver, model RS-LZY from Fujian Ruisen New Materials Co., Ltd.; The number average molecular weight of PE wax is 1500-3500; The anti-UV agent is 234 ultraviolet absorber; The antioxidant is antioxidant 1076. Example

[0028] Example 1 A pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material is prepared by the following method: The hydrophobic filler is composed of a cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres in a weight ratio of 1:2; The polystyrene derivative is obtained by uniformly mixing styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer and polystyrene·poly(heptadiisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxane propyl·methacrylate) in a weight ratio of 11:3.

[0029] The compatibilizer consists of maleic rosin, EMA-g-GMA and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax in a weight ratio of 3:1:1.

[0030] TPE is composed of TPEE, TPAE, TPSIV, and TPU in a weight ratio of 5:1:1:3.

[0031] The processing aid consists of nano silver, PE wax, anti-UV agent and antioxidant in a weight ratio of 3:1:1:1.

[0032] Melt blending: According to parts by weight, 28 parts of hydrophobic filler, 26 parts of polystyrene derivative, 5.5 parts of compatibilizer, 100 parts of TPE, and 1 part of processing aid were weighed and pre-mixed uniformly. The mixture was then heated to 230°C at 10°C / min to melt all the materials and mix thoroughly. The mixture was then cooled to 150°C, and 3.5 parts of foaming agent H were added and mixed thoroughly. The mixture was then transferred to an extruder, extruded, and water-cooled in a water-cooling device. The mixture was then granulated in a granulator. The granules were dried in an oven at 50°C for 2 hours to obtain masterbatch A. The masterbatch A was physically foamed at a foaming temperature of 200° C., a foaming pressure of 50 MPa, and a foaming time of 5 min to obtain a TPE floating cable foam material for cable sheaths or buoyancy blocks.

[0033] Example 2-3 The difference between Example 2-3 and Example 1 is that the amounts of raw materials used are different, as shown in Table 1; Table 1 Amount of raw materials used in Examples 1-3 (parts by weight) Example 4 The difference between Example 4 and Example 2 is that the polystyrene derivative is composed of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) in a weight ratio of 11:3.

[0034] Example 5 The difference between Example 5 and Example 2 is that the polystyrene derivative is composed of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene·poly(heptadiisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxanepropyl·methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) in a weight ratio of 10:1.5:1.5.

[0035] Example 6 The difference between Example 6 and Example 2 is that the polystyrene derivative is composed of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene·poly(heptadiisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxanepropyl·methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) in a weight ratio of 10:2.3:1.4.

[0036] Example 7 The difference between Example 7 and Example 2 is that the polystyrene derivative is composed of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene·poly(heptisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxanepropyl·methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) in a weight ratio of 10:2.8:1.2.

[0037] Example 8 The difference between Example 8 and Example 2 is that the compatibilizer consists of maleic rosin and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax in a weight ratio of 1:1.

[0038] Example 9 The difference between Example 9 and Example 2 is that the compatibilizer is maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax.

[0039] Comparative Example Comparative Example 1 The difference between Comparative Example 1 and Example 2 is that the polystyrene derivative is replaced by TPE in equal amounts.

[0040] Comparative Example 2 The difference between Comparative Example 2 and Example 2 is that the hydrophobic filler is replaced by talcum powder in equal amount.

[0041] Comparative Example 3 The difference between Comparative Example 3 and Example 2 is that the cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion is replaced by an equal amount of hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres.

[0042] Comparative Example 4 The difference between Comparative Example 4 and Example 2 is that the hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres are replaced by an equal amount of cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion.

[0043] Comparative Example 5 The difference between Comparative Example 5 and Example 2 is that polystyrene·poly(heptamidobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxanepropyl·methacrylate) is replaced by styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer in equal amounts.

[0044] Performance testing The masterbatch A obtained in Examples 1-9 and Comparative Examples 1-5 was subjected to physical foaming at a foaming temperature of 200° C., a foaming pressure of 50 MPa, and a foaming time of 5 min to obtain corresponding samples for the following experiments.

[0045] Detection method / test method 1. Mechanical properties test (1) Test methods: ASTM D1621 (compression strength) and ASTM D624 (compression set).

[0046] Qualification criteria: Compression strength> 2MPa (underwater cable support requirement), compression permanent deformation< 25% (test conditions 150℃ / 22h), marked as qualified, otherwise unqualified.

[0047] (2) Tensile properties Test method: Refer to ASTM D412 to test tensile strength and elongation at break.

[0048] Qualification criteria: tensile strength>10MPa, elongation at break>400%, ensuring dynamic bending tolerance, is qualified, otherwise unqualified.

[0049] (3) Wear resistance test method: Taber abrasion test (CS-17 wheel, 1000 times), rotation speed: 72 rpm, load: 1000 g.

[0050] The mass before and after the wear test is measured, and the mass loss is calculated. If the mass loss is less than 50 mg, it is qualified. The cables produced by the TPE floating cable foam material of this standard are suitable for frequent friction scenarios (such as underwater robot cables). When the mass loss is ≥50 mg, it is considered unqualified.

[0051] If any of (1)-(3) fails to meet the requirements, it will be recorded as unqualified mechanical performance.

[0052] 2. Foaming quality Test method: Observe the cell size and distribution under an optical microscope at a magnification of 500.

[0053] Index requirements: Cell size 10-30μm is qualified, and those exceeding this range are unqualified.

[0054] 3. Deep-sea high-pressure test method: Autoclave simulates water depth (1MPa=100m). The index requirements are: sodium chloride concentration of 5wt% in water, temperature of 4°C, complete immersion time of 7 days, water pressure of 20MPa (equivalent depth of 2000m). After removal, air-dry to express moisture, and analyze using SEM+ image analysis, where the acceleration voltage is 5kV and the resolution is 1nm. The obtained porosity is compared with the porosity before deep-sea testing, and the closed porosity decay rate is calculated (equal to the porosity before deep-sea testing minus the porosity after deep-sea testing). When the closed porosity decay rate ≤ 0.5%, it is recorded as S grade; when 0.5% < closed porosity decay rate ≤ 1.0%, it is recorded as A grade; when 1% < closed porosity decay rate ≤ 1.5%, it is recorded as B grade; when 1.5% < closed porosity decay rate ≤ 2.0%, it is recorded as C grade; when the closed porosity decay rate > 2%, it is recorded as D grade.

[0055] 1. Environmental durability test UV aging resistance: The test was carried out in a UV aging test chamber, and the UV test conditions were: 8 hours per cycle, for a total of 100 cycles.

[0056] The test was performed under ultraviolet irradiation for 4 hours (lamp UVA-340nm, power of 0.63W / (m2·nm) and temperature of 85°C) and humidity for 4 hours (temperature of 85°C, ambient humidity of 85%). Each cycle was repeated until the test was completed.

[0057] High temperature and high salt aging: The test was conducted in a salt spray chamber under the conditions of 70°C / 95% RH for 1000 h; the salt water content was 10 wt%.

[0058] The above experimental data are shown in Table 2. Table 2 Experimental data of Examples 1-9 and Comparative Examples 1-5 Combining Example 2 and Comparative Examples 1-5 and Table 2, it can be seen that Comparative Examples 1-5 all have unqualified physical properties, and the deep-sea pressure resistance grades are C and D, while Example 2 reaches A, indicating that the closed porosity attenuation rate of Example 2 is less and the deep-sea pressure resistance performance is better. At the same time, the elongation at break retention rates of Comparative Examples 1-5 are lower than that of Example 2, indicating that the sample of Example 2 has both UV aging resistance and high temperature and high salt aging resistance. As can be seen, the technical solutions of the present application are changed in Comparative Examples 1-5, such as Comparative Example 1 not adding a polystyrene derivative, Comparative Example 2 not adding a hydrophobic filler, Comparative Example 3 replacing the hydrophobic filler with talcum powder, or Comparative Examples 3-4 only adding a cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion or hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres, and Comparative Example 5 not adding polystyrene·poly(heptaisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxane propyl·methacrylate), etc., which leads to unqualified physical properties (one of the physical property tests is not within the qualified range, such as failing to meet the basic standards of compressive strength>2MPa, compression permanent deformation<25%, mass loss<50mg, tensile strength>10MPa, and elongation at break>400%). It is further explained that the present application uses a hydrophobic filler and a polystyrene derivative to blend and modify TPE, and then combines a compatibilizer and a processing aid to obtain better performance, and the foaming agent plays a foaming role. In addition, the hydrophobic filler is composed of a cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres; it plays a synergistic role. The polystyrene derivative is composed of at least two of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene·poly(heptaisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxane propyl·methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl), and one of them is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer. Combined with the hydrophobic filler, the TPE floating cable foam material obtains better comprehensive performance.

[0059] Comparing Example 2 with Examples 5-7, it can be seen that the deep-sea pressure resistance grade of Examples 5-7 is as high as S grade (closed cell rate attenuation rate ≦ 0.5%), and the elongation at break retention rate (%) is all above 95%, even as high as 97.5%, while that of Example 2 is all below 94%, even as low as 92.5%. Therefore, it can be seen that the present application uses styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene·poly(heptadiisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxypropyl·methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) to play a synergistic role, further improving the TPE floating cable foam material to achieve better comprehensive performance.

[0060] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of the present application and is not a limitation of the present application. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art may make non-creative modifications to the present embodiment as needed, but as long as they are within the scope of the claims of the present application, they are protected by the patent law.

Claims

1. A pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material, characterized in that: It is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight and is obtained through a closed-cell foaming process; TPE 100 parts 17-28 parts hydrophobic filler 26-42 parts of polystyrene derivatives Compatibilizer 2.5-5.5 parts 1-5 parts of processing aid 3.5-5 parts of foaming agent; The hydrophobic filler is composed of a cage-type polysilsesquioxane·octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres; the polystyrene derivative is composed of at least two of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene·poly(heptaisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxane propyl·methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl), and one of them is a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer.

2. The pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hydrophobic filler is composed of cage-type polysilsesquioxane-octaepoxy nano-silica dispersion and hydrophobic hollow glass microspheres in a weight ratio of 1:(2-5).

3. The pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The polystyrene derivative is composed of a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, polystyrene-poly(heptaisobutyl cage-type polysilsesquioxane propyl methacrylate), and polystyrene-poly(4-[N,N-bistrimethylsilyl]-aminomethyl) in a weight ratio of 10:(1.5-2.8):(1.2-1.5).

4. The pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The compatibilizer is a mixture of maleic rosin, EMA-g-GMA, stearic acid grafted SEBS, and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax.

5. The pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to claim 4, characterized in that: The compatibilizer consists of maleic rosin, EMA-g-GMA, stearic acid grafted SEBS and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene wax.

6. The pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The TPE is a variety of compositions selected from TPEE, TPAE, TPSIV and TPU.

7. The pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processing aid is a mixture of multiple types of nano silver, PE wax, anti-UV agent and antioxidant.

8. A method for preparing the pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: Prepared by the following method: Melt blending: Weigh the hydrophobic filler, polystyrene derivative, compatibilizer, TPE, and processing aid in parts by weight, pre-mix them evenly, heat until melt blended evenly, cool, add the foaming agent, mix evenly, and extrude into granules to obtain masterbatch A; The masterbatch A is physically foamed to obtain a TPE floating cable foam material for cable sheath or buoyancy block.

9. The method for preparing a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foaming agent is foaming agent H.

10. The method for preparing a pressure-resistant and weather-resistant TPE floating cable foam material according to claim 8, characterized in that: The foaming temperature is 198-208° C., the foaming pressure is 40-50 MPa, and the foaming time is 5-10 min.

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