THERMOPLASTIC VULCANIZATE COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING METALLOCENE MULTIMODAL COPOLYMER RUBBER AND PROCESSES FOR MAKING SAME

Thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) compositions containing metallocene-based multimodal copolymer rubber and processes for making same. A TPV composition can include: (a) a multimodal copolymer rubber containing ethylene derived units, greater than 50 wt % and less than 100 wt % of a major polymer fraction having a Mooney viscosity of about 15 ML(1+4@125° C. to about 120 ML(1+4@125° C.), greater than 0 wt % and less than 50 wt % of a minor polymer fraction having a Mooney viscosity of about 120 ML(1+4@125° C.) to about 1,500 ML(1+4@125° C.), an average molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of about 2.0 to about 4.5, an average branching index of about 0.7 and to about 1.0, and less than 10 parts by weight oil per 100 parts by weight of the multimodal copolymer rubber; (b) at least one other oil; (c) at least one thermoplastic polymer; and (d) a curing system comprising at least one curative material and at least one curing agent.