Flame-retardant fillers in silane-grafted ethylene polymer process
This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 06/901,534 filed Aug. 11, 1986, now abandoned. 
    
    
     This invention relates to polymer compositions based on ethylene polymers that can be crosslinked after extrusion and has important applications in compositions for use as the dielectric (insulation) and/or sheath (jacket) of electric cables. 
     Crosslinking of the polymeric parts of wires and cables is desirable, and sometimes essential, to impart good mechanical toughness and resistance to solvents and thermal deformation. Radiation crosslinking necessitates the installation of plant at very high capital cost, and also gives problems in obtaining a uniform dose (and therefore crosslink density) over the cross-section of the cable. Conventional chemical crosslinking with peroxides and/or sulphur requires pressurised curing chambers at high temperatures. The high temperatures required for cure severely limit line speeds, and have high energy costs plus high scrap rates at start-up due to inability to observe the product until it has emerged from the long curing chamber. 
     There has therefore been considerable interest in the past decade and a half in a low capital cost chemical crosslinking technique that does not require a pressurised and heated chamber and hence enables the extrusion quality to be observed as easily and quickly as that of a thermoplastic product; it is based on a two-step chemical reaction in which a hydrolysable unsaturated silane is first grafted to a base polymer (usually a homopolymer or copolymer of ethylene) and subsequently crosslinking is brought about by catalysed condensation reaction between pairs of silane groups. This `Sioplas` process was first introduced by Dow Corning Limited (formerly Midland Silicones Limited) as a 2-stage process using separate machines for the grafting and extrusion steps (U.K. Patent No. 1286460) but was subsequently improved by the applicants in conjunction with Etabs. Maillefer S A (U.K. Patent No. 1526398) to operate a single-stage process with grafting in the extruder. This one-stage process has been used on a significant scale, but its application has been restricted, hitherto, by the inability of experts in the art to provide halogen-free compositions crosslinkable by this process having commercially acceptable flame retardant characteristics. 
     Experiments with alumina trihydrate, or other flame-retardant fillers that evolve water on heating, in conventional compositions for one-stage Sioplas crosslinking based on ethylene polymers (copolymers with ethyl acetate, ethyl acrylate, propylene etc. and some homopolymers) have failed, partially through unacceptable premature crosslinking (as might have been expected because of the risk of the filler evolving water at grafting temperature) and partially through the production of a porous product that was wholly unacceptable for electrical applications; and experts have drawn the conclusion that water-evolving fillers are incompatible with one-stage Sioplas chemistry (see, for example, Modern Plastics International, December 1984 pp 38-40). 
     We have now discovered that this conclusion of the prior art is unjustified and that satisfactory results can be obtained simply by making an unconventional choice of initiator for the crosslinking reaction. 
     In accordance with the invention, a crosslinkable polymer composition for extrusion comprises: 
     at least one flame-retardant filler of the class that evolve substantial amounts of bound water on heating at temperatures above a value T d  which value lies in the range 120°-250° C.; 
     a compatible ethylene polymer base in which the filler is dispersed; 
     a hydrolysable unsaturated silane; 
     and a free-radical grafting initiator having a half-life of less than 10 minutes at a temperature 25° C. below T d  as determined by Differential Thermal Analysis using chlorobenzene as solvent; see for instance &#34;Noury Initiators&#34;, Delivery Programme of the Thermoplastics Industry, a current publication of Akzo Chemie U.K. Limited. 
     A silanol condensation catalyst will also be required to obtain crosslinking in an acceptably short time. 
     It will be immediately obvious to the skilled reader that the composition specified must be formed by mixing the ingredients together under such conditions that no chemical reaction occurs between them, and in particular that mixing must take place at a temperature low enough to ensure that the initiator is not decomposed (or premature grafting would occur); and that, in the eventual use of the claimed composition which may follow immediately after mixing is complete, the mixture must be heated to a temperature at which the initiator is decomposed, but below (preferably at least 25° C. below) the T d  of the filler to generate the free-radicals required to affect grafting and allow subsequent reactions to proceed in the usual way. 
     The most readily available fillers of the class defined are gypsum (T d  =128° C.), alumina trihydrate (T d  =170° C.), and magnesium hydroxide (T d  =250° C.) Gypsum is not recommended as there are practical difficulties with most polymers if T d  is below 150° C., and magnesium hydroxide is much preferred as its higher T d  value not only gives a much wider choice of initiators but also allows a higher extrusion rate because of the higher permissible processing temperature. Fillers coated to enhance compatibility with the polymer are preferred, suitable coating materials including oleates and other fatty acid soaps, silanes, titanates, siloxanes, and carboxylated butadiene polymers (for example those described in British Patent No. 1603300) and other low-molecular weight polymers and oligomers containing carboxyl groups. Particularly suitable magnesium hydroxide fillers are commercially available from Kyowa Chemical Industry Company Limited (Japan) under the trade mark `Kisuma`. If more than one water-evolving filler is present, the relevant T d  will, of course, be the lower or lowest. 
     The polymer may be any of the well-known types that is capable of accepting the quantity of filler needed to meet flame retardance requirements without unacceptable loss of physical and/or electrical properties; ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) (containing from about 5 to about 70 mole % of vinyl acetate) are most preferred, but ethylene/ethyl acrylate, ethylene/methyl acrylate, ethylene butyl acrylate and rubbery and non-rubbery ethylene/propylene copolymers (and terpolymers) are also suitable), as are some ethylene homopolymers, such as the one of low molecular weight sold by Union Carbide Group, under the Trade Mark UCAR as UCAR FLX, and butyl grafted polyethylenes such as that sold by ASEA Kabel AB under the designation ET Polymer. Mixtures of polymers can be used. 
     Filler to polymer ratios will depend upon the balance of flame retardance to physical and electrical properties required, usually in the range from 3:1 to 1:2 by weight (subject to limits of compatibility). 
     The most usual silane is vinyl trimethoxy silane (VTMOS), but any of the silanes used in conventional Sioplas processes can be used. A list is included in the specification of U.K. Patent No. 1286460. Amounts required to achieve a substantial or desired degree of crosslinking are broadly as for the conventional process, based upon the active polymer content of the mixture. 
     The grafting initiator will normally be peroxide, examples of suitable commercially available peroxides being as follows: 
     (a) for gypsum, alumina trihydrate and magnesium hydroxide 
     Tertiary butyl per pivalate 
     Tertiary amyl per pivalate 
     Di(3,5,5 trimethyl hexanoyl) peroxide 
     Bis (2 methyl benzoyl) peroxide 
     Di normal octanoyl peroxide 
     Di-decanoyl peroxide 
     Dilauroyl peroxide 
     (b) for both alumina trihydrate and magnesium hydroxide (but not for gypsum): 
     Tertiary butyl per 2-ethyl hexanoate (TBPEH). 
     Tertiary butyl per isobutyrate 
     Tertiary butyl peroxy diethyl acetae 
     Dibenzoyl peroxide 
     1,1 Di-tertiary butyl peroxy-3,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexane 
     Tertiary butyl hydroxy 3,5,5, trimethyl hexanoate 
     Tertiary butyl peroxy isopropyl carbonate 
     Tertiary butyl peracetate 
     Tertiary butyl perbenzoate 
     1,1 Bis (tertiary butyl peroxy) cyclohexane 
     2,2 Bis (tertiary butyl peroxy) butane. 
     Normal butyl 4,4 bis (tertiary butyl peroxy) valerate and (c) for magnesium hydroxide (but not for alumina trihydrate or gypsum): 
     Dicumyl peroxide 
     2,5-Dimethyl 2,5-di (tertiary butylperoxy) hexane 
     1,4-Di (tertiary butylperoxy iso propyl) benzene 
     Tertiary butyl cumyl peroxide 
     Di-tertiary butyl peroxide 
     Quantities of grafting initiator required to achieve a substantial or desired degree of crosslinking can be determined by trial in the usual way. 
     Dibutyl tin dilaurate (DBTDL) (at a level of the order of 0.01%) is the only silanol condensation catalyst in regular use for Sioplas crosslinking and is preferred; many alternatives are listed in the specification of U.K. Patent No. 1286460. 
     The compositions may also include conventional Sioplas-compatible antioxidants and other stabilisers, processing aids, lubricants, pigments and usually minor amounts of other fillers such as magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, double carbonates of magnesium and calcium (such as dolomite), antimony trioxide, antimony pentoxide and zinc borate. 
     Preferably the polymer and filler are pre-blended and dried prior to the addition of the other ingredients. 
     In the following examples, all parts are by weight unless otherwise indicated. 
    
    
     EXAMPLE 1 
     49.7 Parts of the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (28 weight % vinyl acetate) sold under the trademark Evatane and the grade designation 28-05 was melted and homogenised on a two roll mill at 80°-90° C. and blended on the mill with 49.8 parts of the magnesium hydroxide filler sold under the trademark Kisuma and the grade designation 5B (believed to be oleate coated and of the kind described and claimed in U.K. Patent No. 1514081) and 0.5 parts of the antioxidant sold under the trademark Flectol as Flectol pastilles. 
     The blend was dried for at least 16 hours at 55° C. using a dehumidified hot air dryer (sold under the designation Drymaster). To this dried base mix were added 0.9 parts VTMOS, 0.45 parts TBPEH and 0.01 parts DBTDL and the mixture was extruded in a 38 mm 20D laboratory extruder with a screw of nominal compression ratio 2:1 operating at a uniform temperature of 130° C. to give an insulating covering free of porosity with a radial thickness of 0.75 mm on a round copper wire 1.2 mm in diameter at a line speed of 1.8 m/min. Curing was in water at 70° C. for 24 hours. 
     The insulation had a tensile strength of 12.7 MPa, elongation at break of 172% and in a hot set test at 2 bar and 200° C. showed an elongation of 15% and a set of -5%. Its volume resistivity (at 75° C. and 600 V d.c.) was higher than 10 10  Ωm after 30 weeks immersion in water at that temperature. (Two samples were tested; one had unchanged volume resistivity after 62 weeks; the other had fallen to 8×10 8  Ωm). 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     Substantially the same procedure was followed as in Example 1 but using: 
     (a) as the base mix 37 parts of Evatane 28-05, 5 parts of another EVA sold by Allied Chemical Company under the designation AC400A (to improve extrusion characteristics) and 57.5 parts of Kisuma 5A (similar to Kisuma 5B but believed to be stearate coated) and 0.5 parts of Flectol pastilles; and 
     (b) as curative system 0.65 parts VTMOS, 0.25 parts TBPEH, and 0.01 parts DBTDL. 
     The line speed in this case was 2.6 mm/min. 
     The insulation had a tensile strength of 11.9 MPa, elongation at break of 145% and in the hot set test showed an elongation of about 40% and sets of -2.5 and 0 on two samples. Its volume resistivity after 37 weeks under the same conditions as in Example 1 was better than 10 10  Ωm. 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     Substantially the same procedure was followed as in Example 1 but using as the base mix 40.5 parts Evatane 28-05, 5 parts of AC400A and 54 parts of the hydrated alumina sold under the trademark Hydral and the grade number 710. The line speed was 2 m/min. 
     The insulation had a tensile strength of 14.2 MPa, elongation at break of 199% and in the hot set test showed an elongation of about 20% and a set of -3%. Its volume resistivity (at 75° C. and 600 V d.c.) was higher than 5×10 8  Ωm after 45 weeks immersion in water at that temperature. 
     EXAMPLES 4-37 
     The procedure of example 3 was followed with a variety of base mixes (all including approximately 0.5 parts Flectol pastilles, not listed in the tables) with the results indicated below. (Line speed and radial thickness varied somewhat). Ingredients used in these examples and not previously referred to are as follows: 
     Fillers: 
     Marinco H: Uncoated magnesium hydroxide from Merck &amp; Co. Inc. USA. 
     Kisuma 5E: Anther coated magnesium hydroxides from Kyowa Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. Japan. 
     DC: Magnesium hydroxide, received uncoated from Morton Thiokol Inc. U.S.A. and coated with 1.6% Y9774. 
     Lycal 96HSE and DPM/PH10/200: Uncoated magnesium hydroxides respectively from Steetley Magnesia Division U.K. and Pennine Darlington Magnesia Limited, U.K. 
     Ultracarb U5: A mixed filler of magnesium hydroxy carbonate and calcium magnesium carbonate from Microfine Minerals Limited, U.K. 
     Ultracarb M5: a version of Ultracarb U5 with a polymeric coating (The T d  &#39;s of Ultracarb fillers have not yet been accuraturely measured) 
     Ethylene polymers: 
     DPDM 6182 Ethylene/ethyl acrylate copolymer from BP Chemicals Limited, U.K. 
     DEFD1225 A polyethylene of very low density from Union Carbide Corp., U.S.A. 
     Other ingredients: 
     AC6A: Polyethylene, from Allied Chemicals, U.S.A. 
     Omya EXH1: Calcium carbonate from Croxton and Garry Limited, U.K. 
     A174: Gamma methacryloxypropyl trimethoxy silane from Union Carbide Corporation, U.S.A. 
     DC1107: Methyl hydrogen polysiloxane from Dow Corning Limited, U.K. 
     Y9774: A proprietary silane from Union Carbide Group, U.S.A. 
     Surlyn 9450: An ionomeric polymer from Du Pont, U.S.A. 
     In the case of precoated fillers, the quantity shown in the tables includes the weight of the coating, the percentage of which, relative to the total weight of that coated filler, is given immediately below. 
     All compositions of the Examples showed low values in the hot set test, indicative of a sufficient degree of crosslinking for typical wire and cable applications and all, except only Example 20, passed the Horizontal Specimen Flame Test defined in paragraph 102  of UL 62 Standard for Flexible Cord and Fixture Wire. The compositions of Examples 2 and 25 also passed the IEC 332 Part 1 vertical burning test, which is a very stringent test for the small wire size of these samples. 
     All the Examples except Examples 7-12 and Example 37 met the electrical property requirements required of conventional PVC-based materials by the applicable British Standard (BS 6746: 1984). 
     
                       TABLE 1                                                     
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Example       4        5        6      7                                  
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Base Composition                                                          
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B     55       55                                                 
Kisuma 5E                       49.5                                      
Marinco H                              49.8                               
Lycal 96 HSE                                                              
Coating A174 (%)                                                          
Coating Other (%)                                                         
Hydral 710                                                                
Copolymer                                                                 
Evatane 28-05 44.5     39.5     50     49.7                               
Evatane 18-02                                                             
Nordel 2722                                                               
DPDM 6182                                                                 
Additives                                                                 
AC 400A                5.0                                                
AC6A                                                                      
Surlyn 9450                                                               
Tensile Strength MPa                                                      
              13.1     11.5     15.6   13.6                               
Elongation %  121      142      152    189                                
Hot-Set Extension %                                                       
              15       15-20    20     25-30                              
Set %         -3 to 0  -3 to 0  -3 to 0                                   
                                       0                                  
Remarks       B        C        C                                         
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                       TABLE 2                                                     
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Example      8        9        10     11                                  
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Base Composition:                                                         
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B                                                                 
Kisuma 5E                                                                 
Marinco H                                                                 
Lycal 96 HSE 50       50       50     50                                  
Coating A174 (%)                                                          
Coating Other (%)                                                         
Hydral 710                                                                
Copolymer                                                                 
Evatane 28-05                                                             
             43.5     45.5     49.5                                       
Evatane 18-02                         49.5                                
Nordel 2722                                                               
DPDM 6182                                                                 
Additives                                                                 
AC400A       6.0                                                          
AC6A                  4.0                                                 
Surlyn 9450                                                               
Tensile Strength MPa                                                      
             11.3     12.2     13.9   12.9                                
Elongation % 100      96       94     114                                 
Hot Set-Extension %                                                       
             20-35    15-20    10-15  10-20                               
Set %        -3       0        -3 to 0                                    
                                      -2.5                                
Remarks                                                                   
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                       TABLE 3                                                     
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Example      12         13       14     15                                
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Base Composition:                                                         
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B                                                                 
Kisuma 5E                                                                 
Marinco H                                                                 
Lycal 96 HSE  50         51      51.5   52                                
Coating A174 (%)        (2)      (3)    (4)                               
Coating Other (%)                                                         
Hydral 710                                                                
Copolymer                                                                 
Evatane 28-05                                                             
             37.1       48.5     48.0   47.5                              
Evatane 18-02                                                             
Nordel 2722                                                               
DPDM 6182                                                                 
Additives                                                                 
AC400A                                                                    
AC6A                                                                      
Surlyn 9450  12.4                                                         
Tensile Strength MPa                                                      
             10.5       13.9     14.0   13.2                              
Elongation % 116        148      150    144                               
Hot Set-Extension %                                                       
             25-30      15-20     15    20                                
Set %         7.5       -21/2 to 0                                        
                                 -5     0                                 
Remarks                                                                   
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                       TABLE 4                                                     
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Example      16         17     18     19                                  
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Base Composition:                                                         
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B                                                                 
Kisuma 5E                                                                 
Marinco H                                                                 
Lycal 96 HSE 52.5       53.5   50.2   40.8                                
Coating A174 (%)                                                          
             (5)        (7)    (2)    (2)                                 
Coating Other (%)                                                         
Hydral 710                                                                
Copolymer                                                                 
Evatane 28-05                                                             
             47.0       46.0          58.6                                
Evatane 18-02                                                             
Nordel 2722                    49.3                                       
DPDM 6182                                                                 
Additives                                                                 
AC400A                                                                    
AC6A                                                                      
Surlyn 9450                                                               
Tensile Strength MPa                                                      
             13.6       12.8    5.7   11.4                                
Elongation % 144        117    100    125                                 
Hot Set-Extension %                                                       
             10-15       15     35    20-25                               
Set %        -2.5       0      -3     -3 to 0                             
Remarks                        D                                          
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                       TABLE 5                                                     
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Example       20      21       22     23                                  
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Base Composition:                                                         
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B                                                                 
Kisuma 5E                                                                 
Marinco H                                                                 
Lycal 96 HSE  30.6    50.2     51.0   51.5                                
Coating A174 (%)                                                          
              (2)     (2)                                                 
Coating Other (%)              (2)F   (3)F                                
Hydral 710                                                                
Copolymer                                                                 
Evatane 28-05 68.7             49.5   48.0                                
Evatane 18-02                                                             
Nordel 2722                                                               
DPDM 6182             49.3                                                
Additives                                                                 
AC400A                                                                    
AC6A                                                                      
Surlyn 9450                                                               
Tensile Strength MPa                                                      
              11.0    13.1     13.3   13.7                                
Elongation %  400     66       132    146                                 
Hot Set-Extension %                                                       
              85-95   30       10-15  10-15                               
Set %          5-10   -7.5 to  -2.5 to                                    
                                      -2.5 to                             
                      10       -5     -5                                  
Remarks       E                F      F                                   
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                       TABLE 6                                                     
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Example      24       25       26     27                                  
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Base Composition:                                                         
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B                                                                 
Kisuma 5E                                                                 
Marinco H                                                                 
Lycal 96 HSE  52      52.5     52.0   50.75                               
Coating A174 (%)                                                          
Coating Other (%)                                                         
             (4)F     (4)F     (4)H   (1.5)J                              
Hydral 710                                                                
Copolymer                                                                 
Evatane 28-05                                                             
             47.5     47.0     47.5   48.75                               
Evatane 18-02                                                             
Nordel 2722                                                               
DPDM 6182                                                                 
Additives                                                                 
AC400A                                                                    
AC6A                                                                      
Surlyn 9450                                                               
Tensile Strength MPa                                                      
             13.7     13.3     14.4   12.3                                
Elongation % 140      146      124    87                                  
Hot Set-Extension %                                                       
             15-20     15       15    15-20                               
Set %        -2.5 to  -2.5 to  -2.5 to                                    
                                      -5 to 0                             
             -5       -5       -5                                         
Remarks      F        F,G      H      J                                   
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                       TABLE 7                                                     
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Example      28         29     30      31                                 
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Base Composition:                                                         
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B                              57.5                               
Kisuma 5E                                                                 
Marinco H                                                                 
Lycal 96 HSE            30.0   20.0                                       
Coating A174 (%)        (2)    (2)                                        
Coating Other (%)                                                         
Hydral 710   54.0       25.0   40.0                                       
Polymer                                                                   
Evatane 28-05                                                             
             40.5       39.5   34.5    32.8                               
Evatane 18-02                                                             
Nordel 2722                                                               
DPDM 6182                                                                 
DEFD 1225                              4.2                                
Additives                                                                 
AC400A        5.0        5.0    5.0    5.0                                
AC6A                                                                      
Surlyn 9450                                                               
Tensila Strength MPa                                                      
             13.3       11.7   12.3    10.4                               
Elongation % 196        119    442     173                                
Hot Set-Extension %                                                       
             25-30       10    65-70   65                                 
Set %        -3         0      -5      -2.5                               
Remarks                                K                                  
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                       TABLE 8                                                     
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Example        32        33      34                                       
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Base Composition:                                                         
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B                28.3    28.2                                     
DC             54.4                                                       
Ultracarb M5             28.3    28.2                                     
Polymer                                                                   
Evatane 28-05  40.1      37.9    38.1                                     
DEFD 1225                                                                 
Additives                                                                 
AC400A         5.0       5.0     5.0                                      
Tensile Strength MPa                                                      
               8.2       9.4     10.4                                     
Elongation %   386       224     193                                      
Hot Set-Extension %                                                       
               25-30     30      10-15                                    
Set %          0         -2.5    -2.5/7.5                                 
Remarks        K         K       K                                        
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                       TABLE 9                                                     
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Example        35          36      37                                     
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Base Composition:                                                         
Fillers                                                                   
Kisuma 5B      57.5                                                       
DC                                                                        
PDM/PH10/200                       53.8                                   
Ultracarb M5               56                                             
Polymer                                                                   
Evatane 28-05  32.0        38.5    40.7                                   
DEFD 1225      10                                                         
Additives                                                                 
AC400A                     5.0     5.0                                    
Tensile Strength MPa                                                      
               13.9        7.8     7.2                                    
Elongation %   67          231     140                                    
Hot Set-Extension %                                                       
               30          60      50-55                                  
Set %          -10/-12.5   2.5     2.5                                    
Remarks        K           K       K                                      
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