Heat-recoverable article and composition therefor
AssigneeTyco Electronics Corporation
InventorsGeorge Pieslak, Leon Glover, Tony Alvernaz, Jim Imperiale
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A non-halogenated heat-recoverable article which passes the UL Standard for Safety for Extruded Insulating Tubing, UL 224, Fifth Edition, VW-1 flame test is prepared from a composition which contains polyethylene or an ethylene copolymer or a mixture, a hydrated or carbonated inorganic filler, red amorphous phosphorus, and an inorganic filler such as zinc borate. The article has good physical properties as measured by tensile strength and elongation, and good high temperature performance. A particularly useful article is heat-recoverable tubing which has good flame-retardancy as demonstrated by the VW-1 test.
Claims8
A heat-recoverable article which passes a UL VW-1 flame test as defined in UL Standard for Safety for Extruded Insulating Tubing, UL 224, Fifth Edition, Dec. 15, 1999 and which comprises a polymeric composition which comprises
- (a) 44 to 59% by weight of an ethylene copolymer comprising ethylene methyl acrylate,
- (b) 26 to 42% by weight of a first inorganic filler which comprises magnesium hydroxide,
- (c) 1 to 5% by weight red amorphous phosphorus, and
- (d) 1 to 9% by weight of a second inorganic filler which comprises zinc borate;
- said article
- (1) having a tensile strength at 25° C. when recovered of at least 1500 psi;
- and
- (2) having an elongation to break at 25° C. when recovered of at least 200%.
A non-halogenated heat-recoverable article which
- (1) comprises a polymeric composition which comprises
- (a) 44 to 59% by weight of an ethylene copolymer comprising ethylene methyl acrylate,
- (b) 26 to 42% by weight of a first inorganic filler which comprises magnesium hydroxide,
- (c) 1 to 5% by weight red amorphous phosphorus, and
- (d) 1 to 9% by weight of a second inorganic filler which comprises a borate;
- (2) passes the UL VW-1 flame test as defined in UL Standard for Safety for Extruded Insulating Tubing, UL 224, Fifth Edition, Dec. 15, 1999;
- (3) has a tensile strength at 25° C. of at least 1500 psi when recovered;
- (4) has an elongation to break at 25° C. of at least 200% when recovered;
- (5) is in the form of a tube which has a wall thickness of at most 1 mm (0.040 inch) when recovered.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.