Ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer-triallyl phosphate composition

#The field includes ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer compositions, cured products made therefrom, methods of making and using same, and articles containing same.

#Insulated electrical/optical conductors include insulated electrical conductors, insulated optical conductors, and insulated electro-optical conductors. Insulated optical conductors include coated optical fibers and optical fiber (fiber optic) cables for use in data-transmitting applications. Insulated electrical conductors include coated metal wires and electrical cables, including power cables for use in low, medium, high and extra-high voltage electricity-transmitting/distributing applications. Insulated electro-optical conductors include coated optical fibers and coated metal wires for using in data- and/or electricity-transmitting applications.

#Various types of wire and cable compositions are mentioned in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,974,132; 7,858,705 B2; WO 2007/056154; WO 2010/017553; WO 2010/017554; WO 2015/009562; WO 2016/200600 A1; PCT/US16/048014; or PCT/US16/056719.

#The Summary and Abstract are incorporated here by reference. The inventive crosslinked product is characterized as being a TAP-grafted ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer. The copolymer is made by a free radical process that forms covalent bonds between TAP molecules and the (A) crosslinkable ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer. The free radical process involves free radicals that are initiated or propagated by a free radical generator compound such as a peroxide or by other means of generating free-radicals such as electron-beam irradiation. The inventive crosslinked product or copolymer (A) may exhibit any gel content (as measured, for instance, by decalin extraction) ranging from 0 to 100 wt %. All flexural modulus values are measured at 23° C. unless stated otherwise.

#To enable the technical solution, the effective amount of (B) TAP may be from 0.050 to less than 0.950 weight percent (wt %) of the (B) TAP, based on total weight of the inventive composition. E.g., (B) TAP may be from 0.050 to 0.949 wt %, alternatively 0.101 to 0.901 wt %, alternatively 0.1501 to 0.849 wt %, alternatively 0.1905 to 0.8049 wt % of the inventive composition. After the inventive composition is cured the resulting inventive crosslinked product may be characterized by an enhanced (i.e., increased) TER (7 d or 28 d, 136° C.), an enhanced (i.e., increased) OIT (O2, 185° C.), and an unchanged or less than three times worsened (i.e., <3× increased), alternatively an unchanged or less than two times worsened (i.e., <2× increased) DF (130° C., 60 Hz, 2 kV), all relative to a TAP-free comparative composition and TAP-free comparative crosslinked product made therefrom. In addition, if TAP is present in a less TAP-containing comparative composition at >0 to less than 0.050 wt %, based on total weight of the less TAP-containing comparative composition, after curing the less TAP-containing comparative composition the resulting less-TAP comparative crosslinked product may be characterized by TER (7 d or 28 d, 136° C.) or OIT (O2, 185° C.) that may not be enhanced or sufficiently enhanced (i.e., insufficiently increased) for use in flexible electrical insulation for medium-to-ultra-high power cables. Also, if TAP is present in a more TAP-containing comparative composition at 1.00 wt % or greater, alternatively 1.10 wt % or greater, based on total weight of the more TAP-containing comparative composition, after curing the more TAP-containing comparative composition the resulting more-TAP comparative crosslinked product may be characterized by an enhanced (or further enhanced) TER (7 d or 28 d, 136° C.), an enhanced (or further enhanced) OIT (O2, 185° C.), and an enhanced (i.e., decreased) DF (130° C., 60 Hz, 2 kV).

#Aspect 1. A peroxide-curable ethylene copolymer composition comprising 58.00 to 99.90 weight percent (wt %) of (A) a crosslinkable ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer (“copolymer (A)” or “constituent (A)”), which is made by a process comprising copolymerizing ethylene and an alpha-olefin comonomer, and optionally another comonomer selected from a non-conjugated diene and a second alpha-olefin, in the presence of a molecular catalyst useful therefor; from 0.050 to 0.949 wt % of (B) triallyl phosphate (TAP); from 0.050 to 5.00 wt % of (C) an organic peroxide; and from 0.00 to 40 wt %, alternatively 0.00 to 20 wt %, alternatively 0.00 wt %, alternatively >0.00 to 10 wt % of (D) a supplemental polymer selected from an ethylene/unsaturated carboxylic ester copolymer, a polyethylene homopolymer, a Non-(molecular catalyst)-formed ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer, and a propylene-based polymer; with the proviso that the total weight of constituent (A) and constituent (D) is 80.00 to 99.90 wt %, alternatively 90.0 to 99.90 wt %, alternatively 90.0 to 96.5 wt %; wherein all wt % are based on total weight of the peroxide-curable ethylene copolymer composition and wherein total weight of the peroxide-curable ethylene copolymer composition is 100.0 wt %. When in certain embodiments a sum of the wt % of constituents (A) to (C), alternatively (A) to (D), is less than 100.00 wt %, the composition further contains at least one additional constituent, such as constituent (D) or at least one of constituents (E) to (O), respectively, which are described later. Typically, the copolymerizing ethylene and the alpha-olefin comonomer, and optionally another comonomer selected from a non-conjugated diene and a second alpha-olefin, to make the (A) crosslinkable ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer is done in the absence of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst.