Silane-crosslinkable polymer composition containing a silane compound as a precuring retarder

A crosslinkable polymer composition comprising:

• (a) an olefin copolymer or an olefin graft copolymer with hydrolyzable silane groups thereon;
• (b) a silanol condensation catalyst;
• and,
• (c) a substance which counteracts precuring of the polymer composition and which comprises a silane compound having at least one hydrolyzable organic group;
• (i) the silane compound having a compatibility with the polymer composition of at least 0.035 mole hydrolyzable groups per 1000 g polymer composition;
• the compatibility being defined as the residual content of moles of hydrolyzable groups per 1000 g polymer composition, determined indirectly by measuring the decrease in weight after storage for 74 hours at 60.degree. C. in air, of a polymer composition with an initial content of 0.060 mole hydrolyzable groups per 1000 g polymer composition;
• (ii) the silane compound having the general formula:
• R.sup.1 (SiR.sup.2.sub.n X.sub.3-n).sub.m I
• wherein:
• R.sup.1 is a monofunctional hydrocarbyl group having 13-30 carbon atoms, or a difunctional hydrocarbyl group having 4-24 carbon atoms;
• R.sup.2 which may be the same or different, is a hydrocarbyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms;
• X which may be the same or different, is a hydrolyzable organic group;
• n is 0, 1 or 2;
• and,
• m is 1 or 2.