ETHYLENE-PROPYLENE-DIENE (EPDM) MONOMER EXTENDED WITH OIL IN MOISTURE-CURED MIXTURE

Abstract

This description provides a crosslinkable composition comprising an ethylene-silane copolymer, an oil-extended ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) monomer, and a crosslinking catalyst. This description also provides the composition after crosslinking. In one embodiment, a crosslinked composition comprising 55 wt% to 85 wt% of an ethylene-silane copolymer and 15 wt% to 45 wt% of an oil-extended EPDM. The crosslinked composition has: (a) a flexural modulus of 50 MPa to 160 MPa; and (b) a heat-set elongation greater than 10%. The crosslinked composition can be used as a coating for a sheathed conductor.

Description

ETHYLENE-PROPYLENE-DIENE (EPDM) MONOMER EXTENDED WITH OIL IN MOISTURE-CURED MIXTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This description relates to oil-extended ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) and ethylene-silane copolymers. Most low-voltage cables insulated with polyethylene are cured or crosslinked by a moisture-curing process whereby an alkoxysilane bonded to the polyethylene chain is hydrolyzed and then cured under the influence of a suitable catalyst. The alkoxysilane can be bonded to the polyethylene chain by two methods. Vinyl trialkoxysilane is copolymerized with ethylene to produce a silane copolymer, or vinyl alkoxysilane is grafted onto the polyethylene polymer backbone by reactive extrusion initiated with peroxide. In the first case, the resulting copolymer is similar to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and is a semi-rigid insulation material (flexural modulus of approximately 200 MPa). In the second case, more flexible resin systems can be produced by blending an elastomer with the polyethylene during a reactive extrusion stage. However, this requires special extrusion equipment (e.g., silane dosing equipment, screw rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi). Ref. 335220 barrier designed, etc.) to successfully carry out the radical grafting process. In addition, elastomers that degrade or cleave in the presence of peroxide or other free radical sources cannot be used. Furthermore, existing moisture-cured resins tend to become increasingly rigid or firm at low temperatures, such as those encountered during outdoor winter use. The technique recognizes the need for a crosslinked ethylene-silane copolymer composition that exhibits improved flexibility, while still meeting the objective properties of tensile strength, elongation, and curing state for insulation in conductors and insulation for low-voltage cables in particular. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This description provides a composition. The composition comprises an ethylene-silane copolymer, an oil-extended ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) monomer, and a crosslinking catalyst. This description also provides the composition after crosslinking. In one embodiment, a crosslinked composition is provided and includes 55 wt% to 85 wt% of an ethylene-silane copolymer and 15 wt% to 45 wt% of an oil-extended EPDM. The crosslinked composition has: (a) a flexural modulus of rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi MPa to 160 MPa; and (b) a heat fixation elongation greater than 10%. This description also provides a coated conductor. The coated conductor comprises a conductor and a coating over the conductor; the coating comprises a crosslinked composition including (i) an ethylene-silane copolymer and (ii) an oil-extended ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) monomer. Definitions Any reference to the periodic table of elements is with respect to the one published by CRC Press, Inc., 1990-1991. Reference to a group of elements in this table is by the new notation for numbering groups. For the purposes of United States patent practice, the contents of any patent, patent application, or publication referenced herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety (or their equivalent U.S. version is thus incorporated by reference), especially with respect to the description of definitions (to the extent they are not inconsistent with any of the definitions specifically provided in this description) and general knowledge in the art. The numerical intervals described herein include all values ​​from, and inclusive of, the lower and upper values. For intervals that contain explicit values ​​(e.g., 1 or 2; or 3 to 5; or 6; or 7), the subinterval between any two explicit values ​​is included (e.g., the interval 1-7 shown above includes the subintervals 1 to 2; 2 to 6; 5 to 7; 3 to 7; 5 to 6; etc.). Unless otherwise stated, implied from the context, or customary in the art, all parts and percentages are based on weight and all testing methods are current as of the date of submission of this description. The term composition refers to a mixture of materials comprising the composition, as well as reaction products and decomposition products formed from the composition materials. The expressions comprising, including, having, and their derivatives are not intended to exclude the presence of any additional component, step, or process, whether specifically described or not. For the avoidance of doubt, all compositions claimed through the use of the expression comprising may include any additive, adjuvant, or additional compound, whether polymeric or otherwise, unless otherwise stated. Conversely, the expression consisting essentially of excludes from the scope of any further mention any other component, step, or process, except those not essential to operability. The expression consisting of excludes any component, step, or process that is not specifically defined or listed. The term or, unless otherwise stated, refers to the members listed individually as well as in any combination.The use of the singular includes the use of the plural and vice versa. An ethylene-based polymer is a polymer containing more than 50 percent by weight (wt%) of polymerized ethylene monomer (relative to the total amount of polymerizable monomers) and may optionally contain at least one comonomer. Ethylene-based polymers include ethylene homopolymers and ethylene copolymers (i.e., units derived from ethylene and one or more comonomers). The terms ethylene-based polymer and polyethylene may be used interchangeably. Non-limiting examples of ethylene-based polymers (polyethylene) include low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear polyethylene.Non-limiting examples of linear polyethylene include linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), ultra-low-density polyethylene (ULDPE), very low-density polyethylene (VLDPE), multi-component ethylene-based copolymer (EPE), ethylene / α-olefin multiblock copolymers (also known as olefin block copolymers (OBCs)), single-site catalyzed linear low-density polyethylene (m-LLDPE), substantially linear plastomers / elastomers, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE).Polyethylene can generally be produced in gas-phase fluidized bed reactors, liquid-phase suspension process reactors, or liquid-phase solution process reactors, using a heterogeneous catalyst system, such as the Ziegler-Natta catalyst, or a homogeneous catalyst system comprising Group 4 transition metals and ligand structures such as metallocene, non-metallocene, metal-centered, heteroaryl, heterovalentaryloxyether, phosphinimine, and others. Combinations of heterogeneous and / or homogeneous catalysts can also be used in single-reactor or dual-reactor configurations. An interpolymer is a polymer prepared by the polymerization of at least two different monomers. This generic term includes copolymers, usually used to refer to polymers prepared from two different monomers, and polymers prepared from more than two different monomers, e.g., terpolymers, tetrapolymers, etc. An olefin-based polymer or polyolefin is a polymer containing more than 50 percent by weight of polymerized olefin monomer (relative to the total amount of polymerizable monomers) and may optionally contain at least one comonomer. A non-limiting example of an olefin-based polymer is an ethylene-based polymer. A polymer is a compound prepared by the polymerization of monomers, whether of the same or different types, which in their polymerized form provide the multiple and / or repeating units, or mer units, that constitute a polymer. Therefore, the generic term polymer encompasses the term homopolymer, usually used to refer to polymers prepared from a single type of monomer, and the term copolymer, usually used to refer to polymers prepared from at least two types of monomers. It also encompasses all forms of copolymer, e.g., random, block, etc. The terms ethylene / α-olefin polymer and propylene / α-olefin polymer are indicative of a copolymer as described above, prepared from the polymerization of ethylene or propylene, respectively, and one or more additional polymerizable α-olefin monomers.It is noted that while a polymer is frequently referred to as being made from one or more specified monomers, based on a specified monomer or type of monomer, containing a specified monomer content, or the like, in this context the term monomer is understood to refer to the polymerized remnant of the specified monomer and not to the unpolymerized species. Generally, the polymers described herein are referred to as being based on units that are the polymerized form of a corresponding monomer. The term phr, or parts per hundred, as used herein, refers to the weight of a component of the composition relative to one hundred parts of a polymer. The terms blend or polymer blend, as used herein, are a mixture of two or more polymers. Such a blend may be miscible or immiscible (not phase-separated at the molecular level). Such a blend may be phase-separated or not. Such a blend may or may not contain one or more domain configurations, as determined from electron transmission spectroscopy, light scattering, x-ray scattering, or other methods known in the art. A conductor is an elongated element (wire, cable, optical fiber) used to transfer energy at any voltage (DC, AC, or transient). The conductor is typically at least a metallic wire or at least a metallic cable (such as aluminum or copper), but it can also be optical fiber. The conductor can be a single cable or a plurality of cables bonded together (i.e., a cable core or a wire core). The terms crosslinkable, curable and similar terms mean that the polymer, before or after being formed into an article, is not cured or crosslinked and has not been subjected or exposed to treatment that has induced substantial crosslinking, even if the polymer comprises additive(s) or functionality that will effect substantial crosslinking upon being subjected or exposed to the treatment (e.g., exposure to water). Curing and similar terms mean that the polymer, before or after being shaped into an article, was subjected or exposed to a treatment that induced crosslinking. Moisture-curable and similar terms indicate that the composition will cure, i.e., crosslink, upon exposure to water. Moisture curing may occur with or without the aid of a crosslinking catalyst (e.g., a silanol condensation catalyst), promoter, etc. A wire is a single strand of conductive metal, e.g., copper or aluminum. Testing methods The Shore D hardness is determined at 23 °C according to DIN 53505, on 2 mm thick samples, and the average of three measurements is recorded. The flexural modulus is measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 1 mm / min. The result is recorded in megapascals, or MPa. The compositions presented can be characterized by their tensile strength at break (in MPa) and elongation at break (%). Tensile strength and elongation are measured according to the ISO 527 test procedure on compression-molded specimens. The compression-molded plates are pressed and cured under pressure in a Burkle LA 63 press at 180 °C for 10 minutes under a pressure of 120 bar. The plates are then cooled to room temperature under rapid cooling conditions. 2 mm thick dog bone-shaped specimens (5A) are used and tested at 25 mm / min. Elongation at break, or elongation to fracture, is the deformation in a specimen when it breaks, expressed as a percentage of the original specimen length. Heat setting is a measure of the degree of crosslinking. The test is based on IEC 60811-507 for power cable insulating materials. Heat setting tests are performed on 2 mm thick samples in a glass-doored oven at 200 °C with a tensile force of 0.2 MPa applied to the underside of the specimens. Three test specimens are cut for each sample using 5A dog-bone shaped samples. The samples are elongated for 15 minutes, during which the percentage increase in length is measured, and the average values ​​of the three specimens are reported as heat setting. Mooney viscosity is measured as ML(l+4) at 125 °C according to ASTM D1646. ML refers to a large rotor of rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi Mooney. The viscometer is a Monsanto MV2000 instrument. The number-average molecular weight (Mn) is defined as the number-average molecular weight of the polymer. The molecular weight distribution moments, Mn (number-average molecular weight), Mw (weighted average molecular weight), and Mz (z-average molecular weight), are calculated from the data as follows, where Wz is the weight fraction of species with molecular weight Mi: Σ^.·^ Σ»^2 Μ =------ Μ = ----- Μ = ---- / ii The molecular weight of GPC was determined using the Waters Alliance GPCV 2000 instrument. The columns used were a 3x mixed bed of 10 µm pl-gel. The injection volume was 200 µm of the 0.14 wt% solution. The pump was set to 55 °C, and the columns and detectors to 140 °C. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This description provides a composition. The composition contains (i) an ethylene-silane copolymer, (ii) an oil-extended ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) monomer, and (iii) a crosslinking catalyst. (i) Ethylene-silane copolymer The present composition includes an ethylenesilane copolymer. The ethylene-silane copolymer is a reactor ethylene-silane copolymer or an ethylene copolymer grafted with silane. In one embodiment, the ethylene-silane copolymer is a reactor-type ethylene-silane copolymer. The reactor-type ethylene-silane copolymer consists of an ethylene monomer and an alkoxysilane comonomer, and optionally one or more other copolymerizable monomers (such as vinyl acetate, ethyl acrylate, etc.) copolymerized in a polymerization reactor. The polymerization reactor used to produce the reactor-type ethylene-silane copolymer may be a high-pressure reactor. The term "high-pressure reactor," as used herein, means a polymerization reactor operated at a pressure of at least 34.47 megapascals (mPa) (5000 pounds per square inch (psi)). The term alkoxysilane or alkoxysilane monomer, as used herein, refers to an alkoxysilane that will be grafted onto, or copolymerized with, an ethylene copolymer. The alkoxysilane or alkoxysilane monomer has a structure described by the following formula. rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi where R1 is a hydrogen atom or methyl group; xyy are 0 or 1 with the condition that when x is 1, and it is 1; n is an integer from 1 to 12, and each R is independently a hydrolyzable organic group. In one embodiment, each R is independently an alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms (e.g., methoxy, ethoxy, butoxy), an aryloxy group (e.g., phenoxy), an araloxy group (e.g., benzyloxy), an aliphatic acyloxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms (e.g., formyloxy, acetyloxy, propanoyloxy), an amino or substituted amino group (e.g., alkylamino, arylamino), or a lower alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, wherein no more than one of the three R groups is an alkyl group. In one embodiment, alkoxysilane is an unsaturated silane having an ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbyl group (such as a vinyl, allyl, isopropenyl, butenyl, cyclohexenyl, or gamma-(meth)acryloxy allyl group) and a hydrolyzable group (such as, for example, a hydrocarbyloxy, hydrocarbonyloxy, or hydrocarbylamino group). Non-limiting examples of hydrolyzable groups include methoxy, ethoxy, formyloxy, acetoxy, propionyloxy, alkyl, and arylamino groups. In another embodiment, alkoxysilane and its method of preparation are described in USP 5,266,627 by Meverden et al. In one embodiment, the alkoxysilane is selected from vinyl trimethoxysilane (VTMS), vinyl triethoxysilane, vinyl triacetoxysilane, gamma-(meth)acryloxy propyl trimethoxysilane, or a combination thereof. In one form, alkoxysilane is vinyl trimethoxysilane (VTMS) and / or vinyl triethoxysilane (VTES). Alkoxysilane may comprise two or more of the forms described in this description. In one embodiment, the ethylene-silane copolymer is a reactor-produced ethylene-silane copolymer comprising units derived from ethylene monomers and alkoxysilane monomers. The ethylene-silane copolymer consists of units derived from ethylene monomers and alkoxysilane monomers as the only monomers. Alternatively, the ethylene-silane copolymer further comprises units derived from one or more monomers other than ethylene monomers and alkoxysilane monomers. In one embodiment, the ethylene-silane copolymer lacks, or otherwise excludes, units derived from a styrenic monomer (e.g., styrene, methyl styrene). Non-limiting examples of suitable reactor ethylenesilane copolymers include SI-LINK™ DFDA-5451 NT and SI-LINK™ AC DFDB-5451 NT, each available from The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan. In one embodiment, the ethylene-silane copolymer is an ethylene copolymer grafted with silane. The term ethylene copolymer grafted with silane, as used herein, refers to an alkylsiloxy ethylene copolymer produced by post-reactor grafting of an alkoxysilane onto an ethylene homopolymer or copolymer. In one embodiment, the alkoxysilane is grafted onto an ethylene copolymer in the presence of a free-radical initiator. The ethylene copolymer of the silane-grafted ethylene copolymer is produced using conventional polyethylene polymerization technology, e.g., high-pressure catalysis, Ziegler-Natta, metallocene, or restricted geometry. In one embodiment, the polyethylene is produced in a high-pressure reactor. In a further embodiment, the polyethylene is produced using a mono- or biscyclopentadienyl, indenyl, or fluorenyl transition metal catalyst or a restricted geometry catalyst in combination with an activator, in a solution, suspension, or gas-phase polymerization process. Restricted geometry metal complexes and methods for their preparation are described in USP 5,064,802, WO93 / 19104, and WO95 / 00526. Substituted indenyl-containing metal complexes and methods for their preparation are described in WO95 / 14024 and WO98 / 49212. In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer is the product of post-reactor modification, such as reactive extrusion to produce a graft copolymer. rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer can be branched, linear, or substantially linear. The term branched ethylene copolymer, as used herein, is an ethylene copolymer prepared in a high-pressure reactor that has a highly branched polymer structure, with branches occurring both in the main polymer chains and in the branches themselves. The term substantially linear ethylene copolymer, as used herein, is an ethylene copolymer having a main chain substituted with 0.01 to 3 long-chain branches per 1000 carbon atoms. In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer can have a main chain substituted with 0.01 to 1 long-chain branches per 1000 carbon atoms, or with 0.05 to 1 long-chain branches per 1000 carbon atoms.Non-limiting examples of suitable linear ethylene copolymers are described in USP 5,272,236, 5,278,272 and 5,986,028. In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer is a homopolymer, an interpolymer, a random or block copolymer, a functionalized polymer (e.g., ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene ethyl acrylate, etc.), or a non-functionalized polymer. In another embodiment, the ethylene interpolymer is an elastomer, a flexomer, or a plastomer. rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer is an ethylene / α-olefin copolymer. α-Olefins include linear, branched, or cyclic C3-C20 α-olefins, or linear C4Cg α-olefins. Non-limiting examples of C3-C20 α-olefins include propene, 1-butene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, and 1-octadecene. α-Olefins can have a cyclic structure, such as cyclohexane or cyclopentane, resulting in α-olefins such as 3-cyclohexyl-1-propene (allyl cyclohexane) and vinyl cyclohexane. Non-limiting examples of linear C4Cg α-olefins include 1-butene, 1-hexene, and 1-octene. Non-limiting examples of an ethylene copolymer include high-density polyethylene (HDPE); medium-density polyethylene (MDPE); linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE); low-density polyethylene (LDPE); very low-density polyethylene (VLDPE); homogeneously branched linear ethylene / α-olefin copolymers (e.g., TAFMER™ from Mitsui Petrochemicals Company Limited and EXACT™ from DEX Plastomers); substantially homogeneously branched linear ethylene / α-olefin polymers (e.g., AFFINITY™ polyolefin plastomers and ENGAGE™ polyolefin elastomers available from The Dow Chemical Company); and ethylene block copolymers (INFUSE™, also available from The Dow Chemical Company). In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer comprises ethylene-derived units in an amount of 50, or 60, u rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi 80, or 85 to 90, or 95, or 97, or 99, or 99.5, or 100 percent by weight (% by weight). In another embodiment, the ethylene copolymer comprises ethylene-derived units in an amount of 50 to 100% by weight, or 60 to 99.5% by weight, or 80 to 95% by weight. In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer is an ethylene / α-olefin interpolymer having an α-olefin content of 15, 20, 25, 40, 45, or 50 wt% relative to the weight of the interpolymer. In another embodiment, the ethylene polymer is an ethylene / α-olefin copolymer having an α-olefin content of 15 to 50 wt%, 20 to 45 wt%, or 25 to 40 wt% relative to the weight of the copolymer. The α-olefin content can be determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy13 using the procedure described in Randall (Rev. Macromol. Chem. Phys., C29 (2 and 3)). In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer has a melting index (12) of 0.1, or 0.5, or 1 to 2, or 5, or 10, or 20, or 30, or 50 g / 10 min. In another embodiment, the ethylene copolymer has a melting index (12) of 0.1 to 50 g / 10 min, or 0.5 to 30 g / 10 min, or 1 to 5 g / 10 min. In one embodiment, the ethylene copolymer lacks, or otherwise excludes, a styrenic polymer (e.g., styrene, methyl styrene). The ethylene copolymer may comprise two or more rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi modes described herein. In one embodiment, the ethylene-silane copolymer is present in an amount of 55% by weight, or 60% by weight, or 70% to 80% by weight, or 90% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the described composition. The ethylene-silane copolymer may comprise two or more of the forms described herein. (ii) EPDM extended with oil The present composition includes an oil-extended ethylene propylene-diene monomer (EPDM). An ethylene propylene-diene monomer, or EPDM, includes ethylene-derived units. EPDM also includes propylene-derived units. Olefins other than and / or in addition to propylene may be used in EPDM. Non-limiting examples of olefins suitable for blending with ethylene include one or more C4-30, C4-20, C4-12, or C4-8 aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or aromatic compounds (comonomers) containing one or more ethylenic unsaturations. Examples include aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic olefins, such as isobutylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 1-octene, 1-nonene, 1-decene and 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene, 1-eicosene, 3-methyl-l-butene, 3-methyl-l-pentene, 4-methyl-l-pentene, 4,6-dimethyl-l-heptene, vinylcyclohexane, styrene, cyclopentene, cyclohexene, cyclooctene, and mixtures. rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi In one embodiment, EPDM includes units derived from a diene. The diene can be a conjugated, non-conjugated, linear-chain, branched-chain, or cyclic hydrocarbon diene having 6 to 15 carbon atoms. Non-limiting examples of suitable dienes include 1,4-hexadiene; 1,6-octadiene; 1,7-octadiene; 1,9-decadiene; acyclic branched-chain dienes such as 5-methyl-1,4-hexadiene; 3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene; 3,7-dimethyl-1,7-octadiene and mixed isomers of dihydromyricene and dihydroocinene; and alicyclic single-ring dienes such as 1,3-cyclopentadiene; 1,4-cyclohexadiene; 1,5-cyclooctadiene and 1,5-cyclododecadiene, and alicyclic multi-ring dienes of fused and bridged rings, such as tetrahydroindene, methyl tetrahydroindene, dicyclopentadiene, bicyclo-(2,2,l)-hepta-2,5-diene; alkenyl, alkylidene, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkylidene norbornenes, such as 5-methylene-2-norbornene (MNB); 5-propenyl-2-norbornene, 5-isopropylidene-2-norbornene, 5-(4-cyclopentenyl)-2-norbornene, 5-cyclohexylidene-2-norbornene, 5-vinyl-2-norbornene, norbornadiene, 1,4-hexadiene (HD), 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB), 5-vinylidene-2-norbornene (VNB), 5-methylene-2-norbornene (MNB) and dicyclopentadiene (DCPD). In one mode, the diene is selected from VNB and ENB. rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi In one modality, the diene is ENB. In one embodiment, the ethylene content of the EPDM is 50% by weight, or 55% by weight, to 60% by weight, or 70% by weight of the total EPDM. In another embodiment, the ethylene content of the EPDM is 60% by weight to 70% by weight. In one form, EPDM has a diene content of 0.1% by weight, or 0.5% by weight, or 1.0% by weight, or 2.0% by weight, or 3.0% by weight, or 4.0% by weight, to 4.5% by weight, or 5.0% by weight, or 5.5% by weight. As used in this description, an oil-extended EPDM is an EPDM product containing EPDM and at least 30 phr of oil. The oil may be an aromatic oil, a mineral oil, a naphthenic oil, a paraffinic oil, a triglyceride-based vegetable oil such as castor oil, a synthetic hydrocarbon oil such as polypropylene oil, a silicone oil, or any combination thereof. The oil content in oil-extended EPDM is 30 phr (30 / 130 = 23% by weight), or 40 phr (40 / 140 = 29% by weight), or 50 phr (50 / 150 = 33% by weight), or 60 phr (60 / 160 = 38% by weight), or 70 phr (70 / 170 = 41% by weight), to 80 phr (80 / 180 = 44% by weight), or 90 phr (90 / 190 = 47% by weight), or 100 phr (100 / 200 = 50% by weight). In one embodiment, the oil-extended EPDM contains 70 phr (41% by weight), or 80 phr (44% by weight) to 90 phr rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi (47% by weight), or 100 phr (50% by weight) and has a Mooney ML (1+4) viscosity at 125 °C of 35, or 40 to 50, or 65. In one embodiment, oil-extended EPDM has a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 150,000 to 250,000; a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 350,000 to 550,000; and a z-average molecular weight (Mz) of 500,000 to 1,500,000. In another embodiment, oil-extended EPDM has an Mz of 600,000 to 1,500,000. Non-limiting examples of suitable oil-strengthened EPDM include KEP 902N available from Kumho Polychem, XUS 51111 available from The Dow Chemical Company, and Keltan® 5469Q available from Arlanxeo. In one embodiment, the oil-extended EPDM is present in an amount of 10%, or 20%, to 30%, or 35%, or 40%, or 45% by weight, relative to the total weight of the described composition. In another embodiment, the oil-extended EPDM is present in an amount not exceeding 45% by weight relative to the total weight of the described composition. In one form, oil-extended EPDM has one, some, or all of the following properties: (a) an ethylene content of 50% by weight, or 55% by weight, to 60% by weight, or 70% by weight; and / or (b) a diene content of 0.1% by weight, or 0.5% by weight, or 1.0% by weight, or 2.0% by weight, or 3.0% by weight, 4.0% by weight, to 4.5% by weight, or 5.0% by weight, or 5.5% by weight; and / or (o) an oil content of 70 phr, or 80 phr to 90 phr, or 100 phr and a Mooney ML (1+4) viscosity at 125 °C of 35, or 40 to 50, or 65; and / or (d) a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 150,000 to 250,000; and / or (e) a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 350,000 to 550,000; and / or (f) a z-average molecular weight (Mz) of 600,000 to 1,500,000. Oil-extended EPDM may comprise two or more of the forms described herein. (iii) Crosslinking catalyst The ethylene-silane copolymer and the oil-extended EPDM are combined with a crosslinking catalyst. A crosslinking catalyst is a catalyst capable of forming Si-O-Si bonds across the polymer chains of the ethylene-based polymer, thereby crosslinking the polymer. The resulting composition containing an ethylene-silane copolymer and an oil-extended EPDM, as described herein, can be cured by contact with, or exposure to, water (humidity), in the presence of the crosslinking catalyst (also referred to as the moisture-curing catalyst in this description). Suitable catalysts include metal carboxylates, such as dibutyltin dilaurate, stannous octoate, stannous acetate, dibutyldimethoxytin, dibutyl bis(2,4-pentanedionate), lead naphthenate, and zinc octoate; organic metal compounds, such as titanium esters and chelates, such as tetrabutyl titanate; organic bases, such as ethylamine, hexylamine, and piperidine; and acids, such as mineral acids and fatty acids. Ambient or accelerated curing systems typically use fast-acting condensation catalysts, such as aromatic sulfonic acids.Such moisture-curing crosslinking catalysts and catalyst systems are readily available commercially. Examples of suitable commercial catalysts in masterblend form include, but are not limited to, DFDB 5480NT (a tin catalyst system), DFDA 5488NT (an ambient rapid catalyst masterblend) from DOW Plastics, or the Borealis AMBICAT™ LE 4476 system. In one embodiment, the crosslinking catalyst master mixture is present in an amount of 0.5 wt, or 1.0 wt, or 2.0 wt, or 3.0 wt, or 4.0 wt to 5.0 wt, or 6.0 wt, or 8 wt, or 10 wt, relative to the total weight of the present composition. In one embodiment, the crosslinking catalyst master mixture has an amount of 0.5 wt, or 1.0 wt, or 1.5 wt, to 2.0 wt, or 2.5 wt, or 3.0 wt of active catalyst relative to the weight of the crosslinking catalyst master mixture. In one embodiment, the active catalyst is present in an amount of 0.01% by weight, or 0.05% by weight, or 0.06% by weight to 0.07% by weight, or 0.09% by weight, or 0.10% by weight, or 0.15% by weight, or 0.2% by weight with respect to the total weight of the present composition. (iv) Moisture cured In one embodiment, the described composition is moisture-cured. Prior to moisture curing, the ethylene-silane copolymer is mixed with the oil-extended EPDM and a crosslinking catalyst. In one modality, crosslinking is delayed until the composition cures through exposure to moisture (moisture curing). In one method, the moisture is water. In one method, moisture curing is carried out by exposing the coated conductor to water in the form of moisture (e.g., water in the gaseous state) or by immersing the coated conductor in a water bath. The relative humidity can be as high as 100%. In one modality, moisture curing takes place at a temperature from ambient temperature (ambient conditions) up to 100 °C for 1 hour, or 4 hours, or 12 hours, or 24 hours, or 2 days, or 3 days, or 5 to 6 days, or 8 days, or 10 days, or 12 days, or 14 days, or 28 days, or 60 days. In one embodiment, the ethylene-silane copolymer is present in an amount of 55%, 60%, or 70% by weight, to 85% or 90% by weight, relative to the total weight of the crosslinked composition. In another embodiment, the oil-extended EPDM is present in an amount of 10%, 15% by weight, to 30%, 35%, 40%, or 45% by weight, relative to the total weight of the crosslinked composition. In one embodiment, the EPDM of the oil-extended EPDM has an average molecular weight z (Mz) of 600,000 to 1,500,000. In one embodiment, the moisture-curable composition includes, in a quantity relative to the total weight of the described composition: (i) from 55% by weight, or 60% by weight, or 70% by weight, to 85% by weight, or 90% by weight, of an ethylenesilane copolymer; (ii) from 10% by weight, or 15% by weight, to 30% by weight, or 35% by weight, or 40% by weight, or 45% by weight, of an oil-strengthened EPDM; and (iii) from 0.5 wt, or 1.0 wt, or 2.0 wt, or 3.0 wt, or 4.0 wt to 5.0 wt, or 6.0 wt, or 8 wt, or 10 wt, of a crosslinking catalyst master mix, having an active catalyst content (with respect to the total weight of the composition) of 0.01 wt, or 0.05 wt, or 0.1 wt, to 0.2 wt, or 0.5 wt, wherein components (i), (ii) and (iii) total 100 wt of the moisture-curable composition. (v) Reticulated composition In one embodiment, the description provides a crosslinked composition comprising 55 wt% to 85 wt% ethylene-silane copolymer and 15 wt% to 45 wt% oil-extended EPDM. The crosslinked composition has a flexural modulus of 50 MPa to 160 MPa and a heat set greater than 10%. The crosslinked composition is formed by crosslinking catalyst and moisture curing as described above. In one form, the cross-linked composition has a Shore D hardness of 20, or 30, or 35, to 40, or 45, or 49. In one modality, the lattice composition has a flexural modulus of 50 MPa, or 60 MPa, or 70 MPa, or 75 MPa, or 80 MPa, or 85 MPa, to 95 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 110 MPa, or 120 MPa, or 130 MPa, or 150 MPa, or 160 MPa. In one form, the cross-linked composition has a tensile strength of 7.0 MPa, or 8.0 MPa, or 9.0 MPa, or 10.0 MPa to 11.0 MPa, or 12.0 MPa, or 13.0 MPa, or 14.0 MPa, or 15.0 MPa. In one form, the crosslinked composition has a heat fixation performance greater than 10%, or greater than rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi % to 70%, or from 20% to 60%, or from 30% to 60%. In one embodiment, the crosslinked composition comprises, in an amount relative to the total weight of the crosslinked composition: (i) of 55 wt%, or 65 wt%, or 70 wt%, or 75 wt% to 80 wt%, or 85 wt% of the ethylene-silane copolymer; and (ii) an oil-extended EPDM of 15 wt%, or 20 wt%, to 25 wt%, or 30 wt%, or 35 wt%, or 40 wt%, or 45 wt%, or 50 wt% of the oil-extended EPDM; and the crosslinked composition has one, some, or all of the following properties: (a) a Shore D hardness of 20, or 30, or 35, to 40, or 45, or 49; and / or (b) a flexural modulus of 50 MPa, or 60 MPa, or 70 MPa, or 75 MPa, or 80 MPa, or 85 MPa, to 95 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 110 MPa, or 120 MPa, or 130 MPa, or 150 MPa, or 160 MPa; and / or (c) a tensile strength of 7.0 MPa, or 8.0 MPa, or 9.0 MPa, or 10.0 MPa to 11.0 MPa, or 12.0 MPa, or 13.0 MPa, or 14.0 MPa, or 15.0 MPa; and / or (d) a heat fixation performance greater than 10%, or from 0% to 70%, or from 20% to 60%, or from 30% to 60%. In one embodiment, the crosslinked composition comprises, in a quantity with respect to the total weight of the composition: rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi (i) of 70 wt%, or 75 wt% to 80 wt% of the ethylene-silane copolymer, wherein the ethylene-silane copolymer optionally has a silane content of 0.1 wt%, or 0.3 wt%, or 0.5 wt% to 1.0 wt%, or 2.0 wt% silane; and (ii) an amount of oil-extended EPDM of 15 wt%, or 20 wt%, to 25 wt% of the oil-extended EPDM; and the crosslinked composition has one, some, or all of the following properties: (a) a Shore D hardness of 30, or 35, to 40, or 45; and / or (b) a flexural modulus 50 MPa, or 60 MPa, or 70 MPa, or 75 MPa, or 80 MPa, or 85 MPa, to 95 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 110 MPa, or 120 MPa, or 130 MPa, or 150 MPa, or 160 MPa; and / or (or) a tensile strength of 8.0 MPa, 9.0 MPa, or 10.0 MPa to 11.0 MPa, or 12.0 MPa, or 13.0 MPa, or 14.0 MPa, or 15.0 MPa; and / or (d) a heat fixation performance of 45%, or 50% to 55%, or 60%. The reticulated composition may comprise two or more modalities described in this description. The compositions described herein can be processed to manufacture articles. For example, the compositions can be processed into films or sheets, or into one or more layers of a multilayer structure, using known processes such as calendering, blow molding, casting, or (co)extrusion. Injection-molded, compression-molded, extruded, or blow-molded parts can also be prepared from the compositions described herein. Alternatively, the compositions can be processed into foams or fibers, or extruded into wire and cable coatings such as sheathing and insulation. (vi) Coated conductor In one embodiment, the description provides a coated conductor comprising a conductor and a coating over the conductor. The coating is a crosslinked composition composed of (i) ethylene-silane copolymer and (ii) oil-extended EPDM as previously described herein. The process for producing the coated conductor involves heating the crosslinkable composition containing the catalyst master mix to at least the melting temperature of the ethylene-silane copolymer and then extruding the polymer melt onto the conductor. The term "on" includes both direct and indirect contact between the molten mix and the conductor. The molten mix is ​​in an extrudable state. The coating is cross-linked. In one embodiment, cross-linking is delayed until the coating cross-links through exposure to moisture. In one modality, moisture curing is carried out rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi as described above. In one embodiment, the ethylene-silane copolymer is present in an amount of 55% by weight, or 65% by weight, or 70% by weight, or 75% by weight to 80% by weight, or 85% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the coating, and the oil-extended EPDM is present in an amount of 45% by weight, or 40% by weight, or 35% by weight, or 30% by weight, or 25% by weight to 20% by weight, or 15% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the coating. The covering may consist of one or more inner layers. The covering completely covers, or otherwise surrounds or encloses, the conductor. The covering may be the sole component surrounding the conductor. Alternatively, the covering may be a layer of multilayer insulation, sheathing, or a sleeve enclosing the conductor. In one embodiment, the covering is in direct contact with the conductor. In another embodiment, the covering is in direct contact with an intermediate layer surrounding the conductor. In one form, the coating over the conductor has a Shore D hardness of 20, or 30, or 35, to 40, or 45, or 49. In one modality, the coating over the conductor has a flexural modulus of 70 MPa, or 75 MPa, or 80 MPa, or 85 MPa, to 95 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 110 MPa, or 120 MPa or 130 MPa, or 150 MPa, or 160 MPa. In one embodiment, the coating over the conductor rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi has a tensile strength of 7.0 MPa, or 8.0 MPa, or 9.0 MPa, or 10.0 MPa or 11.0 MPa, or 12.0 MPa, or 13.0 MPa, or 14.0 MPa, or 15.0 MPa. In one modality, the coating on the conductor has a heat-fixing performance greater than 10%. In one embodiment, the coating on the conductor has a heat-fixing performance greater than 10%, or from 0% to 70%, or from 20% to 60%, or from 30% to 60%. In one embodiment, the coating over the conductor contains, consists essentially of, or consists solely of, the crosslinked composition, the crosslinked composition comprising, in an amount based on the total weight of the coating: (i) of 55 wt%, or 65 wt%, or 70 wt%, or 75 wt% to 80 wt%, or 85 wt% of the ethylene-silane copolymer; and (ii) of 45 wt%, or 40 wt%, or 35 wt%, or 30 wt%, or 25 wt% to 20 wt%, or 15 wt% of the oil-extended EPDM; and the crosslinked composition has one, some, or all of the following properties: (a) a Shore D hardness of 20, or 30, or 35, to 40, or 45, or 49; and / or (b) a flexural modulus of 70 MPa, or 75 MPa, or 80 MPa, or 85 MPa, to 95 MPa, or 100 MPa, or 110 MPa, or 120 MPa; and / or (c) a tensile strength of 7.0 MPa, or 8.0 MPa, or 9.0 MPa, or 10.0 MPa to 11.0 MPa, or 12.0 MPa, or 13.0 MPa, or 14.0 MPa, or 15.0 MPa; and / or (d) a heat setting performance of 45%, or 50% to 55%, or 60%. The coating can be either a sheath or an insulating layer for the coated conductor. In one embodiment, the coating is a sheath; alternatively, the coating is an insulating layer. The coated conductor may comprise two or more of the forms described herein. By way of example, and not as a limitation, some modalities of the present description will be described in detail in the following Examples. Examples 1. Materials The materials used in the examples are provided in Table 1 below. Table 1 Material / Description Properties Source Si-Link DFDB 5451 NT: reactor ethylene silane copolymer Density = 0.922 g / cc, tensile strength = 16.5 MPa, tensile elongation (at break) = 350%, silane content = 1.5 wt% silane. Dow Inc. Material / Description Properties Source Experimental silane copolymer 1 Density = 0.920 g / cc, tensile strength = 18.3 MPa, tensile elongation (at break) = 435%, silane content = 0.3 wt% silane, I2 (melt index at 190 °C) = 3.8 g / 10 min. Dow Inc. KEP902N: Oil-extended EPDM Mooney viscosity ML(1+8) at 125 °C = 52, Mooney viscosity ML(1+4) at 125 °C = 61, ethylene content = 67 wt%, diene content = 4.5 wt%, oil content = 100 phr. Kumho Polychem XUS 51111: Oil-extended EPDM. Mooney viscosity ML(1+4) at 125 °C = 55, ethylene content = 65% by weight, diene content = 4.9% by weight, oil content = 75 phr. Dow Inc. Nordel IP 3722: EPDM. Mooney viscosity ML(1+4) at 125 °C = 19, ethylene content = 71% by weight, diene content = 0.5% by weight, oil content = 0 phr. Dow Inc.Keltan 5469: Oil-extended EPDM. Ethylene content = 59 wt%, diene content = 4 wt%, oil content = 100 phr. Mooney viscosity ML(1+8) at 150 °C = 38 (Mooney viscosity ML(1+4) at 125 °C = 50). Arlanxeo DFDA 5488 NT: Silanol condensation catalyst. Density = 0.930 g / cc. Dow Inc. DFDA 5480 NT: Catalyst master mix containing polyolefin carrier. Density = 0.930 g / cc. Dow Inc. rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi Table 2. EPDM Properties EPDM EPDM Extended with Oil Property Units Nordel IP 3722 KEP 902 XUS 51111 Keltan 5469Q Mooney Viscosity ML(1+4) at 125 °C 19 61 55 50 ML(1+8) at 125 °C NA 52 NA NA ML (1+8) 150 °C NA NA NA 38 Diene Content % by Weight 0.5 4.5 4.9 4 Ethylene Content % by Weight 71 67 65 59 Oil Content phr 0 100 75 100 Crystallinity % 15 NA 7 NA Mn 38,500 182,000 177,000 219,000 Mw 114,000 540,000 377,000 530,000 Mz NA 1,298,000 684,000 1,102.40 NA=not available. 2. Composition of ethylenesilane copolymer and EPDM blend extended with oil. The procedure for obtaining a crosslinked blend composition of ethylene-silane copolymer and oil-extended EPDM begins by mixing oil-extended EPDM (Table 2 shows the properties of the oil-extended EPDM used) and the crosslinking catalyst master mix in a small Si-Link DFDB 5451 NT internal mixer at 160 °C for 10 to 15 min to achieve a uniform blend. Table 3 shows the formulations used in this example. The resulting blend is immediately pressed into a 2 mm plate. To achieve crosslinking, the plate is immediately placed in a 60 °C water bath with both sides of the plate exposed. Dog-bone shaped samples are cut from this plate, and the heat-setting performance is measured as a function of the curing time in the water bath. If the sample cannot maintain a tensile strength of 0.2 MPa, a tensile strength of less than 0.2 MPa has been used.1 MPa to show the formation of the crosslinked network. The final heat-set elongation percentages are reported when the heat-set elongation values ​​no longer change as a function of the water bath curing time. Table 3 shows the mechanical properties of the comparative samples (CS) and the examples of the invention (IE). The data shown in Table 3 indicate that the IE formulations have lower hardness, a lower flexural modulus, good heat-set elongation performance (i.e., heat-set elongation of less than 175% elongation), and mechanical properties when compared to CS1 and CS2. In addition to the formulations shown above, in rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi IE4 The applicant also explored the use of an ethylene-silane copolymer containing a very low amount of silane (less than 0.5 wt% Si). Table 3 shows the formulation and properties of example IE4. Table 3. Composition and properties of the comparative samples rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi (CS) and the examples of the invention (TE). CS1 CS2 IE1 IE2 IE3 IE4 IE5 DFDB-5451NT (wt. %) 95 76 76 76 76 0 76 Experimental Silane Copolymer 1 (wt. %) 0 0 0 0 0 76 0 KEP 902 (wt. %) 0 0 0 20 20 20 0 XUS 51111 (wt. %) 0 0 20 0 0 0 0 Keltan 5469Q (wt. %) 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 Nordel IP 3722 (wt. %) 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 DFDA-5488NT (wt. %) 5 4 4 4 0 4 0 DFDA-5480NT (wt. %) 0 0 0 0 4 0 2 PROPERTIES Shore D 50 40 38 40 39 40 35 Flexural Modulus (MPa) 190 150 85 80 110 98 N / A Tensile Strength (MPa) 19 16.5 14.5 13 12.3 8.4 8.2 Elongation at Break (%) 315 330 325 305 310 315 241 Heat Set (%) 25 40 45 50 45 60* 46 = 0.1 MPa compared to the normal 0.2 MPa. N / A = not available. The properties of IE1-IE5 show that the addition of oil-extended EPDM increases flexibility and increases the softness of the mixture as demonstrated by the decrease in Shore D hardness, with respect to sample CS1. The applicant demonstrates that incorporating an oil-extended EPDM, at approximately 20% by weight of the composition, results in a cross-linked composition with lower hardness and a lower flexural modulus compared to CS1. The IEs are capable of forming a cross-linked network, as demonstrated by their heat-bonding performance, even when their compositions contain a significant amount of oil-extended EPDM. Example 4, which contains an experimental reactor ethylene-silane copolymer with a very low silane content (0.3 wt% Si), also demonstrates that it forms a crosslinked network and maintains a heat-fixing strength at 200 °C. This was unexpected given the very low silane content (0.3 wt% Si). As shown in Table 3, Example 4 of the invention did not maintain the 0.2 MPa strength, but it did maintain a lower strength of 0.1 MPa, indicating that network formation was still present. rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi It is specifically intended that the present description not be limited to the forms and illustrations contained herein, but include modified forms of those forms that include parts of the forms and combinations of elements of different forms as within the scope of the following claims. It is noted that with regard to this date, the method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention is the one that is clear from the description of the invention.

Claims

1. A composition characterized in that it comprises: an ethylene-silane copolymer; an oil-extended ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) monomer; and a crosslinking catalyst.

2. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: from 55% by weight to 85% by weight of ethylene-silane copolymer; from 15% by weight to 45% by weight of oil-extended EPDM; and from 1.0% by weight to 10.0% by weight of crosslinking catalyst mastermix.

3. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the crosslinking catalyst master mix contains from 1.7% by weight to 2.8% by weight of active catalyst.

4. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the oil-extended EPDM has from 50.0 phr to 100 phr of oil.

5. The composition according to claim 4, rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi characterized in that the EPDM of the oil-extended EPDM has a weighted average molecular weight (Mw) of 350,000 to 650,000 and a weighted average molecular weight z (Mz) of 650,000 to 1,500,000.

6. The composition according to claim 5, characterized in that the EPDM of the oil-extended EPDM has an ethylene content of 50.0% by weight to 70.0% by weight and a diene content of 0.5% by weight to 5.5% by weight.

7. The composition according to claim 6, characterized in that the oil-extended EPDM has a Mooney viscosity ML (1+4) at 125 °C of 35 to 65.

8. A crosslinked composition comprising: from 55 wt% to 85 wt% of an ethylene-silane copolymer; from 15 wt% to 45 wt% of an oil-extended EPDM; characterized in that it has: (a) a flexural modulus of 50 MPa to 160 MPa; and (b) a heat-set elongation greater than 10%.

9. The crosslinked composition according to claim 8, characterized in that the EPDM of the oil-extended EPDM has an average molecular weight Mw of 300,000 to 650,000.

10. The cross-linked composition according to claim 9, characterized in that the cross-linked composition rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi 42 has a tensile strength of 5.0 MPa to 15.0 MPa.

11. A coated conductor, characterized in that it comprises a conductor; and a coating over the conductor, the coating comprising a crosslinked composition comprising (i) an ethylene-silane copolymer (ii) an oil-extended ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) monomer.

12. The coated conductor according to claim 11, characterized in that the coating comprises from 55% by weight to 85% by weight of the ethylene-silane copolymer; and from 45% by weight to 15% by weight of the oil-extended EPDM.

13. The coated conductor according to claim 12, characterized in that the coated conductor has a hardness (Shore D) of 30 to 45.

14. The coated conductor according to claim 13, characterized in that the coated conductor has a flexural modulus of 50 MPa to 120 MPa. rno / nn / zznz / E / YiAi 15. The coated conductor according to claim 14, characterized in that the coated conductor has the following properties: a) a tensile strength of 5.0 MPa to 15.0 MPa; and b) a heat-fix elongation greater than 10%.