Ethylene Polymer Coating Composition for Peroxide Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crosslinkable compositions containing ethylene-based polymers and organic peroxides used for wire and cable coatings face premature decomposition due to protic acids, leading to unsuitable coated conductors for wire and cable applications.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising an ethylene-based polymer, an organic peroxide, a phosphine oxide with a specific structure, and a protic acid-source compound is developed to prevent or slow the ionic decomposition of the organic peroxide during storage and extrusion, ensuring sufficient retention for crosslinking during continuous vulcanization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If protic acid-source compounds (such as antioxidants) are included in the crosslinkable composition, then the composition provides necessary protective functions and processing benefits, but the organic peroxide undergoes premature ionic decomposition during storage and extrusion, reducing the amount available for crosslinking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specific phosphine oxide compound as an intermediary substance that mediates between the protic acid-source compounds and the organic peroxide. This phosphine oxide acts as a protective intermediary that prevents direct harmful interaction between the protic acids and peroxide, thereby reducing premature decomposition while allowing the protic acid-source compounds to maintain their protective functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The phosphine oxide is incorporated into the composition beforehand to preemptively counteract the harmful ionic decomposition pathway. By having the phosphine oxide present in advance, it establishes a protective mechanism that prevents the protic acids from initiating premature peroxide decomposition during storage and extrusion processes.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the composition is stored or extruded at temperatures up to 140°C or less, then the composition maintains stability, but the organic peroxide still undergoes ionic decomposition via protic acids, reducing crosslinking capability
Solution Approach 1:
The phosphine oxide serves as a protective intermediary that specifically targets and prevents the ionic decomposition pathway initiated by protic acids. This intermediary mechanism allows the composition to remain stable during storage and extrusion while preserving the organic peroxide's crosslinking capability for the subsequent vulcanization step.
3Quantity of substance
If sufficient organic peroxide is retained in the composition during storage and extrusion, then crosslinking can proceed effectively during continuous vulcanization, but protic acid-source compounds naturally promote ionic decomposition pathways that reduce peroxide availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful interaction between protic acids and organic peroxide into a beneficial outcome by using the phosphine oxide to selectively inhibit the ionic decomposition pathway. This allows the composition to maintain sufficient peroxide levels for effective crosslinking while the protic acid-source compounds continue to provide their protective functions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition effectively retains a suitable amount of organic peroxide, enabling successful crosslinking of the coating during continuous vulcanization, thus producing suitable coated conductors for wire and cable applications.
Implementation Method 1
protic acids that can be contained in or generated from additives such as antioxidants in crosslinkable compositions are known to cause premature decomposition of the organic peroxide via a pathway that is nonproductive for crosslinking the crosslinkable composition
Implementation Method 2
the organic peroxide decomposes in an ionic pathway that does not lead to the desired free radical crosslinking reaction
Implementation Method 3
The crosslinked product may be made by heating the composition to a temperature sufficient to crosslink the composition
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a composition. The composition includes (i) an ethylene-based polymer; (ii) an organic peroxide, (iii) a phosphine oxide, and (iv) a protic acid-source compound ("PASC") selected from a protic acid, a protic acid-generator compound ("PAGC"), and combinations thereof. The present disclosure also provides a coated conductor. The coated conductor includes a conductor and a coating on the conductor, the coating containing a composition including (i) an ethylene-based polymer; (ii) an organic peroxide, (iii) a phosphine oxide, and (iv) a protic acid-source compound ("PASC") selected from a protic acid, a protic acid-generator compound ("PAGC"), and combinations thereof.