Abstract: A moisture-crosslinkable polypropylene material, comprising silane-grafted polyolefin or olefin-silane copolymer and non silane-modified polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer; and coatings or insulations, including heat-shrinkable coatings and insulations, prepared therefrom. The coating material is formed by a process comprising: (a) reacting polyolefin with a silane in the presence of a free-radical initiator to form a silane-grafted polyolefin, or copolymerizing a polyolefin with silane; (b) preparing a mixture of the silane-modified polyolefin prepared in (a) with polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer, and a silanol condensation catalyst; (c) forming the coating or insulating material by melt processing the mixture formed in step (b); and (d) crosslinking the coating or insulating material by exposing it to moisture, preferably at an elevated temperature.

Abstract: An electrical crimp connector comprises a metallic crimp barrel adapted to receive the bared end portion of an electrical conductor and a heat-shrinkable polymeric sleeve in which the crimp barrel is received. The insulating sleeve is comprised of an ionic polymer derived from the polymerization of an &agr;-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, a proportion of whose acid groups have been reacted to create ionic carboxylates of metal ions. The ionic polymer sleeve has high impact toughness, high abrasion and chemical resistance, high resistance to splitting by crimping tools, high degrees of flexibility and transparency, and a relatively low heat shrink temperature, making it more suitable for use in such connectors than sleeves comprised of other materials such as polyamides or polyolefins.

Abstract: A casing member for forming a connection between tubular sections. The member has heat shrinkable end portions, for connecting on respective adjacent end surfaces of the tubular sections adjacent the joint, and a middle portion for spanning between the end surfaces of the tubular sections. The end portions are formed integrally with at least a portion of the middle portion and have a zone that has a relatively small wall thickness while the middle portion having a relatively large wall thickness. This member may be made by heat shrinking a sleeve on an inner core on a mandrel or by uniting opposed ends of a heat shrink sheet having one or more auxiliary layers bonded to it. The properties of the core or auxiliary layer or layers may be tailored to provide desired properties or capabilities.