Abstract: A tube assembly includes glass fiber, a heat-recovered heat recoverable tube surrounding at least a portion of the glass fiber, an adhesive having an adhesive composition comprising a reactive polyethylene and a reactive propylene copolymer. The adhesive adhesively couples the heat-recovered heat recoverable tube to the glass fiber. The adhesive composition includes a reactive polyethylene, such as, a maleic anhydride modified linear low density polyethylene resin, and a reactive propylene copolymer, such as, a maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene copolymer. The adhesive composition is capable of adhering to glass fiber with an axial load of 5 N at 70° C. for a period of at least 60 seconds.

Abstract: A tube assembly includes glass fiber, a heat-recovered heat recoverable tube surrounding at least a portion of the glass fiber, an adhesive having an adhesive composition comprising a reactive polyethylene and a reactive propylene copolymer. The adhesive adhesively couples the heat-recovered heat recoverable tube to the glass fiber. The adhesive composition includes a reactive polyethylene, such as, a maleic anhydride modified linear low density polyethylene resin, and a reactive propylene copolymer, such as, a maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene copolymer. The adhesive composition is capable of adhering to glass fiber with an axial load of 5 N at 70° C. for a period of at least 60 seconds.

Abstract: A heat shrinkable tube and system including a heat-recovered heat shrinkable tube are disclosed. The heat shrinkable tube includes an extrusion and expansion of a blend, the blend including a first polyolefin terephthalate copolymer and a second polyolefin terephthalate copolymer, the second component having a different composition from the first component. The extrusion and expansion are arranged as the heat shrinkable tube. The blend can have a glass transition temperature at least 85° C. and/or the blend can be irradiated to a higher viscosity.

Abstract: A heat shrinkable tube and system including a heat-recovered heat shrinkable tube are disclosed. The heat shrinkable tube is an extrusion and expansion of a blend comprising a polyethylene terephthalate copolymer. The extrusion and expansion are arranged as the heat shrinkable tube. The polyethylene terephthalate copolymer includes one or both of being at a concentration of the blend, by weight, of at least 85%, and including poly(cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate) glycol, poly(cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate) acid, poly(ethylene terephthalate) glycol, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel gelloid composition comprising a crosslinked non-silicone polymer having an olefinic unsaturated content of less than 10 mole percent and having dispersed therein a liquid in an amount of from about 20% to about about 95% by weight based on the weight of the liquid and polymer and from 0 to 0.3 volume fraction of a filler, said cross-linked polymera) if derived from a solid, relatively high molecular weight polymer, having a gel fraction of at least about 50%, orb) if derived from a liquid, relatively low molecular weight polymer, having at least about 0.1 crosslinks per weight average molecule;said composition having a modulus of (1+2.5v+14.1v.sup.2)x dynes/cm.sup.2 wherein x is less than 5.times.10.sup.5 at 30.degree. C. and greater than 5.times.10.sup.2 at 90.degree. C., and v is the volume fraction of the filler, with the proviso that, if the crosslinked polymer is prepared from a solid high molecular eight polymer, the storage modulus at 140.degree. C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sealed cable article and method for sealing the area between two or more cables and between the cables and an enclosure with a shaped article at a location where the cables exit from the enclosure, the method comprising (a) providing a shaped article of a polymeric gel said gel having (i) a cone penetration value of about 30 to about 450 (10.sup.-1 mm), and (ii) an elongation of from about 25% to about 750%; (b) positioning the shaped article around the cables; and (c) positioning the enclosure such that it surrounds the shaped article. An article aspect of the invention comprises two or more cables, an enclosure surrounding the cables, and a polymeric gel having the properties as described above sealing the area between the cables and the enclosure.

Abstract: The invention relates to an article for sealing the exposed portion an electrical connection, especially motor connections, of two or more cables comprising an envelope, having an opening at one end, of a material having a flexural modulus of at least 1,000 psi at 23.degree. C. The envelope contains a polymeric gel having a cone penetration value of about 30 to about 400 (10.sup.-1 mm) and an elongation of from about 25% to about 850% and further comprises a retaining means for retaining the polymeric gel and envelope on the electrical connection.

Abstract: A heat activatable sealing piston comprising a cylinder of polymeric material radially expandable on application of heat. The piston can be incorporated into thermal actuators of various types. In a preferred embodiment, the sealing piston is used in an electrical connector, together with a gas generating means to force solder between an electrical conductor inserted into the connector and the walls of the tubular connector.

Abstract: A shrinkable tubular article comprises a tubular inner elastomeric member held in a radially expanded configuration by a tubular outer restraining means. The restraining means is prepared from a blend of a relatively rigid thermoplastic material and a segmented copolymer having at least one segment compatible with the thermoplastic and at least one segment compatible with the elastomer of the inner member. Optionally, the restraining means contains a tackifier. The inner surface of the outer member and the outer surface of the inner member are directly bonded together (i.e. without an interfacial adhesive). The bond between the members is sufficiently strong to restrain the inner elastomer member from shrinking to, or toward, its unexpanded configuration. In addition, the bond weakens sufficiently on application of solvent to permit the elastomeric member to peel away from the restraining outer member.

Abstract: A heat recoverable tubular composite article comprising an inner layer comprising a crosslinked elastomeric polymeric material having a modulus at 100% elongation at 20.degree. C. of about 40 to about 900 pounds per square inch and an outer layer comprising a thermoplastic material having a 2% secant modulus at 20.degree. C. of about 5,000 to about 100,000 pounds per square inch said composite article (1) being formed by coextrusion, (2) having a direct bond between said layers with a peel strength of at least 6 pounds per linear inch, and (3) being in a radically expanded configuration, said thermoplastic outer layer being capable of retaining the elastomeric inner layer in an expanded configuration at ambient temperature and incapable of retaining the elastomeric layer in an expanded configuration at a temperature above a predetermined temperature thereby permitting the composite article to recover to or toward its unexpanded configuration.

Abstract: The conductors of multi-conductor, medium voltage, power cables, at locations where the cable insulation has been removed, are insulated by positioning between the conductors or cores, an insert, at least the surface of which comprises a first void-filling material capable of forming a substantially void-free interface with each conductor, placing a second void-filling material over the conductors and recovering a dimensionally recoverable polymeric sleeve over the resulting assembly. The method is particularly useful to provide insulation between conductors of a joint between two multi-conductor, medium voltage power cables.

Abstract: A substantially solvent-free adhesive composition consists essentially of an elastomer and tackifier, a metal oxide and, optionally, a plasticizer. The elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polar elastomers and unsaturated elastomers which have at least 5 mole percent unsaturation, said elastomer being a non-crystalline elastomer or an elastomer which has a slow rate of crystallization such that after a time period of at least 100 hours has elapsed following subjecting the elastomer to a temperature of 70.degree. C. for 30 minutes, the elastomer has a room temperature Shore A hardness of less than 60. The adhesive compositions can be formed into a shaped article, such as of a tape, film, sheet or tubular sleeve, if desired. The compositions have high adhesive strength for bonding together a variety of substrates. The adhesive is particularly useful with a dimensionally recoverable article, such as a shrinkable sleeve, to bond the recovered sleeve to a substrate such as an electric cable.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a sealant coated heat recoverable polymeric article is disclosed. The process includes the steps of extruding at least two different polymeric materials to form a unitary shaped article and thereafter exposing the shaped article to a source of ionizing radiation to thereby cross-link one of the polymeric materials and convert the other polymeric material into a tacky sealant.

Abstract: A substantially solvent-free adhesive composition consists essentially of an elastomer and tackifier, a metal oxide and, optionally, a plasticizer. The elastomer is selected from the group consisting of polar elastomers and unsaturated elastomers which have at least 5 mole percent unsaturation, said elastomer being a non-crystalline elastomer or an elastomer which has a slow rate of crystallization such that after a time period of at least 100 hours has elapsed following subjecting the elastomer to a temperature of 70.degree. C. for 30 minutes, the elastomer has a room temperature Shore A hardness of less than 60. The adhesive compositions can be formed into a shaped article, such as of a tape, film, sheet or tubular sleeve, if desired. The compositions have high adhesive strength for bonding together a variety of substrates. The adhesive is particularly useful with a dimensionally recoverable article, such as a shrinkable sleeve, to bond the recovered sleeve to a substrate such as an electric cable.

Abstract: Conductive polymer compositions which have improved voltage stability and which preferably exhibit PTC behavior. The compositions comprise a carbon black dispersed in a crystalline copolymer of an olefin and at least 10% by weight of an olefinically unsaturated comonomer containing a polar group. The carbon black has a particle size greater than 18 millimicrons, preferably greater than 30 millimicrons, a d-spacing greater than 360 and a surface area which is less than1.2S+e.sup.S/50where S is the DBP absorption of the carbon black. The carbon black is preferably present in amount at least 15% by weight of the composition. Particularly useful devices including such compositions are self-regulating heaters.