Vinyl silanes, grafting onto polyethylen

In the vinyl silane cross-linking process Sioplas process) developed by Dow, an easily hydrolysable trialkoxy vinyl silane, CH2=CHSi(OR)3, is grafted onto the polyethylene chain, the site activation having been achieved with the aid of a small amount of peroxide. The material is then extruded onto the wire. When exposed to hot water or low-pressure steam, the alkoxy groups hydrolyze and then condense to form a siloxane cross-link ... 

A newer chemical method is to melt-blend polyethylene with vinyl trialkoxy silane and peroxide, grafting the silane as side-groups onto the polyethylene chain (Fig. 3.69). As long as it is kept very dry, the alkoxysilane groups are stable. After the grafted polyethyl-... 

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