Patent ID: 6348236
Filing Date: 2002-02-19
Classification: C09J,G02B,H01B

Abstract:
A process for the manufacture of a water blocking tape for use in cable manufacture, which process comprises the steps of:(a) providing a substrate material having at least one surface, the substrate material being substantially flat and flexible to allow said substrate material to be wrapped about cable components; (b) preparing an aqueous solution consisting of: (i) a water soluble, partially neutralized, (meth)acrylic acid homopolymer; (ii) a multivalent ionic crosslinking agent; and (iii) a crosslinking suppressing agent that maintains the multivalent ionic crosslinking agent in solution until the solution has been coated onto the substrate material; â€ƒsaid aqueous solution being neutralized to a pH of greater than 7; (c) forming a coating of said aqueous solution on said at least one surface of said substrate material, the coating having a surface substantially in complete contact with said at least one surface of said substrate material; and (d) drying said coating on said at least one surface of said substrate material to sequentially or concurrently remove substantially all ammonia and water therefrom to form an ionically partially crosslinked water swellable polymer coating on said at least one surface of said substrate non-porous substrate material, said coating being sufficiently flexible to resist cracking and peeling when said water blocking tape is wrapped about cable components during cable manufacture.