Patent ID: 6340719
Filing Date: 2002-01-22
Classification: C08G,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for crosslinking a melt-processed polymer composition comprising the steps of (a) forming a polymerizable mixture comprising (i) at least one monoethylenically-unsaturated monomer or prepolymer and (ii) at least one monoethylenically-unsaturated, blocked mono- or polyisocyanate that is thermally stable at a selected melt processing temperature range and that is thermally deblockable at and above a deblocking temperature that is at least about 10Â° C. above the maximum temperature (in Â° C.) of said selected melt processing temperature range; (b) exposing said polymerizable mixture to transmissive energy to polymerize said mixture to form a polymer composition comprising polymerized units derived from said blocked mono- or polyisocyanate; (c) melt processing said polymer composition at said selected melt processing temperature rang to form a melt-processed polymer composition; and (d) during melt processing or thereafter, increasing the temperature of said melt-processed polymer composition to said deblocking temperature, in the presence of at least one isocyanate-reactive crosslinking agent, to effect crosslinking of said melt-processed polymer composition.