Patent ID: 7744803

Claim:
A process for preparing an ultraviolet-crosslinked, thermoset article or coating, comprising: (a) forming a blend comprising: (i) a polyolefin selected from one or more members of the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers of polyethylene, terpolymers of polyethylene and copolymers of polypropylene, wherein the polyolefin includes cationically polymerizable functional groups covalently bonded to the polyolefin; (ii) a cationic photoinitiator in an amount effective to initiate curing of said composition; and (iii) free-radical polymerizable functional groups in an effective amount to accelerate curing of said composition, wherein the free-radical polymerizable functional groups are covalently bonded to the polyolefin; (b) melt processing the blend to produce a melt-processed article or coating having a first set of dimensions; (c) cooling the melt-processed article or coating to a solid state; and (d) crosslinking the melt-processed article or coating by exposure to ultraviolet radiation to thereby produce said ultraviolet-crosslinked, thermoset article, wherein the crosslinking imparts thermoset characteristics to the article or coating such that, when the article or coating is heated to a temperature above the crystalline melting point of the polyolefin, it is softened but does not become liquid.