Patent ID: 6924031

Claim:
A self-extinguishing cable comprising a conductor and a flame-retardant coating, said flame-retardant coating comprising: (a) an ethylene homopolymer or copolymer having a density of from 0.905 to 0.970 g/cm 3 , wherein said ethylene homopolymer or copolymer are: ethylene homopolymers; copolymers of ethylene with an alpha-olefin; copolymers of ethylene with an ethylenically unsaturated ester; or mixtures thereof; (b) a copolymer of ethylene with at least one alpha-olefin, and optionally with a diene, said copolymer (b) having a density of from 0.860 to 0.904 g/cm 3 , and having a composition distribution index greater than 45%, said index being defined as the weight percentage of copolymer molecules having an alpha-olefin content within 5% of the average total molar content of alpha-olefin; (c) natural magnesium hydroxide in an amount such as to impart flame-retardant properties; wherein at least one of the polymeric components (a) and (b) contains hydrolyzable organic silane groups grafted onto the polymer chain for compatibilization of the natural magnesium hydroxide with the polymeric components; wherein said flame retardant coating has no appreciable cross-linking.