DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides for water-curable, silane modified ethylene polymers produced by reacting an ethylene polymer having a density of 0.
850 to 0.
930, preferably 0.
875 to 0.
930, most preferably 0.
88 to 0.
91 gram per cc with a hydrolyzable silane of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.
sup.
1 is hydrogen or methyl; R is a hydrocarbon radical or an oxysubstituted hydrocarbon radical; each V, which can be the same or different, is hydrogen, a hydrocarbon radical or a hydrolyzable group; and Z is a hydrolyzable group.
The water-curable, silane modified ethylene polymers of this invention are resistant to premature crosslinking during their preparation and are characterized by improved mechanical properties such as improved tensile strength, improved elongation and good flexibility.
By reason of their improved properties, the water-curable, silane modified ethylene polymers of this invention are particularly desirable for use in extrusion applications, for instance, as extrudates about wires and cables.
Illustrative of suitable radicals for R in Formula I are alkylene radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive, preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms inclusive, such as methylene, ethylene, propylene, butylene, hexylene and the like; alkoxy radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive, preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms inclusive such as methyloxymethyl, methyloxypropyl, ethyloxyethyl, ethyloxypropyl, propyloxypropyl, propyloxybutyl, propyloxyhexyl and the like.
As stated, each V can be hydrogen, a hydrocarbon radical or a hydrolyzable group.
Illustrative of suitable hydrocarbon radicals are alkyl radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive, preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms inclusive such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, n-hexyl and the like; alkoxy radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms inclusive, preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms inclusive, such as methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, hexoxy, dodecyloxy, methoxyethoxy and the like; aryl radicals having 6 to 8 carbon atoms inclusive such as phenyl, methylphenyl, ethylphenyl and the like; cycloaliphatic radicals having 5 to 8 carbon atoms inclusive such as cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cyclohexyloxy and the like
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Adhesives and Rubbers 
