1 18816129.

CLAIMS

1. A polymer composition comprising a polyethylene and a crosslinking agent,

characterized in that the polymer composition contains a total amount of vinyl groups
5 which is B vinyl groups per 1000 carbon atoms, and B 1 ≤ B, wherein B1 is 0.88, when
measured prior to crosslinking according to method ASTM D6248-98; and in that the
crosslinking agent is present in an amount which is Z wt%, based on the total amount
(100 wt%) of the polymer composition, and Z ≤ Z 2, wherein Z2 is 0.60.

10 2. A polymer composition according to according to claim 1, wherein the

polyethylene is unsaturated or saturated.

3. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the

polymer composition is crosslinked and has a hot set elongation, with a load of 20
15 N/cm2, which is less than 175 %, when measured according to the method for Hot Set
Determination.

4. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the

polyethylene is an unsaturated LDPE polymer.
20
5. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the
polyethylene is a copolymer of a monomer with at least one polyunsaturated
comonomer and with zero, one or more other comonomer(s) and wherein said total
amount of vinyl groups (B) present in the polymer composition include vinyl groups
25 originating from said at least one polyunsaturated comonomer, e.g. diene.

6. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the

polyethylene is a copolymer of a monomer with at least one polyunsaturated
comonomer, wherein the polyunsaturated comonomer is a straight carbon chain with at
30 least 8 carbon atoms and at least 4 carbon atoms between the non-conjugated double
bonds, of which at least one is terminal, for example, C 8 to C14 non conjugated diene, e.g.
selected from 1,7-octadiene, 1,9-decadiene, 1,11-dodecadiene, 1,13-tetradecadiene, or
mixtures thereof.
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7. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the

polyethylene is a copolymer of ethylene and 1,7-octadiene.

5 8. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the

polyethylene is a low density polyethylene (LDPE) homopolymer or copolymer, e.g. a
LDPE copolymer of ethylene with one or more polyunsaturated comonomer(s) and with
zero, one or more other comonomer(s).

10 9. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the

polymer composition has, prior to crosslinking, a melt flow rate at 2.16 kg loading
(MFR2) and at 190 °C, determined, according to method ISO 1133-1:2011, which MFR2
is A g/10 min and A ≤ A2, wherein A2 is 2.5 or 2 or 1.7.

15 10. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said
polyethylene, before crosslinking:
has a complex viscosity (ƞ*) at 0.05 rad/sec, which is X Pas, and X 1 ≤ X ≤ X2,
wherein X1 is 7600 and X2 is 30000, and
a complex viscosity (ƞ*) at 300 rad/sec, which is Y Pas, and Y 1 ≤ Y ≤ Y2, wherein Y1
20 is 5 and Y2 is 380, both complex viscosities (ƞ*) are determined according to method ISO
6721-1 on stabilised samples of the polyethylene.

11. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein B 1 is

0.90, 0.95, 1.00, 1.05, 1.10, 1.15, 1.20, 1.25 or 1.30, and/or Z 2 is 0.48 or 0.46.
25
12. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein
B≤ B2 and B2 is 3.0 and Z1 ≤ Z ≤ Z2, wherein Z1 is 0.01.

13. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the
30 polyethylene contains a total amount of vinyl groups which is P vinyl groups per 1000
carbon atoms, wherein P1 ≤ P ≤ P2 and, P1 is 0.89 and P2 is 3.0, preferably wherein P 1 is
0.90 and P2 is 1.5.
 3 18816129.3

14. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the
polymer composition simultaneously satisfies the following:
P1 ≤ P≤ P2 wherein P1 is 0.89 and P2 is 3.0;
Z1 ≤ Z ≤ Z2 wherein Z1 is 0.15 and Z2 is 0.60; and
5 A1 ≤ A ≤ A2 wherein A1 is 0.15 and A2 is 3.0.

15. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the
polymer composition simultaneously satisfies the following: P 1 ≤ P ≤ P2 wherein P1 is 0.9
and P2 is 1.5;
10 Z1 ≤ Z ≤ Z2 wherein Z1 is 0.25 and Z2 is 0.50; and
A1 ≤ A ≤ A2 wherein A1 is 0.60 and A2 is 2.5.

16. A polymer composition according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the
crosslinking agent comprises peroxide.
15
17. An article obtained from process comprising use of a polymer composition
according to any of claims 1 to 16, wherein the article is, for example, a cable.

18. An article according to claim 17, wherein the article comprises layer(s), e.g.
20 insulating layer(s), which is/are obtained from a polymer composition according to any
of claims 1 to 16, wherein the article is, for example, a cable.

19. An article according to claim 17 or 18 which is a power cable.

25 20. A process for producing a polymer composition according to any of claims 1 to 17,
the process comprising blending the polyethylene with the crosslinking agent.

21. A process for producing an article according to any of claims 17 to 19, which
process comprises use of a polymer composition according to any of claims 1 to 16.
30
22. A process according to claim 21, wherein said article is a power cable and wherein
said process comprises the steps:
 4 18816129.3

ao) meltmixing a polymer compostion as defined in any of claims 1 to 16,

optionally together with further components;
a) applying the meltmix obtained from step a0) on a conductor to form at least
one layer.
5
23. A process according to claim 22, wherein said article is a crosslinked power cable
and wherein said process further comprises the step:
b) crosslinking the at least one cable layer obtained from step a)