Covering for conductors

1. A covering comprising a thermoplastic composition wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises:

(i) a poly(arylene ether);

(ii) a polyolefin; and

(iii) a polymeric compatibilizer,

and further wherein an electrical wire comprising the covering disposed over a conductor has less than or equal to 5 spark leaks for 2,500 to 15,500 meters of wire.

2. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the conductor comprises a single strand or a plurality of strands.

3. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, high density polyethylene and combinations of polypropylene and high density polyethylene.

4. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a block copolymer having a block that is a controlled distribution copolymer.

5. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a first block copolymer having an aryl alkylene content greater than or equal to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the first block copolymer and a second block copolymer having an aryl alkylene content less than or equal to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the second block copolymer.

6. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a diblock copolymer and a triblock copolymer.

7. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a polypropylene-polystyrene graft copolymer.

8. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition further comprises a flame retardant.

9. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises polyolefin in an amount by weight that is less than the amount of poly(arylene ether) by weight, based on the combined weight of polyolefin and poly(arylene ether).

10. A covering comprising a thermoplastic composition wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises:

(i) a poly(arylene ether);

(ii) a polyolefin; and

(iii) a polymeric compatibilizer,

wherein the thermoplastic composition is substantially free of visible particulate impurities.

11. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, high density polyethylene and combinations of polypropylene and high density polyethylene.

12. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a block copolymer having a block that is a controlled distribution copolymer.

13. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a first block copolymer having an aryl alkylene content greater than or equal to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the first block copolymer and a second block copolymer having an aryl alkylene content less than or equal to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the second block copolymer.

14. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a diblock copolymer and a triblock copolymer.

15. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a polypropylene-polystyrene graft copolymer.

16. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic composition further comprises a flame retardant.

17. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises polyolefin in an amount by weight that is less than the amount of poly(arylene ether) by weight, based on the combined weight of polyolefin and poly(arylene ether).

18. A covering for a conductor wherein the covering comprises a thermoplastic composition produced by a method comprising:

melt mixing a poly(arylene ether), a polyolefin, and a polymeric compatibilizer to form a mixture;

melt filtering the mixture through a filter.

19. The covering of claim 18 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, high density polyethylene and combinations of polypropylene and high density polyethylene.

20. The covering of claim 18 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a block copolymer having a block that is a controlled distribution copolymer.

21. The covering of claim 18 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a first block copolymer having an aryl alkylene content greater than or equal to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the first block copolymer and a second block copolymer having an aryl alkylene content less than or equal to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the second block copolymer.

22. The covering of claim 18 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a diblock copolymer and a triblock copolymer.

23. The covering of claim 18 , wherein the polymeric compatibilizer comprises a polypropylene-polystyrene graft copolymer.

24. The covering of claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic composition further comprises a flame retardant.

25. The covering of claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic composition comprises polyolefin in an amount by weight that is less than the amount of poly(arylene ether) by weight, based on the combined weight of polyolefin and poly(arylene ether).

26. The covering of claim 18 , wherein the covering has a thickness and the filter has openings having a maximum diameter that is less than or equal to half the covering thickness.

27. A covering for a conductor wherein the covering comprises a thermoplastic composition produced by a method comprising:

melt mixing a poly(arylene ether), a polyolefin, and a polymeric compatibilizer to form a first mixture;

melt filtering the first mixture through a first filter;

melt filtering the first filtered mixture through a second filter to form a second filtered mixture.

28. The covering of claim 27 wherein the first filter has openings with diameters of 20 micrometers to 150 micrometers.

29. The covering of claim 27 wherein the second filter has openings with diameters of 20 micrometers to 150 micrometers.

30. The covering of claim 27 wherein the covering has a thickness and the first filter has openings having a maximum diameter that is less than or equal to half the covering thickness.

31. The covering of claim 27 wherein the covering has a thickness and the second filter has openings having a maximum diameter that is less than or equal to half the covering thickness.