Abstract: Thermoplastic elastomer compositions are described comprising multigraft copolymers. The multigraft copolymers can comprise a rubbery polymeric backbone and a plurality of glassy polymeric side chains, each attached at one of a plurality of branch points randomly spaced along the backbone. The copolymer materials have high tensile strength, high strain at break, and low residual strain after elongation. The compositions can be used as adhesives and in a wide variety of high tech, medical, and commodity applications.

Abstract: The disclosed methods and devices incorporate a novel expandable bubble portion which provides superior fidelity to a listener while minimizing listener fatigue. The expandable bubble portion may be expanded through the transmission of low frequency audio signals or the pumping of a gas to the expandable bubble portion. In addition, embodiments of the acoustic device may be adapted to consistently and comfortably fit to any ear, providing for a variable, impedance matching acoustic seal to both the tympanic membrane and the audio transducer, respectively, while isolating the sound-vibration chamber within the driven bubble. This reduces the effect of gross audio transducer vibration excursions on the tympanic membrane and transmits the audio content in a manner which allows the ear to utilize its full inherent capabilities.

Abstract: A block copolymer or graft copolymer with weight-average molar mass Mw of at least 100 000 g/mol, comprising a) at least one block S composed of from 95 to 100% by weight of vinylaromatic monomers and from 0 to 5% by weight of dienes, and b) at least one copolymer block (S/B)A composed of from 63 to 80% by weight of vinylaromatic monomers and from 20 to 37% by weight of dienes, with glass transition temperature TgA in the range from 5 to 30° C., where the proportion by weight of the entirety of all of the blocks S is in the range from 50 to 70% by weight, based on the block copolymer or graft copolymer, and also mixtures thereof, and their use.

Abstract: The disclosed methods and devices incorporate a novel expandable bubble portion which provides superior fidelity to a listener while minimizing listener fatigue. The expandable bubble portion may be expanded through the transmission of low frequency audio signals or the pumping of a gas to the expandable bubble portion. In addition, embodiments of the acoustic device may be adapted to consistently and comfortably fit to any ear, providing for a variable, impedance matching acoustic seal to both the tympanic membrane and the audio transducer, respectively, while isolating the sound-vibration chamber within the driven bubble. This reduces the effect of gross audio transducer vibration excursions on the tympanic membrane and transmits the audio content in a manner which allows the ear to utilize its full inherent capabilities.

Abstract: A block copolymer or graft copolymer with weight-average molar mass Mw of at least 100 000 g/mol, comprising a) at least one block S composed of from 95 to 100% by weight of vinylaromatic monomers and from 0 to 5% by weight of dienes, and b) at least one copolymer block (S/B)A composed of from 63 to 80% by weight of vinylaromatic monomers and from 20 to 37% by weight of dienes, with glass transition temperature TgA in the range from 5 to 30° C., where the proportion by weight of the entirety of all of the blocks S is in the range from 50 to 70% by weight, based on the block copolymer or graft copolymer, and also mixtures thereof, and their use.

Abstract: A block copolymer with weight-average molar mass Mw of at least 100 000 g/mol, comprising a) at least one block S composed of from 95 to 100% by weight of vinylaromatic monomers and from 0 to 5% by weight of dienes, and b) at least one copolymer block (S/B)A composed of from 63 to 80% by weight of vinylaromatic monomers and from 20 to 37% by weight of dienes, with glass transition temperature TgA in the range from 5 to 30° C., and c) at least one copolymer block (S/B)B composed of from 20 to 60% by weight of vinylaromatic monomers and from 40 to 80% by weight of dienes, with glass transition temperature TgB in the range from 0 to ?80° C., where the proportion by weight of the entirety of all of the blocks S is in the range from 50 to 70% by weight, and the proportion by weight of the entirety of all of the blocks (S/B)A and (S/B)B is in the range from 30 to 50% by weight, based in each case on the block copolymer A, and also mixtures thereof, and their use.

Abstract: A blend comprising a) from 5 to 40% by weight of a linear block copolymer of vinylaromatic monomers and dienes of the structure (I) S1—(B/S)1—S2 having a flexible phase fraction (B/S)1 of not more than 55% by weight, based on the block copolymer (I) and b) from 95 to 60% by weight of a linear block copolymer of vinylaromatic monomers and dienes of the structure (II) S3—(B/S)2—S4 having a flexible phase fraction (B/S)2 of at least 65% by weight, based on the block copolymer (II), where S1 is a block of vinylaromatic monomers having a number average molar mass Mn in the range from 40 000 to 100 000 g/mol, S2, S3 and S4 are in each case blocks of vinylaromatic monomers having a number average molar mass Mn in the range from 5000 to 20 000 g/mol, (B/S)1 and (B/S)2 are in each case copolymer blocks of dienes and vinylaromatic monomers having a number average molar mass Mn in the range from 15 000 to 40 000 g/mol.

Abstract: The disclosed methods and devices incorporate a novel expandable bubble portion which provides superior fidelity to a listener while minimizing listener fatigue. The expandable bubble portion may be expanded through the transmission of low frequency audio signals or the pumping of a gas to the expandable bubble portion. In addition, embodiments of the acoustic device may be adapted to consistently and comfortably fit to any ear, providing for a variable, impedance matching acoustic seal to both the tympanic membrane and the audio transducer, respectively, while isolating the sound-vibration chamber within the driven bubble. This reduces the effect of gross audio transducer vibration excursions on the tympanic membrane and transmits the audio content in a manner which allows the ear to utilize its full inherent capabilities.

Abstract: A blend comprising a) from 5 to 40% by weight of a linear block copolymer of vinylaromatic monomers and dienes of the structure (I) S1—(B/S)1—S2 having a flexible phase fraction (B/S)1 of not more than 55% by weight, based on the block copolymer (I) and b) from 95 to 60% by weight of a linear block copolymer of vinylaromatic monomers and dienes of the structure (II) S3—(B/S)2—S4 having a flexible phase fraction (B/S)2 of at least 65% by weight, based on the block copolymer (II), where S1 is a block of vinylaromatic monomers having a number average molar mass Mn in the range from 40 000 to 100 000 g/mol, S2, S3 and S4 are in each case blocks of vinylaromatic monomers having a number average molar mass Mn in the range from 5000 to 20 000 g/mol, (B/S)1 and (B/S)2 are in each case copolymer blocks of dienes and vinylaromatic monomers having a number average molar mass Mn in the range from 15 000 to 40 000 g/mol.