Abstract: A crosslinkble waterborne dispersion useful as a coating on metal substrates of an epoxidized polydiene block polymer composition which comprises: (a) 10 to 65% by weight of a polydiene block polymer containing at least five olefinic epoxy groups per molecule which are sterically hindered, (b) 0.2 to 25% by weight of a compatible aminoplast, (c) 0.1 to 10% by weight of a surfactant which is nonionic or anionic and has a volatile cation, and (d) the balance water. A water-continuous process and an inversion process for making a dispersion are also described.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for making gel-free functionalized polymers. When multi-lithium initiators are used to make these polymers anionically, the process comprises anionically polymerizing at least one monomer with a multi-lithium initiator in a hydrocarbon solvent, functionalizing the polymer by adding to the polymer a capping agent that reacts with the ends of the polymer chains such that strongly-associating chain ends are formed wherein a polymer gel is formed, adding a trialkyl aluminum compound to the polymer gel, whereby the gel dissipates, adding a sufficient amount of a proton source to provide at least 1 mole of protons per mole of lithium ions and at least 2 moles of protons per mole of aluminum wherein the proton source is an organic acid with a pKa of 11 or less or a mixture of the organic acid and an alkanol, provided that sufficient organic acid is added to provide at least 0.

Abstract: This invention relates to a gel-free process for making hydrogenated functionalized polymers that mitigates the problem of ionic gel.

Abstract: A method for producing a saturated siloxane polymer is provided. In one aspect, the method comprises hydrogenating an aromatic siloxane monomer by contacting it with hydrogen in a temperature of 100° C. to 200° C. and a hydrogen pressure of 1000 to 2000 psi for 1 to 6 hours in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to produce a hydrogenated siloxane monomer, and anionically polymerizing the hydrogenated siloxane monomer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for making functionalized polymers comprising the steps of (a) initiating polymerization of an unsaturated monomer with a lithium initiator having the structure R1R2R3Si—O—A—Li wherein A is a branched or straight chain bridging group having at least two carbon atoms, R1,R2, and R3 are alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or alkaryl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, thus producing a functionalized polymer which has a protecting silyl group at one end thereof; and (b) contacting the protected polymer with from 0.5 to 1.1 moles of aqueous fluoroboric acid per mole of polymer at 0 to 50° C. for 1 to 10 minutes, and (c) contacting the resulting solution with water, and (d) recovering a linear or branched deprotected polymer having one or more terminal functional groups.

Abstract: This invention is a silicone oil gel composition which is comprised of a silicone block copolymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymers and polystyrene-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymers wherein the overall number average molecular weight is from 2000 to 251,000, the polystyrene content (PSC) is 40% or less by weight, the polystyrene block number average molecular weight is from 1000 to 30,000, and the polyethylene number average block molecular weight is from 1000 to 20,000, the polydimethylsiloxane number average molecular weight is from 1000 to 250,000, wherein the block copolymer is dissolved in a silicone oil which is a cyclic or linear siloxane monomer. Preferred siloxane monomers for use herein are (Me2SiO)3, (Me2SiO)4, and (Me2SiO)5.

Abstract: This invention is a process comprising the steps of contacting an alkali metal initiator and Group VIII metal hydrogenation catalyst residue containing polymer solution (which is often referred to as the polymer cement) with water and carbon dioxide or an aqueous solution of an inorganic acid such as phosphoric or sulfuric acid and further contacting the solution with ammonia wherein at least one mole of both water and carbon dioxide are added per mole of alkali metal, or at least one mole of acidic protons from the inorganic acid is added per mole of alkali metal, the water or the aqueous acid solution are added at less than 15 percent by weight based on the polymer solution in order to prevent fast settling, and ammonia is added so that the pH of the aqueous phase is between 9 and 12.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for producing an anionic block polymer which comprises optionally anionically polymerizing styrene to form a homopolymer block of polystyrene, anionically polymerizing isoprene to form a hompolymer block of polyisoprene, and anionically copolymerizing styrene and isoprene to form a tapered copolymer block wherein the charge rate of both styrene and isoprene is from 15% to 75% by weight of the total tapered block monomer charge per minute and the weight ratio of the styrene to the isoprene is from 0.5:1 to 1.5:1. The process produces a unique polymer containing a tapered polymer block of styrene and isoprene which has a specific taper structure consisting of small segments of variable size of styrene monomers and isoprene monomers.

Abstract: This invention is a process for making a difunctional lithium initiator which comprises reacting a secondary or tertiary lithium alkyl with a diisopropenylbenzene compound in the presence of diethyl ether at a temperature of 25 to 50° C. wherein the molar ratio of the diethyl ether to the lithium alkyl is from above 0.1:1 to 2:1 and the diisopropenylbenzene compound and the diethyl ether are first mixed together and then added to the lithium alkyl. The molar ratio of the diisopropenylbenzene compound to the lithium alkyl should be as close to 0.5:1 as possible. An excess of lithium alkyl may be used if a product containing both diinitiator and monoinitiator is preferred. It is preferred that the molar ratio of diethyl ether to lithium alkyl be as close to 1:1 as possible.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for making functionalized polymers comprising the steps of (a) initiating polymerization of an unsaturated monomer with a lithium initiator having the structure R1R2R3Si—O—A—Li wherein A is a branched or straight chain bridging group having at least two carbon atoms, R1,R2, and R3 are alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or alkaryl groups having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, thus producing a functionalized polymer which has a protecting silyl group at one end thereof; and (b) contacting the protected polymer with aqueous acid to remove residual lithium, and (c) contacting the protected polymer with from 1 to 10 equivalents of an organic or inorganic hydride; and (d) contacting the resulting solution with aqueous acid, and (e) recovering a linear or branched deprotected polymer having one or more terminal functional groups.

Abstract: It has been surprisingly found that certain properties including adhesion strength to smooth surfaces may be improved by making hot melt adhesives from blends comprising a poly-1-butene polymer, a tackifier resin, and from 3 wt. % to 25 wt. % of a liquid or semi-liquid, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated low molecular weight conjugated diene polymer prepared by anionic polymerization.

Abstract: The present invention describes an isocyanate-cured hydroxy, acid or amine functionalized selectively hydrogenated block copolymer of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a conjugated diene. The present invention also describes coatings, adhesives, sealants and modified asphalts made therewith.

Abstract: This invention is a process comprising the steps of contacting a Group VIII metal hydrogenation catalyst residue-containing polymer solution with an aqueous solution of ammonia and carbon dioxide, separating the residue from the solution, and recovering a polymer solution preferably comprising less than 15 ppm by weight based on polymer, of the Group VIII metal. The concentration of the ammonia in the aqueous solution is from 2 to 7% by weight, preferably 3 to 6% by weight. The concentration of the carbon dioxide in the solution is from 1 to 7% by weight, preferably 2 to 6% by weight.

Abstract: This invention is an improvement upon the current process for the production of block copolymers, especially hydrogenated block copolymers, of conjugated dienes and/or vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons which comprises anionically polymerizing the monomers in an inert hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of an alkali metal initiator whereby a polymer cement is produced and then contacting the cement with hydrogen under hydrogenation conditions in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst. This invention and the improvement to the foregoing process comprises reducing the viscosity of the polymer cement by adding to it, preferably prior to hydrogenation (if the polymer is to be hydrogenated), from 2 to 50 % wt of a polar compound. The polar compound must be a poorer solvent for the block copolymer than is the inert hydrocarbon solvent. Preferred polar compounds include diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, diethoxyethane, monoglyme, diglyme, diethoxypropane, dioxane ortho-dimethoxybenzene, and the like.

Abstract: This invention is a method for producing butadiene-isoprene block copolymers with a specified amount of residual unsaturation in the polyisoprene blocks utilizing a hydrogenation catalyst wherein the hydrogenation residence time is minimized.

Abstract: A silicone oil gel composition which is comprised of a polysiloxane block copolymer which has at least two blocks of polystyrene, polyethylene, and hydrogenated polyisoprene wherein the overall number average molecular weight is from 1000 to 50,000, the polystyrene content is 15% or less by weight, the polystyrene block weight average molecular weight is from 0 to 10,000, the polyethylene block number average molecular weight is from 0 to 10,000, the hydrogenated polyisoprene block number average molecular weight is from 0 to 10,000, the polysiloxane block number average molecular weight is from 1000 to 49,000, wherein the block copolymer is dissolved in a silicone oil which is a hydrogenated silicone oil.

Abstract: The present invention is a unique polypropylene copolymer resin composition which comprises a propylene-ethylene copolymer having a melt flow rate of at least 50 g/10 min and an impact modifier which comprises a thermoplastic elastomer of a hydrogenated triblock copolymer which has a specific structure in which a block of a tapered increment of an vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon portion is arranged after the isoprene homopolymer block.

Abstract: This invention is a silicone oil gel composition which is comprised of a silicone block copolymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymers and polyethylene-polydimethylsiloxane-polydiphenylsiloxane block copolymers wherein the overall number average molecular weight ranges from 1000 to 21,000, preferably 1000 to 6000. The polyethylene blocks have a number average molecular weight of 400 to 3000, preferably 400 to 1500, the polydimethylsiloxane blocks have a number average molecular weight of 600 to 20,000, preferably 600 to 10,000, and the polydiphenylsiloxane blocks have a number average molecular weight of 200 to 2000, preferably 600 to 1200, wherein the block copolymer is dissolved in a silicone oil which is a polydimethylsiloxane polymer having a number average molecular weight of from 1000 to 1,000,000, preferably 4000 to 30,000.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive tape is provided having a polyolefin backing, a primer comprising an elastomeric block copolymer which primer is applied from a non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, said tape further comprising an adhesive on the thus primed surface. Because the primer is laid down from a solution in a non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent such as methyl cyclohexane the process utilizes an environmentally-friendly solvent.

Abstract: In a process for producing hydrogenated block copolymers of conjugated dienes and/or vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons which comprises anionically polymerizing the monomers in an inert hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of an alkali metal initiator whereby a polymer cement is produced, contacting the cement with hydrogen under hydrogenation conditions in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, and then removing the hydrogenation catalyst residue by washing the polymer cement with water or an aqueous acid, the improvement which comprises reducing the viscosity of the polymer cement by polymerizing the block copolymer under conditions such that the vinyl content of the polymer produced in the polymerization step is in the range from 45 to 80 percent by weight.