Abstract: The invention herein is curable adhesive and sealant compositions and a non-aqueous solvent free process for producing such compositions which comprise a mono-ol, tackifying resin, and a monohydroxylated epoxidized polydiene polymer which is comprised of at least two polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers wherein at least one is a diene monomer which yields unsaturation suitable for epoxidation and wherein the polymer contains from 0.1 to 7.0 milliequivalents of epoxy per gram of polymer. The process involves mixing the components together with a photoinitiator which is selected from the group consisting of diaryl, especially diaryliodonium, salts characterized by the general formula: ##STR1## where Y is ##STR2## where R is hydrogen, aryl, alkyl, or an alkylhalide; n is an integer of at least 1, Z is I, Cl, or Br, preferably I, and X is a complex metal halide anion or a complex halide anion of a strong protonic acid.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for preparing a bitumen composition comprising blowing a mixture with an oxygen-containing gas which mixture comprises a bitumen having a penetration of less than 300 and a thermoplastic rubber which is present in an amount of less than 5% w, based on total mixture; bitumen compositions obtainable by such process; and the use of such bitumen compositions in asphalt mixtures for road applications.

Abstract: The invention provides a catalyst composition suitable for hydrogenation of polymers containing ethylenic unsaturation, which comprise:(a) a titanium compound of the formula, ##STR1## wherein A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 are the same or different and each represents a substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl or indenyl group,wherein X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 are the same or different and each represents hydrogen, halogen, a lower alkyl or lower alkoxy, optionally substituted phenyl or phenoxy, or aralkyl having from 7 to 10 carbon atoms, or phenylalkoxy having from 7 to 10 carbon atoms, carboxyl, carbonyl, a --CH.sub.2 P(Phenyl).sub.2, --CH.sub.2 Si(lower alkyl).sub.3, or --P(phenyl).sub.2 group.(b) an alkalimetal hydride, added as such or prepared in situ in the polymer solution from the alkalimetal terminated living polymer and/or from additionally added alkalimetal alkyl and hydrogen, the molar ratio of the alkalimetal:titanium in the polymer solution during hydrogenation being at least 2:1;(c) a borium compoundB(R.

Abstract: Pressure sensitive structural adhesive and sealant compositions comprising: (a) a polymer system comprising from 95 to 15 percent by weight of a telechelic polymer and from 5 to 85 percent by weight of a heterotelechelic polymer wherein at least one of the functionalities thereon is the same as the functionality on the telechelic polymer, and (b) a dual curing system wherein one element of the curing system cures the telechelic polymer and the common functionality on the heterotelechelic polymer and the other element cures the functionality on the heterotelechelic polymer but does not cure under the conditions required to cure the telechelic polymer to form a structural adhesive or sealant composition. In a preferred embodiment, the polymer system is comprised of a hydroxyl functional telechelic diol or polyol polymer and the heterotelechelic polymer is a monohydroxylated polydiene polymer which also has epoxidized olefin functionality.

Abstract: A bituminous composition comprising a bituminous component and a block copolymer composition which comprises at least one of the group consisting of linear triblock copolymers, multi-armed block copolymers, and diblock copolymers, which block copolymers comprise at least one block of a monovinylaromatic hydrocarbon (A) and at least one block of a conjugated diene (B), wherein the block copolymer composition which is present in an amount in the range of from 1 to 10% wt, based on total bituminous composition has a vinyl content of at least 25% by weight, based on the total diene content, and any diblock copolymer (AB) present has an apparent molecular weight in the range of from 60,000 to 100,000.

Abstract: A process for the polymerization of dienes which comprises anionically polymerizing dienes in the presence of an anionic polymerization initiator and a microstructure control agent is improved by adding the control agent to the polymerization mixture in two or more doses to closely control the vinyl content of the polymer produced.

Abstract: The invention herein is a non-aqueous solvent free process for producing UV curable adhesive and sealant compositions comprising a tackifying resin and a monohydroxylated epoxidized polydiene polymer which is comprised of at least two polymerizable ethnically unsaturated hydrocarbon monomers wherein at least one is a diene monomer which yields unsaturation suitable for epoxidation and wherein the polymer contains from 0.1 to 7.0 milliequivalents of epoxy per gram of polymer. The process involves mixing the components with an insoluble photoinitiator under conditions of high shear and/or cavitation. The invention also relates to a film of 5 mils to one inch thick which is formed from the composition made according to the process above.

Abstract: A comolded multi-layered polymer blend system, comprising:at least two layers, each layer having a continuous polymer network of an optionally hydrogenated block copolymer which comprise at least two terminal polymonovinylaromatic blocks and at least one central polyconjugated diene block, and at least one of said layers comprising the continuous polymer network of the block copolymer further comprises a co-continuous rigid polymer phase consisting of a homopolyalkylene or a copolymer of alkylenes having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms;wherein the two layers are in intimate contact with each other;wherein the layers have different contents by weight of the block copolymers; andwherein an extender is present in each polymer network such that the final weight ratio of the block copolymer and the extender in each layer is the same.This comolded multi-layer polymer blend system is used to make air bags for automotive safety systems.

Abstract: A block copolymer containing composition to be used for air bag covers, comprising 100 parts by weight of a selectively hydrogenated block copolymer of a monovinyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diene, 50-250 parts by weight of a poly(olefin) resin, optionallyt 0-100 parts by weight of a filler having an average particle size of at most 50.mu., and 0.25-2.5 parts by weight of antioxidant/UV stabilizer additives, and air bag covers containing the block copolymer composition.

Abstract: This invention provides sealant compositions which comprise a hydrogenated styrene-butadiene-styrene (SEBS) block copolymer which has an overall weight average molecular weight of from 30,000 to 300,000, a styrene block weight average molecular weight of from 4000 to 35,000, and a vinyl content of at least 45% by weight (% wt), preferably 45 to 90%, and an adhesion promoting resin. For every 100 parts by weight of copolymer, there should be at least 20 parts of adhesion promoting resin.

Abstract: Block copolymers suitable for hot melt adhesive composition characterized in that they have the general formula (AB).sub.p (B.sup.1).sub.q X, wherein A is poly(vinylaromatic) block and B and B.sup.1 are the same or different poly(butadiene) blocks, wherein the 1,2 addition (vinyl) content is in the range of from 25 to 70% by weight, wherein X is the residue of a multivalent coupling agent having a maximum of active sites (m) in the range of from 3 to 6, wherein p and q both are integers of from 0 to m, provided that the sum of p and q values is less than m and the coupling efficiency is less than 90%, said block copolymer having an average total vinyl aromatic content in the range of from 10 to 50 wt % and preferably in the range of from 10 to 30 wt %, and having a total apparent molecular weight in the range of from 100,000 to 500,000.

Abstract: Purifying reagent for the purification of starting materials to be used in a metal compound catalyzed polymerization, containing proton donating reactive contaminants, consisting of a solid product, obtainable by the metallation of a product of a nucleophilic displacement reaction between a halogen alkylated crosslinked poly(vinylaromatic) resin and a metallated conjugated diene compound, which product is insoluble inorganic solvents, which is not able to initiate anionic polymerization of olefins or dienes and which is able to scavenge proton donating contaminants, which may hamper polymerizations catalysted by metal organic compounds; and process for purification of starting materials applying said purifying reagent.

Abstract: The present invention provides high service temperature, low viscosity rubber compounds and hot melt adhesive and/or sealant compositions by combining from 2 to 30% by weight of a polyphenylene ether resin having an I.V. of 0.07 to 0.25 deciliters per gram (dl/g) with from 70 to 98% by weight of an asymmetric radial elastomeric vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon/conjugated diene block copolymer having one of the following formulae: (I) (A--HD).sub.x --Y--(UD).sub.z or (II) (UD--A--HD).sub.x --Y or (III) (UD--A--HD).sub.x --Y--(UD).sub.z wherein A is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block having a weight average molecular weight of from 4000 to 16,000, HD is a hydrogenated conjugated diene block having a weight average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 50,000, Y is a multifunctional coupling agent, UD is a partially hydrogenated conjugated diene block having a weight average molecular weight of from 1000 to 45,000, x is an integer from 2 to 30, z is an integer from 1 to 20, and x+z ranges from 3 to 31.

Abstract: Hot melt adhesive compositions, comprising(a) a radial multiarmed block copolymer (AB).sub.n X, wherein A is a block predominantly derived from a monovinylaromatic compound, B is a block predominantly derived from butadiene and which optionally has been partially or completely hydrogenated,X is the residue of a multifunctional coupling agent,n is in the range of from 3 to 6,(b) a linear block copolymer AB, the components (a)+(b) being present in an amount of 100 parts by weight,(c) a tackifying resin, which is compatible with the blocks B, in an amount of from 100 to 500 parts by weight,(d) a plasticizer in an amount of from 100 to 300 parts by weight,(e) an antioxidant-UV stabiliser in an amount from 0.

Abstract: A multilayer polymer composition comprising at least one relatively soft touch layer comprising at least one block copolymer derived from a monovinyl aromatic and a conjugated diene, and at least one layer of relatively hard, rigid thermoplastic which have intimate contact with each other, characterized in that it comprises:(a) at least one relatively soft layer composition comprising(i) a polar engineering thermoplast in an amount of from 5 to 50 wt %(ii) from 0 to 80 wt % of a selectively hydrogenated block copolymer having at least two poly(monovinyl aromatic) blocks and at least one poly(conjugated diene) block, wherein the residual ethylenic unsaturation after hydrogenation is at most 5%,(iii) from 5 to 85 wt % of a selectively hydrogenated block copolymer having at least two poly(monovinyl aromatic) blocks and at least one poly(conjugated diene) block wherein the residual ethylenic unsaturation after hydrogenation is at most 5%, said block copolymer being functionalized by means of introduced polar grou

Abstract: A crosslinkable composition for coating primed and unprimed substrates comprising from 10 to 80 percent by weight of a hydroxy functional polydiene polymer having a functionality of at least 1.3, 8 to 60 percent by weight of an amino resin crosslinking agent, and 2 to 40 percent by weight of a reinforcing agent. The invention also encompasses a process to make such compositions by partially reacting the three components for 0.5 to 10 hours at 60.degree. to 120.degree. C., optionally in the presence of a small amount of catalyst, to give phase stable compositions and subsequently completely crosslinking the composition by baking the composition on a substrate.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an efficient industrial organolithium diinitiator, comprising the reaction of two equivalents of a mono-organolithium initiator with one equivalent of 1,3-diisopropenyl benzene at a temperature in the range of from -20.degree. to 60.degree. C., in an apolar hydrocarbon solvent, and in the presence of a monofunctional tertiary amine in a molar ratio relative to mono-organolithium initiator from 0.5 to 2, followed by addition to the reaction mixture of a small amount of conjugated diene monomer, at a temperature in the range of from 0.degree. to 30.degree. C., to form a solution of an .alpha.,.omega.-dilithio poly(conjugated diene), having an apparent molecular weight in the range of from 1000 to 3000.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing a dense-graded asphalt composition which comprises adding a hard binder component to a mixture of a soft binder component and aggregate at a temperature of less than 140.degree. C.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing block copolymers derived from predominantly styrene and predominantly isoprene, used in the form of an isoprene concentrate obtainable by contacting an isoprene concentrate, obtainable by removal of piperylene from a gasoline pyrrolysis fraction of hydrocarbons having 5 carbon atoms, with finely dispersed alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal, and separating it from the free and bound metal, said process comprising at least the steps of polymerizing predominantly styrene monomer in an inert non-aromatic hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of a monofunctional organolithium initiator, adding predominantly isoprene monomer in the form of pretreated isoprene concentrate to the polymerization mixture, either adding a coupling agent to couple a predominant part of the living diblock copolymer or adding a second portion of predominantly styrene monomer, and adding a terminating agent.

Abstract: Block copolymer containing compositions, to be used in rotational molding, the compositions comprising at least:(a) 100 parts by weight of a block copolymer containing at least two predominantly poly(monovinyl aromatic) blocks and at least one predominantly poly(conjugated diene) block, the poly(conjugated diene) block preferably being selectively hydrogenated;(b) from 10 to 80 parts by weight and preferably from 20 to 50 parts by weights, of a linear low density poly(ethylene) or copolymers of predominantly ethylene and minor amounts of other .alpha.-olefin comonomers; and(c) from 20 to 100 parts by weight and preferably from 20 to 45 parts by weight of a plasticizer.