Abstract: A viscous block copolymer of the formula(A--B--A.sub.p).sub.n --Y.sub.r --(A.sub.q --B).sub.mwherein Y is a coupling agent or coupling monomers, andwherein A and B are polymer blocks which may be homopolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers, copolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers or copolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers and monoalkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomers, andwherein the A blocks have a higher number of more highly substituted aliphatic double bonds per unit of block mass than do the B blocks, andwherein the A blocks have a molecular weight from about 100 to about 3000 and the B blocks have a molecular weight from about 1000 to about 15,000, andwherein p and q are 0 or 1 and n>0, r is 0 or 1, m.gtoreq.0 and n+m ranges from 1 to 100.This block copolymer is preferably partially hydrogenated, epoxidized and crosslinked through at least some of the epoxy functionality to form an adhesive, coating or sealant composition.

Abstract: A method for producing asymmetric radial polymers which comprises anionically polymerizing an anionically polymerizable monomer to form a first set of living polymer arms, coupling the first set of living polymer arms with a silicon-based coupling agent, substantially completing the coupling reaction, anionically polymerizing, in the presence of the coupled first set of polymer arms, a different anionically polymerizable monomer(s) to form a second set of living polymer arms, and adding a coupling activator and coupling the second set of living polymer arms to the coupled first set of polymer arms to form the asymmetric radial polymer.

Abstract: The present invention is a bituminous roofing composition which is especially useful to coat and/or saturate a roll roofing membrane. The composition comprises from 2 to 10 percent by weight, based on block copolymer plus bitumen, of a block copolymer of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a conjugated diene, from 25 to 300 parts by weight per hundred parts of said block copolymer of an endblock compatible resin which has a softening point above 100.degree. C., and the balance being a bituminous material. Preferably, the solubility parameter of the endblock resin is within 0.3 [cal/cm.sup.3 ].sup.1/2 of that of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon portion of the block copolymer.

Abstract: A crosslinkable low viscosity short arm star polymer blend made by anionically polymerizing a conjugated diene and, optionally, a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon to form living polymer arms and coupling said arms with a coupling agent for star polymers and blending said star polymer with a compatible organic liquid such that the amount of organic liquid in the blend ranges from 5 to 50 percent by weight. A preferred embodiment is an epoxidized version which is selectively epoxidized at the exterior sections of the polymer to enhance the crosslinkability of the polymer.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing six-armed and eight-armed asymmetric radial block copolymers. The process comprises anionically polymerizing a diene and/or a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon to create living polydiene and/or vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon arms, sequentially anionically polymerizing a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a diene to create living block copolymer arms and coupling the two sets of arms together in one step with a coupling agent that will couple six or eight arms, wherein the molar ratio of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon-diene arms to the polydiene arms is sufficient to produce a statistical blend with less than 5 weight percent homopolydiene.

Abstract: An epoxidized diene star polymer having greater than 4 arms and comprising from 0.05 to 5 Meq of di-, tri- and tetra-substituted olefinic epoxides and the molecular weights of the arms are from 1,500 to 15,000.

Abstract: A photopolymerizable recording composition for water-washable printing plates, which comprises:(a) a water dispersible elastomeric blend of at least 20 percent by weight of an A-B-M-B-A block copolymer and an A-B-M block copolymer, wherein A is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block, B is a conjugated diene block and M is an acrylic monomer block containing acid groups, and(b) a photopolymerization initiator.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for producing high diblock content block copolymer compositions which comprises (a) anionically polymerizing at least one vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and at least one conjugated diene to form a living block copolymer, (b) coupling the block copolymer with a coupling agent selected from the group consisting of esters of carboxylic acids and asymmetric silanes to create a coupled polymer, (c) combining the coupled polymer with other components to form an enduse composition, and (d) heating the composition at a temperature up to 130.degree. C. for a time sufficient to decouple the coupled copolymer such that the amount of uncoupled copolymer in the composition ranges from 10 to 100% by weight of the total amount of block copolymer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a toughened cycloaliphatic epoxy resin composition comprising:(a) a curable cycloaliphatic epoxy resin,(b) an epoxidized low viscosity polydiene polymer wherein the polymer contains from 2.0 to 6.0 milliequivalents of epoxy per gram of polymer, and(c) a curing agent.

Abstract: A linear styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer composition comprised of linear polymeric blocks wherein the block copolymer composition has a coupling efficiency of from 20 to 40%, a polystyrene content of from 18 to 24%, a polystyrene block molecular weight of from 25,000 to 35,000, and an overall molecular weight of above 280,000 to 520,000. The invention also contemplates adhesive formulations comprising these block copolymer compositions and a tackifying resin.

Abstract: A process for improving the color of selectively hydrogenated block copolymers modified with acid compound or derivatives thereof which comprises:(a) anionically polymerizing at least one conjugated diene, and, optionally, at least one vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, to produce a block copolymer,(b) selectively hydrogenating the block copolymer,(c) subjecting the block copolymer to an acid wash,(d) subjecting the acid washed block copolymer to high efficiency water washing at a residence time of not less than 50 minutes and a water to polymer cement weight ratio of more than 0.2, and(e) grafting an acid compound or a derivative thereof onto the block copolymer.

Abstract: An adhesive composition comprising a) a tackifying resin, b) a styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer or a styrene-isoprene block copolymer with styrene blocks as the end blocks and having at least one internal block of an acrylic monomer, and c) a block copolymer of at least one vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, at least one conjugated diolefin and at least one acrylic monomer, such as an alkyl methacrylate, which is on the end of the copolymer and is attached to a conjugated diolefin block.

Abstract: A viscous block copolymer of the formula(A--B--A.sub.p).sub.n --Y.sub.r --(A.sub.q --B).sub.mwherein Y is a coupling agent or coupling monomers, andwherein A and B are polymer blocks which may be homopolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers, copolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers or copolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers and monoalkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomers, andwherein the A blocks have a higher number of more highly substituted aliphatic double bonds per unit of block mass than do the B blocks, andwherein the A blocks have a molecular weight from about 100 to about 3000 and the B blocks have a molecular weight from about 1000 to about 15,000, andwherein p and q are 0 or 1 and n>0, r is 0 or 1, m.gtoreq.0 and n+m ranges from 1 to 100.This block copolymer is preferably partially hydrogenated, epoxidized and crosslinked through at least some of the epoxy functionality to form an adhesive, coating or sealant composition.

Abstract: Radial or star asymmetric block copolymer of the following formulae and improved adhesive and sealant compositions containing them(I) (A--HD).sub.x --Y--(UD).sub.z or (II) (UD--A--HD).sub.x --Y or (III) ((UD).sub.y --A--HD).sub.x --Y--(UD).sub.zwherein A is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block having a molecular weight of from 4000 to 20,000, HD is a hydrogenated conjugated diene block having a molecular weight of from 10,000 to 100,000, Y is a multifunctional coupling agent, UD is an unhydrogenated conjugated diene block having a molecular weight of from 1000 to 80,000, x is an integer from 2 to 20, y is 0 or 1, z is an integer from 1 to 10, and x+z ranges from 3 to 30.

Abstract: A laminating adhesive comprising an adhesive composition which comprises(a) An epoxidized block copolymer of the formula(A--B--A.sub.p).sub.n --Y.sub.r --(A.sub.q --B).sub.mwherein Y is a coupling agent or coupling monomers, and wherein A and B are polymer blocks which may be homopolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers, copolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers or copolymer blocks of conjugated diolefin monomers and monoalkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomers, and wherein the A blocks have a higher number of aliphatic double bonds between a tertiary carbon atom and either a primary, secondary, or tertiary carbon atom per unit of block mass than do the B blocks, and wherein the A blocks have a molecular weight from about 100 to about 3000 and the B blocks have a molecular weight from about 1000 to about 15,000, and wherein p and q are 0 or 1 and n>0, r is 0 or 1, m.gtoreq.

Abstract: A crosslinked adhesive composition is provided comprising a tackifying resin and an epoxidized diolefin block polymer wherein the polymer is crosslinked through at least some of the epoxy functionality. A process to prepare this polymer is also provided. The preferred polymer is partially hydrogenated and lightly epoxidized.

Abstract: A crosslinked adhesive composition is provided comprising an epoxidized diolefin block polymer wherein the polymer is crosslinked through at least some of the epoxy functionality. A process to prepare this polymer is also provided. The preferred polymer is partially hydrogenated and lightly epoxidized.

Abstract: A method for hydrogenating unsaturated low molecular weight polymers, preferably polydiene monool, diol and polyol polymers, which comprises contacting the polymers under hydrogenation conditions with hydrogen in the presence of a fixed bed heterogeneous catalyst which is comprised of platinum, palladium or a mixture of the two supported on an alpha alumina support.

Abstract: A process for preparing a coupled asymmetric block copolymer of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a conjugated diene which comprises:(a) adding sufficient anionic polymerization initiator to the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer to start polymerization of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon,(b) polymerizing the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon for a time sufficient to form a first set of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon blocks having a desired molecular weight,(c) adding sufficient anionic polymerization initiator to start polymerization of a second set of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon blocks,(d) completing the polymerization of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon for a time such that the first set of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon blocks continues to grow to the desired molecular weight and the second set of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon blocks grows to a desired smaller molecular weight,(e) adding a conjugated diene and polymerizing it on the ends of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon blocks for a time sufficient to form vinyl aromatic hydroc

Abstract: A process of making a solvent-free water-based emulsion of an anionically polymerized polymer which comprises: heating the polymer until its viscosity is no more than 3,000 centipoise, (b) mixing water with a surfactant, (c) adding the mixture of (b) to the polymer of (a) while agitating the polymer at high speed, thereby forming an emulsion, (d) cooling the emulsion to below 100.degree. C., and (e) optionally subjecting the emulsion to turbulent flow and/or cavitation. Also included are emulsions of such polymers.