Abstract: A rubber-modified asphalt composition is provided. The rubber includes at least a polydiene and may further include vinyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon monomer contributed units. The rubber is cured by a bismaleimide. The present composition demonstrates improvements in the softening point of the asphalt composition.

Abstract: A process of preparing a diblock/triblock composition in a single reaction vessel includes reacting a first monomer, such as styrene, with a first portion of an anionic catalyst in a suitable solvent to form a first polymer block of the triblock. A second step includes adding a second monomer, such as butadiene (when the first monomer is styrene). This forms a second block of the triblock and a first block of the diblock. A further addition of the first monomer completes the diblock and triblock interpolymers. At least a portion of the diblock and/or triblock interpolymers are functionally terminated with a functional terminating agent, such as cyclohexene oxide or isopropanol, to provide the blocks with a functional group. The functional group and the proportion of the interpolymers functionally terminated are selected to provide desired adhesive properties for a particular application.

Abstract: A process for interpolymerizing a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer and a block polymer is disclosed. The process includes the following steps: (a) forming a block polymer precursor of at least one polymeric block containing conjugated diene monomer contributed units in the presence of an anionic initiator and in an inert diluent, the block polymer precursor having living ends; and (b) thereafter adding to the block polymer precursor a charge of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer and an additional charge of an anionic initiator to simultaneously form (1) a block polymer having a terminal block formed from the charge of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer attached to the block polymer precursor and (2) a poly(vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon) polymer interpolymerized with the block polymer. The practice of this process produces a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block terminated block polymer, such as SBS, interpolymerized with a polymer formed from vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer, such as polystyrene.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprising at least two end segments that make up less than 15% of the total polymer composition. Each end segment has a vinyl content greater than about 45%. However, the vinyl content is less than about 35% throughout the remainder of the polymer composition.