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 (lII) ((UD).sub.y --A--HD).sub.x --Y --(UD).sub.xwherein 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 a partially hydrogenated conjugated diene block having a molecular weight of from 1000 to 80,000, x is an integer from 2 to 30, y is 0 or 1, z is an integer from 1 to 20, and x+z ranges from 3 to 30.

Abstract: A low viscosity adhesive composition which comprises:(a) an asymmetric radial block copolymer of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and at least one conjugated diene having from 3 to 6 polymer arms, which:(i) contains from 33 to 85% by weight of polyvinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block/polydiene block copolymer arms and the balance polydiene homopolymer arms,(ii) has vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon blocks with block molecular weights of from 8000 to 30,000,(iii) has conjugated diene blocks in the copolymer arms with a molecular weight of at least 6000, and(iv) has a polyvinyl aromatic hydrocarbon content of from 10 to 40% by weight; and(b) from 20 to 400 parts per hundred parts of polymer of a tackifying resin.The invention also encompasses the polymers used in the adhesive.

Abstract: A low viscosity adhesive composition which comprises:(a) an asymmetric radial block copolymer of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and at least one conjugated diene having from 3 to 6 polymer arms, which:(i) contains from 33 to 85% by weight of polyvinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block/polydiene block copolymer arms and the balance polydiene homopolymer arms,(ii) has vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon blocks with block molecular weights of from 8000 to 30,000,(iii) has conjugated diene blocks in the copolymer arms with a molecular weight of at least 6000, and(iv) has a polyvinyl aromatic hydrocarbon content of from 10 to 40% by weight; and(b) from 20 to 400 parts per hundred parts of polymer of a tackifying resin.The invention also encompasses the polymers used in the adhesive.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for producing predominately four-armed asymmetric radial block copolymers which contain predominately, on average, two arms which are copolymers of at least one conjugated diene and at least one vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and two conjugated diene homopolymer or copolymer arms, said process comprising:(a) anionically polymerizing at least one conjugated diene monomer and at least one vinylaromatic hydrocarbon monomer to form a set of living polymer arms,(b) anionically polymerizing at least one conjugated diene monomer to form another set of living polymer arms,(c) coupling the one set of living polymer arms with a coupling agent which is selected from the group consisting of tetramethoxysilane and .gamma.

Abstract: A low viscosity adhesive composition which comprises:(a) an asymmetric radial block copolymer of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and at least one conjugated diene having from 3 to 6 polymer arms, which:(i) contains from 33 to 85% by weight of polyvinyl aromatic hydrocarbon block/polydiene block copolymer arms and the balance polydiene homopolymer arms,(ii) has vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon blocks with block molecular weights of from 8000 to 30,000,(iii) has conjugated diene blocks in the copolymer arms with a molecular weight of at least 6000, and(iv) has a polyvinyl aromatic hydrocarbon content of from 10 to 40% by weight; and(b) from 20 to 400 parts per hundred parts of polymer of a tackifying resin.The invention also encompasses the polymers used in the adhesive.

Abstract: A graft block copolymer is comprised of a saturated olefinic backbone with pendent anionic polymer side chains. The polymer is produced by copolymerizing an .alpha.--olefin with a 1-alkenyl monomer containing a functional group to which an anionically polymerized polymer can be grafted to produce graft block copolymer, anionically polymerizing at least one anionically polymerizable monomer to form living polymer chains, and then grafting the living polymer chains onto the copolymer to form the graft block copolymer.

Abstract: A graft block copolymer is comprised of a completely saturated olefinic backbone with pendant anionic polymer side chains. The polymer is produced by copolymerizing an .alpha.-olefin with a monomer which contains a functional group which can be metallated so an anionic monomer can be polymerized therefrom, metallating the copolymer by reaction with metal alkyl or aryl compound and a metallation activator, and growing anionic polymer side chains from the copolymer backbone by reacting an anionically polymerized monomer with the metallated copolymer.

Abstract: Radial or star asymmetric block copolymer of the following formulae and an improved tape assembly using the copolymers 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 (lII) ((UD).sub.y --A--HD).sub.x --Y-(UD).sub.z wherein 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 a partially hydrogenated conjugated diene block having a molecular weight of from 1000 to 80,000, x is an integer from 2 to 30, y is 0 or 1, z is an integer from 1 to 20, and x+z ranges from 3 to 30.

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: 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: 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 method for preparing asymmetric radial polymers wherein the different polymeric arms are contacted sequentially with a coupling agent. The method narrows the relative arm distribution of the several asymmetric radial polymers produced and significantly increases the amount of total product having the desired ratio of polymeric arms. Any coupling agent known in the prior art to be useful in the production of asymmetric radial polymers may be used in the method of this invention but coupling agents having from three to about twelve functional groups are most effective.

Abstract: Polyester molding compositions which contain an unsaturated polyester and an additional monomer for curing the polyester are improved by addition of a block copolymer which is modified with an unsaturated polyester. The block copolymer is an unsaturated block copolymer of a monoalkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a conjugated diene. The block copolymer is preferably produced by polymerizing styrene-butadiene diblock copolymer arms and coupling the arms with a difunctional coupling agent.

Abstract: A method for preparing asymmetric radial polymers wherein the different polymeric arms are contacted sequentially with a coupling agent. The method narrows the relative arm distribution of the several asymmetric radial polymers produced and significantly increases the amount of total product having the desired ratio of polymeric arms. Any coupling agent known in the prior art to be useful in the production of asymmetric radial polymers may be used in the method of this invention but coupling agents having from three to about twelve functional groups are most effective.