Abstract: A rubber-modified asphalt composition is provided. The asphalt composition includes asphalt, a rubber including at least high vinyl poly(conjugated diene), and at least one phenolic curing resin. The high vinyl poly(conjugated diene) has a vinyl content of at least 35%. The use of phenolic curing agents results in improvements to the softening point of the present asphalt composition while also improving toughness and tenacity.

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 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 portion of the catalyst and a second monomer, such as butadiene (when the first monomer is styrene). A portion of the resulting living diblock polymer is then terminated by addition of a chain transfer agent, which forms a second anionic catalyst in the process. Further sequential additions of the second and first monomers copolymerize with both the remaining living diblock and with the second anionic catalyst to complete the triblock polymer and form a second portion of diblock polymer.

Abstract: A method of continuously polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer and a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer in a hydrocarbon solvent by using an organolithium initiator, adding to the polymerization mixture a tin compound and again adding a tin compound after the polymerization mixture has been withdrawn from the polymerization vessel. The resulting diene polymers possess a significantly reduced Payne Effect and a substantial reduction (over 10%) in tan delta at 50° C. which results in tires having decreased hysteresis loss, excellent wear resistance and rolling resistance and good wet skid resistance.

Abstract: The dispersibility of the initial polystyrene block in forming a S-B-S type of copolymer is improved by first preparing a small block of homopolydiene such as homopolybutadiene as a dispersing agent. Onto this small block of homopolybutadiene, the first block of polystyrene is formed and affixed and thereby made dispersible in a mixture of alkanes and 15 to 60% by weight of cycloalkanes, preferably hexane and cyclohexane. After the preparation of the dispersing agent and the first styrene block, the remaining monomer charges to the reactor are fed in aliphatic hydrocarbon diluents, preferably hexane or technical hexane, thereby greatly reducing the final percentage of cycloalkanes including cyclohexane in the reactor to less than 25% of total dispersing medium. The block copolymers produced according to the present process display a narrow molecular weight distribution and improved tensile strength over block copolymers produced in the absence of the additional cycloalkanes in the solvent system.

Abstract: Diene polymers or copolymers having improved balance between raw polymer viscosity and mixed compound viscosity, useful in tire tread compositions having highly balanced wet traction, rolling resistance, and traction in ice and snow, and fracture properties in the cured and white carbon reinforced states are provided. These diene polymers or copolymers comprise a mixture of diene polymer or copolymer chains containing carbon-tin bonds in the main polymer or copolymer chains and diene polymer or copolymer chains containing terminals derived from hydrocarboxysilane compounds. The diene polymer or copolymers are prepared by first coupling a portion of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains obtained by anionic polymerization using a tin polyhalide coupling agent and then terminating the remaining living diene polymer or copolymer chains using hydrocarboxysilane compounds.

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 interpolymedzed 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: Diene polymers or copolymers having improved balance between raw polymer viscosity and mixed compound viscosity, useful in tire tread compositions having highly balanced wet traction, rolling resistance, and traction in ice and snow, and fracture properties in the cured and white carbon reinforced states are provided. These diene polymers or copolymers comprise a mixture of diene polymer or copolymer chains containing carbon-tin bonds in the main polymer or copolymer chains and diene polymer or copolymer chains containing terminals derived from hydrocarboxysilane compounds. The diene polymer or copolymers are prepared by first coupling a portion of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains obtained by anionic polymerization using a tin polyhalide coupling agent and then terminating the remaining living diene polymer or copolymer chains using hydrocarboxysilane compounds.

Abstract: Block copolymers are described which comprise alternating blocks of (A) a polysiloxane; and (B) a copolymer of a 1,3-conjugated diene and a monovinyl aromatic compound. The block copolymers can be prepared by reacting a polysiloxane with a dilithiated copolymer of a conjugated diene and a monovinyl aromatic compound and thereafter neutralizing the reaction product with a protonic acid or a polyfunctional alkyl silane or silicon tetrachloride. Cured elastomer compositions exhibiting surface release characteristics are obtained by curing a mixture comprising the above-described block copolymer in the presence of a curing system comprising a peroxide and sulfur. Multilayer elastomer structures useful in manufacturing articles from elastomeric materials also are described wherein at least a portion of an outer layer of the multilayer elastomer structure has release characteristics and comprises the cured block copolymers of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing hydrolysis and coupling of substituents of siloxane end capped polymers containing hydrolyzable substituents during contact with water. The Mooney viscosity of siloxane terminated polymers is stabilized during such contact by treating the polymer with a stabilizing amount of stabilizing agent selected from the group consisting of: an acid, an acyl halide, methane sulfonic acid, toluene sulfonic acid, sulfuryl chloride, thionylchloride, phosgene, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, SOCl.sub.2 and SO.sub.2 Cl.sub.2, prior to contacting the siloxane terminated polymer with water.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon polymers with grafts of polyethers, polylactones, or polyesters from the reaction of phosgene with glycols having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms are disclosed as having good release properties or low adhesion to hydrocarbon rubber materials. The hydrocarbon backbone polymers include EPDM, hydrogenated polybutadiene, and hydrogenated poly(styrene-butadiene) all said polymers having pendant succinic anhydride groups or brominated p-methylstyrene-isobutylene copolymers. The above-referenced graft copolymers along with butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber or epichlorohydrin polymers or copolymers are described as useful polymers to make self-release curing bladders or sleeves for use in making molded articles such as pneumatic tires.

Abstract: Block copolymers are described which comprise alternating blocks of (A) a polysiloxane; and (B) a copolymer of a 1,3-conjugated diene and a monovinyl aromatic compound. The block copolymers can be prepared by reacting a polysiloxane with a dilithiated copolymer of a conjugated diene and a monovinyl aromatic compound and thereafter neutralizing the reaction product with a protonic acid or a polyfunctional alkyl silane or silicon tetrachloride. Cured elastomer compositions exhibiting surface release characteristics are obtained by curing a mixture comprising the above-described block copolymer in the presence of a curing system comprising a peroxide and sulfur. Multilayer elastomer structures useful in manufacturing articles from elastomeric materials also are described wherein at least a portion of an outer layer of the multilayer elastomer structure has release characteristics and comprises the cured block copolymers of the present invention.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon polymers with grafts of polyethers, polylactones, or polyesters from the reaction of phosgene with glycols having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms are disclosed as having good release properties or low adhesion to hydrocarbon rubber materials. The hydrocarbon backbone polymers include EPDM, hydrogenated polybutadiene, and hydrogenated poly(styrene-butadiene) all said polymers having pendant succinic anhydride groups or brominated p-methylstyrene-isobutylene copolymers. The above-referenced graft copolymers along with butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber or epichlorohydrin polymers or copolymers are described as useful polymers to make self-release curing bladders or sleeves for use in making molded articles such as pneumatic tires.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon polymers with grafts of polyethers, polylactones, or polyesters from the reaction of phosgene with glycols having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms are disclosed as having good release properties or low adhesion to hydrocarbon rubber materials. The hydrocarbon backbone polymers include EPDM, hydrogenated polybutadiene, and hydrogenated poly(styrene-butadiene) all said polymers having pendant succinic anhydride groups or brominated p-methylstyrene-isobutylene copolymers. The above-referenced graft copolymers along with butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber or epichlorohydrin polymers or copolymers are described as useful polymers to make self-release curing bladders or sleeves for use in making molded articles such as pneumatic tires.

Abstract: A method for improving the initiation efficiency during the anionic polymerization of 15 to 100 percent weight of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomers and 0 to 85 percent by weight of a conjugated diene monomer by conducting the polymerization in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of: (a) an organolithium initiator and (b) a 2,5-substituted tetrahydrofuran modifier having the structural formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.1 ' are independently H or an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms and R.sub.2 and R.sub.2 ' are alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Block copolymers are described which comprise alternating blocks of (A) a polysiloxane; and (B) a copolymer of a 1,3-conjugated diene and a monovinyl aromatic compound. The block copolymers can be prepared by reacting a polysiloxane with a dilithiated copolymer of a conjugated diene and a monovinyl aromatic compound and thereafter neutralizing the reaction product with a protonic acid or a polyfunctional alkyl silane or silicon tetrachloride. Cured elastomer compositions exhibiting surface release characteristics are obtained by curing a mixture comprising the above-described block copolymer in the presence of a curing system comprising a peroxide and sulfur. Multilayer elastomer structures useful in manufacturing articles from elastomeric materials also are described wherein at least a portion of an outer layer of the multilayer elastomer structure has release characteristics and comprises the cured block copolymers of the present invention.

Abstract: Disclosed is a solution-applied laminate release system useful in improving release properties toward uncured rubber to rubber bladders and, particularly, tire assembly machine (TAM) bladders having at least a portion of their outer surface covered with the releasing system comprised of (a) a primer system comprising (i) at least one layer of a halogenating treating agent and (ii) at least one layer of a silane coupling agent overlaid by (b) a layer of at least one layer of silicone release coating bonded to the silane coupling agent layer.

Abstract: Curable elastomer compositions having improved extrusion resistance comprise from about 50 to 90 parts by weight of a homogeneous blend of rubber, selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic rubbers and blends thereof, and from about 10 to 50 parts by weight of a block copolymer containing elastomeric blocks and crystalline blocks. The elastomer compositions of the present invention have particular utility as oil well packers. A method for improving the extrusion resistance of curable elastomer compositions comprises the steps of blending together an elastomer, selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic rubbers and blends thereof with a block copolymer containing elastomeric blocks and crystalline blocks to form a mixture and then curing the mixture.