Abstract: A panel having an ornamental façade adapted for securing to a foundation. The panel may be assembled to produce a skirting system for building structures or in hedging/retaining-walls/walkways and other such landscape features. The panel has a member, which may be plastic, comprising an outwardly-directed surface to which the ornamental façade is affixed, and an inwardly-directed surface to which a plastic support framework is integrally coupled. Framework comprises a first section (of suitably shaped cross-section, tubular or solid) located generally along the periphery of the inwardly-directed surface and further can include an interconnect section extending between the first section. Right and left vertical supports may be coupled to the inwardly-directed surface. Each vertical support comprises an angle iron shaped extension, a top-end and lower-end of which has a respective ledge permanently affixed.

Abstract: Lithium-terminated polymers of one or more conjugated dienes and of one or more mono alkenyl arenes are coupled by reaction with an alkoxy silane coupling agent having the formula Rx—Si—(OR?)y, where x is 0 or 1, x+y=4, R and R? are the same or different, R is selected from aryl hydrocarbon radicals, linear alkyl hydrocarbon radicals and branched alkyl hydrocarbon radicals, and R? is selected from linear and branched alkyl hydrocarbon radicals, such that the resulting polymer composition contains less than about ten weight percent of uncoupled polymer diblock. The polymer compositions are subsequently selectively hydrogenated, and are useful in a variety of compounds and end use applications.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing hydrogenated conjugated diene block copolymers having the steps of (a) charging a solvent, a microstructure control agent, and an alkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer into a first reactor forming an admixture of solvent, a microstructure control agent, and an alkenyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer wherein the concentration of the microstructure control agent is from about 5 to about 10 weight percent; (b) titrating the admixture of solvent, microstructure control agent, and alkenyl aromatic monomer using an anionic polymerization initiator to form a living polymer; (c) allowing sufficient time for the living polymer to react with and incorporate the alkenyl aromatic monomer; (d) charging a conjugated diene monomer into the first reactor; (e) allowing sufficient time for the living polymer to react with and incorporate the conjugated diene monomer to form a living block copolymer; and (f) hydrogenating the living block copolymer to form a hydrogenated conjugated diene block c

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for making selectively hydrogenated block copolymers of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons and conjugated dienes comprising: a) anionically polymerizing vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons and conjugated dienes to produce block copolymers with living chain ends; b) terminating the living chain ends; to produce a terminated block copolymer, with a member from the group consisting of an alcohol, hydrogen, and mixtures thereof, to prepare a terminated block copolymer; and c) contacting the terminated block copolymers with hydrogen at a temperature of from 20 to 175° C. in the presence of a catalyst prepared by combining a cobalt carboxylate with an aluminum alkyl, wherein: (i) if the polymer is terminated with an alcohol and the alcohol is a linear alcohol, the linear alcohol is used to terminate the living chain ends in an amount such that the alcohol: living chain end molar ratio is from 0.05 to 1.

Abstract: Lithium-terminated polymers of one or more conjugated dienes and of one or more mono alkenyl arenes are coupled by reaction with an alkoxy silane coupling agent having the formula Rx—Si—(OR′)y, where x is 0 or 1, x+y=4, R and R′ are the same or different, R is selected from aryl hydrocarbon radicals, linear alkyl hydrocarbon radicals and branched alkyl hydrocarbon radicals, and R′ is selected from linear and branched alkyl hydrocarbon radicals, such that the resulting polymer composition contains less than about ten weight percent of uncoupled polymer diblock. The polymer compositions are subsequently selectively hydrogenated, and are useful in a variety of compounds and end use applications.