Abstract: A block copolymer is provided, the block copolymer halogenated polystyrene comprises the formula:S'--A--(A--S').sub.min which m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, A is a saturated polyalkylene, and S' is a nuclear brominated poly(vinyl aromatic) having from about 0.5 to about 5 bromines per styrene unit. The vinyl aromatic blocks are substantially free of halogen other than bromine and the polyalkylene is substantially free of halogen. The compositions retain the elastomeric properties of the non-halogenated form of the compounds while having significantly reduced flammability along with improved tensile strength and high temperature properties.

Abstract: This invention relates to anionically polymerized block copolymers comprised of at least one block polyethylene and at least one block of a polymerized cyclic siloxane monomer, e.g., polydimethylsiloxane. Block copolymers with multiple "arms" may be formed by coupling these living diblocks with polyfunctional coupling agents. One copolymer for use in wax release coatings has an overall weight average molecular weight of 1500 to 100,000, a polyethylene block weight average molecular weight of less than 4100, and a polyethylene content of less than 55 percent by weight. Another copolymer for use in extruded release coating films prepared by blending the copolymer with a film grade polymer has an overall molecular weight of less than 20,000 and a polyethylene block molecular weight of less than 3700.

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 multifunctional initiator is prepared by contacting an organo-alkali metal compound with a silane represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein the R' are generally lower alkyl groups such as methyl and the R" is generally an .paren open-st.CH.sub.2 .paren close-st..sub.n group with n=2. Superior results are obtained presumably because of the separation of the vinyl groups and the greater solubility of the compound because of the R' groups. The resulting catalyst initiates polymerization of monomers such as conjugated dienes and monovinyl substituted aromatic compounds to give relatively monodispersed polymers with little or no crosslinking.

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 block copolymer is provided, the block copolymer halogenated polystyrene comprises the formula:S'--A--(A--S').sub.min which m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, A is a saturated polyalkylene, and S' is a nuclear brominated poly(vinyl aromatic) having from about 0.5 to about 5 bromines per styrene unit. The vinyl aromatic blocks are substantially free of halogen other than bromine and the polyalkylene is substantially free of halogen. The compositions retain the elastomeric properties of the non-halogenated form of the compounds while having significantly reduced flammability along with improved tensile strength and high temperature properties.

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 core functionalized star block copolymer formed of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and/or a conjugated diene and a polyalkenyl aromatic coupling agent wherein the core functionalization is provided by reaction of the star polymer core with an asymmetric bi- or polyfunctional capping agent.

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 producing, in the presence of both monomers, a block copolymer of a polymer block of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon (and/or a conjugated diene) and a block of polydimethysiloxane which comprises adding a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, an organo alkali metal promoter, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane and a polar promoter to a solvent (or to the styrene if no solvent is to be used) at a temperature of 0.degree. to 60.degree. C., allowing the polymerization of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon to proceed until the color of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon - Li.sup.+ species which is initially produced fades, then raising the temperature to 60.degree. to 120.degree. C. wherein the hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane polymerizes at the end of the polystyrene polymer blocks and then terminating the polymerization.

Abstract: The present invention is an improvement upon the process for making block copolymers of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons and/or conjugated dienes, and polydimethylsiloxane by first anionically polymerizing the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon to make a living polymer block and then adding hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane and a polar promoter to polymerize a polydimethylsiloxane block at the end of the living polymer block. The improvement comprises reacting the living polymer blocks with a crossover reagent to decrease the crossover time from the living polymer block polymerization to the polydimethylsiloxane polymerization.

Abstract: A process is described for producing a coupled polymer by anionically polymerizing monomers selected from the group consisting of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, a conjugated diene or both with an organo alkali metal compound to produce living polymer arms which are then contacted with a fullerene which reacts with the living polymer arms to form a coupled polymer. The coupled polymer has a novel composition and novel characteristics.

Abstract: A star block copolymer comprised of vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and/or conjugated diene polymer arms and polydimethylsiloxane arms radiating outwardly from a polyalkenyl aromatic coupling agent core is produced by first anionically polymerizing a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and/or a conjugated diene to produce living polymer arms, reacting the living polymer arms with a polyalkenyl aromatic coupling agent to couple the arms thereto, polymerizing this coupled product with hexa-methylcyclotrisiloxane in the presence of a polar promoter and then terminating the polymerization.

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.