Abstract: There are disclosed star shaped thermoplastic elastomers made of acrylic block copolymers obtained by transition metal catalysed radical polymerisation. The elastomers comprise core arms obtained from monomers or mixture of monomers, whose Tg is from about ?65° C. to about ?20° C., and of shell arms obtained from monomers or mixture of monomers, whose Tg is from about 70° C. to about 160° C. The core copolymer has a polydispersity of 2 or higher and the final copolymer has a polydispersity of from 3 to 10.

Abstract: There are disclosed star shaped thermoplastic elastomers made of acrylic block copolymers obtained by transition metal catalysed radical polymerisation. The elastomers comprise core arms obtained from monomers or mixture of monomers, whose Tg is from about ?65° C. to about ?20° C., and of shell arms obtained from monomers or mixture of monomers, whose Tg is from about 70° C. to about 160° C. The core copolymer has a polydispersity of 2 or higher and the final copolymer has a polydispersity of from 3 to 10.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of an aqueous polymer dispersion by mini-emulsion polymerisation comprising the steps of (a) forming a mixture comprising (optionally formed as a first aqueous pre-mixture) water and at least one amphiphilic stabilising polymer having a number average molecular weight Mn of 800 to 100,000 and an acid number of 50 to 400 mg KOH/g and (optionally formed as a second organic pre-mixture) at least one hydrophobic co-stabiliser and at least one a,?-ethylenically unsaturated monomer; (b) subjecting this mixture to high stress to form a mini-emulsion comprising stabilised droplets of average diameter from about 10 to about 1000 nm and polymerising the monomer within the droplets. Preferably the mixtures are substantially free of surfactant other than the amphiphilic polymer. Aqueous polymer dispersions so obtained and uses thereof in coatings, films, adhesives and inks are also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to mixture of at least two preferably at least three emulisfiers comprising of at least one emulsifier of formula (I), wherein one or two of R1 to R6 groups are SO3M, one or two of R1 to R6 groups are a C1-18alkyl group; and of at least one emulsifier chosen from linear or branched alkylethersulfates, formulae (II) and (III), wherein R7 represents a C1-18 alkyl group, each of R8, R8?, R8?, R9, R9?, and R9?, independently, represents hydrogen or a C1-6 alkyl group, M? and M?, independently represent a cation, k is an integer from 6 to 20, and n, m and p, each independently, is an integer from 1 to 18 with the proviso that (n+m+p) is an integer from 6 to 20. Use of these mixtures in aqueous polymer dispersions and emulsion polymerisations is also described.

Abstract: There is disclosed polymers and aqueous dispersions of them, the polymers containing specific copolymers which comprise at least four different ethylenically unsaturated monomers (such as 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, methyl acrylate and styrene, and optionally (meth)acrylic acid, ethyl imidazolidone methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate n-dodecyl methacrylate and/or methyl methacrylate). Also described is production of said polymers and dispersions by emulsion polymerization and their use as adhesives, for example as pressure sensitive adhesives on polymeric film.