The present invention relates to a RAFT agent of formula (I) where R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each independently selected from H and optionally substituted alkyl.

##STR00001##

An example block copolymer may include at least one poly(glucose-6-acrylate) (G6A) block. An example technique may include treating glucose-6-acrylate-1,2,3,4-tetraacetate (GATA) monomer and n-butyl acrylate (nBA) monomer with a free radical initiator in the presence of a chain transfer agent (CTA).

Coupling agents useful for preparing vulcanized composition with filers such as silica and carbon black are provided. The coupling agents include fluorine substituted styrene compounds and styrene compounds containing a hydrocarbyloxysilane functional group. The coupling agents may be grafted onto polydiene polymers or added into a vulcanizable composition as an oligomer. The use of one or both of fluorine substituted styrene compounds and styrene compounds containing a hydrocarbyloxysilane functional group may improve the strength, rolling resistance, and/or cure rate of a vulcanized polymer compared to a vulcanized polymer without a coupling agent.

A functional polymer including at least two different types of side chains, having the general formula (1),

##STR00001##

wherein A is an at least monosubstituted alkylene or arylene group; B is an amide, ester or ether group and n is 0 or 1; F is selected from: an ester, secondary amine, amide, ether, thio ether, thio ester, and may be the same or different for the different side chains; D is a side chain intended to reversible bind to a substrate or has a coating function; E is a side chain intended to irreversible bind to a substrate, the side chain E and polymer includes 1 to 10 different side chains D and 1 to 10 different side chains E, but at least one of each, and includes a plurality of each type, whereby the different types of side chains are randomly or regularly distributed in the polymer.

A block copolymer having the general formula as formula (1): mediator-P.sub.2-P.sub.1-X, formula (1), and the chemical structural formula is ##STR00001##
formula (2), in which the mediator in formula (1) and formula (2) is a regulator, which is a conjugated seven-membered ring structure, P.sub.1 is a first polymer which may be a conjugated or non-conjugated olefin monomer, R.sub.1 is the functional group of P.sub.1, n is the number of the monomer of P.sub.1, which is a positive integer and the range is 10˜1,500. P.sub.2 is a second polymer, m is the number of the monomer of P.sub.2, which is a positive integer and the range is 10˜1,500, and X is the end-functional group of the block copolymer.

A polymerization method including radically polymerizing a monomer in a polymerization medium comprising a chain transfer agent, and a free radical initiator prepared by oxidizing a reaction product of a ligand-reactive decomplexation agent and an alkyl-borane complex of the formula: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are independently selected from hydrogen, an alkyl group containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group containing from 3-12 carbon atoms, and an aryl group containing from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, wherein the aryl group may be optionally substituted with an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 is an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group or an aryl group, and L is a complexing agent selected from one or more amine groups, amidine groups, hydroxide groups, alkoxyl groups, alkyl ether groups, alkoxide groups and mixtures thereof.

The present invention discloses a multiblock copolymer with narrow molecular weight distribution and a preparation method therefor. According to the present disclosure, a series of multiblock copolymers with narrow molecular weight distribution are prepared by adopting a reversible addition chain transfer free radical polymerization technology in an emulsion polymerization system by controlling the feeding sequence of monomers. The molecular weight of the series of multiblock copolymers meets theoretical expectations, the content of dead polymers is low, and the mechanical properties are greatly improved compared with the traditional triblock copolymers. The present disclosure has the advantages of simple flow equipment, an energy-saving and environment-friendly process, cheap and readily available raw materials, achieves high control of the block number, block types, block molecular weight and other structures in the block polymers, and provides a universal and feasible means for preparing polymer materials with specific structures and functions.

The invention relates to a method for producing polyacrylate adhesive compounds with a narrow molar mass distribution by means of a radical polymerization and a subsequent increase of the molar masses by reacting with bis- or multi-dienyl compounds, in particular with α,ω-bis-dienyl compounds, in order to increase the cohesion in particular.

A method for the production of hyperbranched polyacrylates includes the step of reacting acrylic inimers through controlled living polymerization in aqueous conditions. The inimers may have the formula: ##STR00001##
Wherein X is a halogen, a thiocarbonylthio or nitroxide group, and R is hydrogen, methyl, dodecyl, and groups containing mesogenin substituents, fluorocarbon substituents, siloxane substituents and oxyethylene substituents. In particular, the aqueous condition is emulsion or miniemulsion. The polymerization may be reverse ATRP, SN&RI and AGET polymerization or RAFT polymerization (with thiocarbonylthio X groups) or nitroxide mediated polyeization (with nitroxide X groups).

Disclosed in the invention is a fluorine-containing polymer microsphere. A polymerization monomer, a photoinitiator and a stable dispersant are added into a reaction kettle, carbon dioxide gas is introduced for emptying air therein, then liquid carbon dioxide is injected, an initiating light source is used for irradiating in the reaction kettle after the temperature and pressure of the reaction kettle are constant, the reaction is performed under the conditions of −20-30° C. and 20-70 bar, wherein the concentration of the polymerization monomer accounting for the total volume of the reactants is 0.02-2 g/ml, and the weight ratio of the photoinitiator, stable dispersant and polymerization monomer is (0.3-10):(2-20):100; after the reaction is finished, the temperature returns to room temperature, and the precipitate is washed with liquid carbon dioxide, so as to obtain the polymer microspheres. The fluorine-containing polymer which covers the surface of the microspheres in the present invention can reduce the surface energy thereof, and can benefit the timely migration of the microspheres to the coating surface; a tertiary amine group is introduced into the fluorine-containing polymer to firmly bond the microspheres into a cross-linked network, and thus benefits the tight integration of the microspheres and the coating; a RAFT active group is introduced to firmly anchor the microspheres onto the coating film; thus ensuring the stability of the cured coating.