The present application relates to a monomer, a method for preparing a block copolymer, a block copolymer, and uses thereof. Each monomer of the present application exhibits an excellent self-assembling property and is capable of forming a block copolymer to which a variety of required functions are granted as necessary without constraint.

The present invention relates to the use of a composition comprising 60-98 wt. % of polypropylene, 2-40 wt. % of low density polyethylene, 0.1-10 wt. % of compatibiliser wherein the compatibiliser is a BAB or AB type of block copolymer comprising a polypropylene block A and a polyester block B, or wherein the compatibiliser is a graft copolymer of the type ABn having a polypropylene backbone A and polyester block(s) B grafted thereon, with n being at least 1, and the polyester block(s) B have an average M/F ratio from 8-32, wherein M is the number of backbone carbon atoms in the polyester not including carbonyl carbon atoms, and F is the number of ester groups in the polyester block(s), wherein the wt. % is based on the sum of the amount polypropylene, low density polyethylene and compatibiliser, for the manufacture of a foamed article.

The present invention relates to the use of a composition comprising 60-98 wt. % of polypropylene, 2-40 wt. % of low density polyethylene, 0.1-10 wt. % of compatibiliser wherein the compatibiliser is a BAB or AB type of block copolymer comprising a polypropylene block A and a polyester block B, or wherein the compatibiliser is a graft copolymer of the type ABn having a polypropylene backbone A and polyester block(s) B grafted thereon, with n being at least 1, and the polyester block(s) B have an average M/F ratio from 8-32, wherein M is the number of backbone carbon atoms in the polyester not including carbonyl carbon atoms, and F is the number of ester groups in the polyester block(s), wherein the wt. % is based on the sum of the amount polypropylene, low density polyethylene and compatibiliser, for the manufacture of a foamed article.

Disclosed is a vinyl alcohol-based block copolymer that is a block copolymer composed of a vinyl alcohol-based polymer block (B-b) and a copolymer block (B-c) comprising a vinyl alcohol-based monomer unit and an acrylic acid-based monomer unit, wherein a content (Z) of the acrylic acid-based monomer unit relative to all monomer units is 0.05 to 20.0 mol %, the block copolymer has a saponification degree of 80 to 99.99 mol %, the block copolymer has a number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.a) of 20,000 to 440,000, the block copolymer has a molecular weight distribution (Mw.sub.a/Mn.sub.a) of 1.05 to 1.95, and a ratio (DP.sub.b/DP.sub.a) of a number-average polymerization degree (DP.sub.b) of the vinyl alcohol-based polymer block (B-b) to the number-average polymerization degree (DP.sub.a) of the block copolymer is 0.010 to 0.999. The copolymer has a fine balance derived from the copolymer block (B-c) of having a superior solubility in water while being unlikely to undergo thickening or gelation due to pH fluctuation, and also has high mechanic strength derived from the vinyl alcohol-based polymer block (B-b).

Provided is a method of manufacturing a patterned substrate. The method may be applied to a process of manufacturing a device such as an electronic device or integrated circuit, or another use, for example, to manufacture an integrated optical system, a guidance and detection pattern of a magnetic domain memory, a flat panel display, a LCD, a thin film magnetic head or an organic light emitting diode, and used to construct a pattern on a surface to be used to manufacture a discrete tract medium such as an integrated circuit, a bit-patterned medium and/or a magnetic storage device such as a hard drive.

Brominated vinylaromatic-diene block copolymers (Br-SBC) comprising a vinylaromatic polymer block S and a brominated diene polymer block BB, wherein before bromination the weight-average molar mass M.sub.w of the block S is greater than or equal to M.sub.w of the block BB, use thereof as flame retardants, and also polymer compositions comprising these for unfoamed and foamed thermoplastic polymers, for example EPS and XPS.

Methods of forming metal oxide structures and methods of forming metal oxide patterns on a substrate using a block copolymer system formulated for self-assembly. A block copolymer at least within a trench in the substrate and including at least one soluble block and at least one insoluble block may be annealed to form a self-assembled pattern including a plurality of repeating units of the at least one soluble block laterally aligned with the trench and positioned within a matrix of the at least one insoluble block. The self-assembled pattern may be exposed to a metal oxide precursor that impregnates the at least one soluble block. The metal oxide precursor may be oxidized to form a metal oxide. The self-assembled pattern may be removed to form a pattern of metal oxide lines on the substrate surface. Semiconductor device structures are also described.

Methods of forming metal oxide structures and methods of forming metal oxide patterns on a substrate using a block copolymer system formulated for self-assembly. A block copolymer at least within a trench in the substrate and including at least one soluble block and at least one insoluble block may be annealed to form a self-assembled pattern including a plurality of repeating units of the at least one soluble block laterally aligned with the trench and positioned within a matrix of the at least one insoluble block. The self-assembled pattern may be exposed to a metal oxide precursor that impregnates the at least one soluble block. The metal oxide precursor may be oxidized to form a metal oxide. The self-assembled pattern may be removed to form a pattern of metal oxide lines on the substrate surface. Semiconductor device structures are also described.

A resist composition containing a resin component having a structural unit represented by general formula (a0-1), and a compound represented by general formula (b1). In general formula (a0-1), R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or a halogenated alkyl group, Va.sup.1 is a divalent hydrocarbon group, n.sub.a1 represents an integer of 0 to 2, Ya.sup.0 is a carbon atom, Xa.sup.0 is a group forming a monocyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group together with Ya.sup.0, and Ra.sup.00 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a specific unsaturated hydrocarbon group. In general formula (b1), R.sup.b1 represents a cyclic hydrocarbon group, Y.sup.b1 represents a divalent linking group containing an ester bond, V.sup.b1 represents an alkylene group, a fluorinated alkylene group, or a single bond, and M.sup.m+ is an m-valent organic cation. ##STR00001##

The present invention concerns block and/or tapered block copolymers comprising pendant hydrocarbyl, trisubstituted epoxide-containing moieties, and methods of preparing these and their precursors. The invention also concerns curable compositions comprising such copolymers as modified solution styrene butadiene rubbers and silica and/or carbon black and articles formed from curing these formulations. Such articles may be tyres.