Provided herein are ethylene copolymers, methods for making such copolymers, and compositions made from such copolymers. The ethylene copolymers have 70 wt. % to 85 wt. % of units derived from ethylene and at least 12 wt. % of units derived from at least one α-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms. The copolymers preferably further have a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) ranging from about 50,000 to about 200,000 g/mol, melting point of at least 100° C., ratio of Mw/Mn of about 1.5 to about 3.5, a content of group 4 metals of no more than 25 ppm, and a ratio of wt ppm Group 4 metals/wt ppm Group 5 metals of at least 3. Such copolymers may be particularly useful as viscosity modifiers for lubricating oil compositions.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a polymer, employing the steps of: (1) contacting a free radical initiator; a chain transfer agent containing a thiocarbonyl thio group and a free radical leaving group; and a radically polymerizable monomer, to form a polymer chain; and (2) contacting the polymer chain of step (1) with at least one of a polyvalent coupling agent, a polymerization inhibitor, a grafting acylating agent, an amine and an oil of lubricating viscosity. The invention further provides compositions and uses for the polymer.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a polymer, employing the steps of: (1) contacting a free radical initiator; a chain transfer agent containing a thiocarbonyl thio group and a free radical leaving group; and a radically polymerizable monomer, to form a polymer chain; and (2) contacting the polymer chain of step (1) with at least one of a polyvalent coupling agent, a polymerization inhibitor, a grafting acylating agent, an amine and an oil of lubricating viscosity. The invention further provides compositions and uses for the polymer.

An aqueous composition comprises an amphiphilic block copolymer, having a hydrophilic block comprising pendant zwitterionic groups and a hydrophobic block, and a biologically active compound associated with the polymer. The polymer is preferably in the form of micelles, and preferably the biological active is a hydrophobic drug. The hydrophilic block is preferably formed from acrylic monomer including phosphorylcholine groups. The hydrophobic group is suitably formed from monomer which has groups which can be ionised at useful pH's, especially tertiary amine groups. Micelles may be formed by dissolving the block copolymer in aqueous solvent at a pH at which the amine groups are protonated then raising the pH to a value at which the amine groups are substantially deprotonated, whereupon micelles spontaneously form. The preformed micelles are then contacted with active, under conditions such that solubilisation of the active occurs. The active may be for tumour treatment.

An aqueous composition comprises an amphiphilic block copolymer, having a hydrophilic block comprising pendant zwitterionic groups and a hydrophobic block, and a biologically active compound associated with the polymer. The polymer is preferably in the form of micelles, and preferably the biological active is a hydrophobic drug. The hydrophilic block is preferably formed from acrylic monomer including phosphorylcholine groups. The hydrophobic group is suitably formed from monomer which has groups which can be ionised at useful pH's, especially tertiary amine groups. Micelles may be formed by dissolving the block copolymer in aqueous solvent at a pH at which the amine groups are protonated then raising the pH to a value at which the amine groups are substantially deprotonated, whereupon micelles spontaneously form. The preformed micelles are then contacted with active, under conditions such that solubilisation of the active occurs. The active may be for tumour treatment.

A rubbery polymer comprising: (a) butyl acrylate or a mixture of butyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, (b) at least one member selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, and ethyl acrylate, (c) acrylonitrile, (d) styrene, (e) a half ester maleate soap, and (f) a crosslinking agent selected from allyl methacrylate, and mixtures of allyl methacrylate with glycidyl methacrylate, trimethylolpropanetrimethyl acrylate, dicyclopentenyloxyethyl methacrylate and divinylbenzene.

A rubbery polymer comprising: (a) butyl acrylate or a mixture of butyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, (b) at least one member selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, and ethyl acrylate, (c) acrylonitrile, (d) styrene, (e) a half ester maleate soap, and (f) a crosslinking agent selected from allyl methacrylate, and mixtures of allyl methacrylate with glycidyl methacrylate, trimethylolpropanetrimethyl acrylate, dicyclopentenyloxyethyl methacrylate and divinylbenzene.

The invention relates to an adhesive composition comprising at least one polyamide noted A, with a mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom, noted C.sub.A, of between 4 and 8.5 and advantageously between 4 and 7; at least one polyamide noted B, with a melting point of greater than or equal to 180° C. and a mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom, noted C.sub.B, of between 7 and 10 and advantageously between 7.5 and 9.5; at least one polyamide noted C, with a mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom, noted C.sub.C, of between 9 and 18 and advantageously between 10 and 18; at least 50% by weight of the said composition being formed from one or more polyamides chosen from polyamides A, B and C, the mass-weighted mean of the heats of fusion of these polyamides in the said composition being greater than 25 J/g (DSC), the mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom of the polyamides A, B and C also satisfying the following strict inequality: C.sub.A<C.sub.B<C.sub.C, and also to multilayer structures using the said composition.

The invention relates to an adhesive composition comprising at least one polyamide noted A, with a mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom, noted C.sub.A, of between 4 and 8.5 and advantageously between 4 and 7; at least one polyamide noted B, with a melting point of greater than or equal to 180° C. and a mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom, noted C.sub.B, of between 7 and 10 and advantageously between 7.5 and 9.5; at least one polyamide noted C, with a mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom, noted C.sub.C, of between 9 and 18 and advantageously between 10 and 18; at least 50% by weight of the said composition being formed from one or more polyamides chosen from polyamides A, B and C, the mass-weighted mean of the heats of fusion of these polyamides in the said composition being greater than 25 J/g (DSC), the mean number of carbon atoms per nitrogen atom of the polyamides A, B and C also satisfying the following strict inequality: C.sub.A<C.sub.B<C.sub.C, and also to multilayer structures using the said composition.

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.