A method for ordering block copolymers including forming a first layer having a first preference mode; and providing a reactive agent in selected regions of the first layer that modifies the selected regions to a second preference mode, wherein the selected regions define other regions of the first layer retaining the first preference mode thereby forming an alignment layer for block copolymers.

A coating agent for paper comprises: an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, wherein the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer has a content of ethylene units of 1 mol % or more and less than 20 mol % and a block character of the ethylene units from 0.90 to 0.99. Coated paper is obtained by coating paper with such a coating agent. The coating agent of the present invention is excellent in viscosity stability and also causes the resulting coated paper to be excellent in barrier properties and water resistance.

A method for ordering block copolymers including forming a first layer having a first preference mode; and providing a reactive agent in selected regions of the first layer that modifies the selected regions to a second preference mode, wherein the selected regions define other regions of the first layer retaining the first preference mode thereby forming an alignment layer for block copolymers.

Provided is a block copolymer that makes it possible to produce inorganic nanoparticles that can be dispersed in an organic solvent, the inorganic nanoparticles being of uniform size and a reducing agent not having to be used.

A block copolymer including a catechol segment represented by formula (1).

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A multi-part water-borne coating composition is provided. The multi-part composition includes water, a first part, and a second part. The first part comprises (a1) a core-shell latex copolymer having pendant hydroxyl and pendant carbonyl groups. The second part comprises (b1) at least one polyisocyanate compound having pendant NCO groups. The multi-part composition also includes at least one polyhydrazide compound having at least two hydrazide groups of the formula C(O)NHN(R.sup.h)(R.sup.i), wherein R.sup.h and R.sup.i are independently H or C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkyl. The molar ratio of hydroxyl groups to NCO groups in the composition is from 5:1 to 1:5. The molar ratio of hydrazide groups to carbonyl groups in the composition is from 5:1 to 1:5.