Controlled radical initiators, reaction mixtures containing the controlled radical initiators and various ethylenically unsaturated monomers, and polymeric materials formed from the reaction mixtures are provided. The controlled radical initiators are bis-dithiocarbamate or bis-dithiocarbonate compounds with a single carbon atom between the two dithiocarbamate or dithiocarbonate groups. Polymeric materials such as homopolymers, random copolymers, and block copolymers can be prepared using the controlled radical initiators.

A block copolymer of the formula R.sub.f-PEG-PAA is disclosed, where R.sub.f comprises a perfluoroalkyl group having at least 3 carbon atoms, bound to an ether oxygen atom directly or through a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group, PEG is a poly(alkylene glycol) unit having a weight average molecular weight or number average molecular weight of from 1 to 20 kDa, and PAA is one or more poly([meth]acrylic acid) units having a total weight average molecular weight or number average molecular weight of from 0.3 to 10 kDa. A polymer mixture including the block copolymer, a co-hydrogel and a drug delivery vehicle including the polymer mixture, and methods of synthesizing the block copolymer, forming a sol-gel two-phase co-hydrogel, forming a drug delivery vehicle, and delivering a drug to a patient in need thereof are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to two different block copolymer families having structures (1) or (6) which both have a polydispersity ranging from 1 to about 1.09. In structure (1), A is a polar block copolymer segment comprised of either alkyl 2-methylenealkanoate derived repeating units, lactone derived repeat units, oxirane derived repeat units, oxetane or cyclic carbonate derived repeat units; L is either a direct valence bond or a linking moiety derived from a 1, 1-diarylethene; B segment is a non-polarblock copolymer segment comprised of styrenic repeat unit, E are end groups selected; and wherein said block copolymer is multi-tethered with oligo flexible tethered groups at various positions as outlined. In structure (6), A.sub.i is a polar block copolymer segment which has T.sub.g of about 50? C. and to about 100? C.; comprised of alkyl 2-methylenealkanoate derived repeating units, lactone derived repeat units, oxirane derived repeat units, oxetane or cyclic carbonate derived repeat units; B.sub.i is a styrenic block copolymer segment, which has a T.sub.g from about 50? C. and to about 100? C., B2 is a block copolymer segment with a T.sub.g ranging from about ?5? C. to about ?50? C., The present invention also pertains to compositions comprising either the block copolymer having structures (1) or the block copolymer having structure (6) and to methods of using these compositions. E-A-L-B-L-A-E (1) E.sub.1-A.sub.1-L.sub.1-B.sub.2-B.sub.1B.sub.2-L.sub.1-A1-E.sub.1(6)

[Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide an epoxy resin modifier capable of imparting excellent fracture toughness and peel adhesion strength while maintaining high transparency when added into an epoxy resin to form a cured product, an epoxy resin composition containing the epoxy resin modifier, an adhesive and an underfill material composed of the epoxy resin composition, and a cured product obtained by curing the epoxy resin composition.

[Solution] The epoxy resin modifier according to the present invention contains an A-B-A triblock copolymer having an A block that has a structural unit (a-1) represented by the general formula (1) and a structural unit (a-2) derived from a (meth)acrylate having a chain alkyl group, and a B block that has a structural unit (b) derived from a (meth)acrylate having a chain alkyl group or a cyclic alkyl group, an amount of the structural unit (a-1) is 85 mass % or more and less than 100 mass % in 100 mass % of each A block, and an amount of the structural unit (a-2) is more than 0 mass % and 15 mass % or less in 100 mass % of each A block.

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[In the general formula (1), R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, 0?n?10, and Q is a four-membered to six-membered cyclic ether group or cyclic thioether group.]

The invention provides adhesive compositions which can be hot-melt processed by being thermally melted at a relatively low temperature and which have excellent adhesion force, holding power and tack, and adhesive products including the adhesive compositions. A hot melt adhesive composition includes an acrylic block copolymer (I) including at least one polymer block (A) including methacrylate ester units, and at least one polymer block (B) including acrylate ester units, wherein the methacrylate ester units constituting the polymer block (A) include at least a methyl methacrylate (a1) unit and a methacrylate ester (a2) unit represented by the general formula CH.sub.2C(CH.sub.3)COOR.sup.1 (1) wherein R.sup.1 is a C.sub.2-16 organic group.

A sticky cleaner is provided for use in removing organic dirt stuck on a surface of an article. The sticky cleaner comprises a dirt-collecting member that collects the organic dirt as it makes contact with the surface of the article. The dirt-collecting member comprises a PSA at a part where it makes contact with the surface of the article. The PSA comprises, as its base polymer, an acrylic block copolymer having a hard segment (A) and a soft segment (B) in one molecule.

Provided is a process for forming an ordered film of a block copolymer on a surface. The process includes curing, on a surface, a composition comprising at least one block copolymer at a structuring temperature between the highest Tg of the at least one block copolymer and the decomposition temperature of the at least one block copolymer to form an ordered film comprising the at least one block copolymer on the substrate. The composition has a product effective*N of between 10.5 and 40 at the structuring temperature, where effective is the Flory-Huggins parameter of the block copolymer and N is the total degree of polymerization of the blocks of the block copolymer. The ordered film has a thickness greater than 20 nm and a period greater than 10 nm.

An object of the present invention is to provide an aqueous pigment dispersion that provides an aqueous ink for inkjet recording that contains a reduced number of coarse particles, is excellent in ejection stability, and is applicable to a printer equipped with a high-resolution inkjet head and to provide the aqueous ink for inkjet recording. The present invention relates to an aqueous pigment dispersion containing: a polymer (A) that has anionic groups, has a solubility in water of 0.1 g/100 mL or less and a number average molecular weight within the range of 1,000 to 6,000, and forms fine particles in water when the degree of neutralization of the anionic groups with a basic compound is 100%; a polyhalogenated metal phthalocyanine pigment or a diketopyrrolopyrrole pigment; and water. The invention also relates to an aqueous ink for inkjet recording.

An object of the present invention is to provide an aqueous pigment dispersion that provides an aqueous ink for inkjet recording that contains a reduced number of coarse particles, is excellent in ejection stability, and is applicable to a printer equipped with a high-resolution inkjet head and to provide the aqueous ink for inkjet recording. The present invention relates to an aqueous pigment dispersion containing: a polymer (A) that has anionic groups, has a solubility in water of 0.1 g/100 mL or less and a number average molecular weight within the range of 1,000 to 6,000, and forms fine particles in water when the degree of neutralization of the anionic groups with a basic compound is 100%; a polyhalogenated metal phthalocyanine pigment or a diketopyrrolopyrrole pigment; and water. The invention also relates to an aqueous ink for inkjet recording.

The invention provides a laminating acrylic thermoplastic polymer composition which is favorably laminated together with a layer including a plasticizer-containing polymer composition while ensuring that the migration of the plasticizer into the acrylic thermoplastic polymer composition layer is small and the resultant laminate attains excellent durability, and also provides a laminate obtained by laminating a layer including the laminating acrylic thermoplastic polymer composition onto one or both sides of a layer including the plasticizer-containing polymer composition. Further, the invention provides a polymer composition which, when the plasticizer-containing polymer described above is a vinyl chloride-based polymer, can keep sufficient adhesive force after being adhered to a layer including such a vinyl chloride-based polymer, and also provides an adhesive product using the composition. The laminating acrylic thermoplastic polymer composition is a composition for lamination with a layer including a plasticizer-containing polymer composition. The acrylic thermoplastic polymer composition includes an acrylic block copolymer (I) including at least one polymer block (A) containing methacrylic acid ester units and at least one polymer block (B) containing acrylic acid ester units; and the acrylic acid ester units constituting the polymer block (B) in the acrylic block copolymer (I) include an acrylic acid ester (1) unit represented by the general formula CH.sub.2CHCOOR.sup.1 (1) (wherein R.sup.1 is an organic group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms).