Polar modifier systems based on a blend of DTHFP, ETE, TMEDA, DMTHFMA and/or functionally similar compounds with BDMAEE and SMT are used to make block copolymers having high levels of pendant vinyl double bond repeat units, which is through highly selective 1,2-bond butadiene addition, low vinylcyclopentane formation, unimodal narrow molecular weight distribution, and a low level of randomized co-monomer repeat units. The block copolymers have very high levels of 1,2-vinyl content and high 3,4-vinyl bond addition of the conjugated diene monomer and low vinylcyclopentane content. The polar modifier systems provide a fast polymerization rate, with a unimodal narrow molecular weight distribution. The polar modifier systems allow operation at a higher temperature than in prior art systems, which reduces cooling requirements.

Polar modifier systems based on a blend of DTHFP, ETE, TMEDA, DMTHFMA and/or functionally similar compounds with BDMAEE and SMT are used to make block copolymers having high levels of pendant vinyl double bond repeat units, which is through highly selective 1,2-bond butadiene addition, low vinylcyclopentane formation, unimodal narrow molecular weight distribution, and a low level of randomized co-monomer repeat units. The block copolymers have very high levels of 1,2-vinyl content and high 3,4-vinyl bond addition of the conjugated diene monomer and low vinylcyclopentane content. The polar modifier systems provide a fast polymerization rate, with a unimodal narrow molecular weight distribution. The polar modifier systems allow operation at a higher temperature than in prior art systems, which reduces cooling requirements.

A conjugated diene-based rubber including a polymer block (A) containing isoprene monomer unit as the main component and a polymer block (B) containing 1,3-butadiene monomer unit as the main component, wherein at least one of the polymer block (A) and the polymer block (B) contains a unit of a vinyl compound having a functional group interactive with silica, the polymer block (A) has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of 1,000 to 30,000, and the entire conjugated diene-based rubber has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of 50,000 to 5,000,000.

A conjugated diene-based rubber including a polymer block (A) containing isoprene monomer unit as the main component and a polymer block (B) containing 1,3-butadiene monomer unit as the main component, wherein at least one of the polymer block (A) and the polymer block (B) contains a unit of a vinyl compound having a functional group interactive with silica, the polymer block (A) has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of 1,000 to 30,000, and the entire conjugated diene-based rubber has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) in the range of 50,000 to 5,000,000.

The present invention provides a modified diene copolymer composition having a modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer and at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer, wherein each block or segment in the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer is either a homopolymer or a copolymer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and/or at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer and/or at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer, wherein any of the copolymers have a distribution configuration that is tapered, counter tapered, random or controlled, and wherein any of the homopolymers or the copolymers comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and/or at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer may be in-chain and/or chain-end modified with at least one unit of at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer; optionally having a block copolymer made from the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer, wherein the block copolymer comprises at least two of the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymers. The invention also provides a process for making the modified diene copolymer composition.

The present invention provides a modified diene copolymer composition having a modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer and at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer, wherein each block or segment in the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer is either a homopolymer or a copolymer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and/or at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer and/or at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer, wherein any of the copolymers have a distribution configuration that is tapered, counter tapered, random or controlled, and wherein any of the homopolymers or the copolymers comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and/or at least one unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomer may be in-chain and/or chain-end modified with at least one unit of at least one substituted vinyl aromatic monomer; optionally having a block copolymer made from the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymer, wherein the block copolymer comprises at least two of the modified A-B-C or C-B-A copolymers. The invention also provides a process for making the modified diene copolymer composition.

The present invention relates to the use of N,N′,N″-substituted hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine in the anionic polymerization of conjugated diene monomer and vinylaromatic monomer. Use of this polar additive produces copolymers having both high vinylaromatic and low vinyl contents, while the blockiness of the vinylaromatic unit can be tailored.

Disclosed herein in is a medical tube comprising a hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer having a formula A-B-A, (A-B-A).sub.nX or (A-B).sub.nX is disclosed, where n is an integer from 2 to 30, and X is residue of a coupling agent. Prior to hydrogenation, each A block is a monoalkenyl arene homopolymer block having a true peak molecular weight of 5 kg/mol to 15 kg/mol. Each B block is a controlled distribution copolymer block having a true peak molecular weight of 30 kg/mol to 200 kg/mol. The hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer has a midblock poly(monoalkenyl arene) content of 35 wt. % to 50 wt. % based on the total weight of the midblock, and physical properties that makes it useful for producing medical tubes having kink resistance.

Disclosed herein in is a medical tube comprising a hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer having a formula A-B-A, (A-B-A).sub.nX or (A-B).sub.nX is disclosed, where n is an integer from 2 to 30, and X is residue of a coupling agent. Prior to hydrogenation, each A block is a monoalkenyl arene homopolymer block having a true peak molecular weight of 5 kg/mol to 15 kg/mol. Each B block is a controlled distribution copolymer block having a true peak molecular weight of 30 kg/mol to 200 kg/mol. The hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer has a midblock poly(monoalkenyl arene) content of 35 wt. % to 50 wt. % based on the total weight of the midblock, and physical properties that makes it useful for producing medical tubes having kink resistance.

A styrenic block copolymer having one or more polymer blocks A and one or more polymer blocks B is disclosed, where “A” is a poly(vinylaromatic) block having a molecular weight of greater than 5 kg/mol. The “B” block has a molecular weight of more than 15 kg/mol, and comprises polymerized 1,3-diene units and vinylaromatic units, wherein the polymerized vinylaromatic units represent 5-40 wt. % of the overall weight of the block “B”. The polymerized 1,3-diene units comprise more than 80 wt. % of polymerized isoprene units in which 45-80 mol % are 1,4-isoprene addition units. The blocks “A” and “B” represent from >5 to <40 wt. %, and >33 to <95 wt. %, respectively, relative to the overall weight of the block copolymer. The polymers have physical properties that make them valuable, e.g., as vibration damping materials.