A method of preparing high molecular weight poly(meth)acrylate polymers having narrow polydispersity indices (PDIs) by coupling poly(meth)acrylate building block units which themselves have narrow PDIs. The building block units have halogenated terminations, which when reacted with selected coupling agents, from the high molecular weight poly(meth)acrylate polymers.

A process of forming a macromolecular block copolymer includes forming a first high molecular weight polymer using a first extruder of an extruder system that includes multiple extruders. The first extruded high molecular weight polymer has a first length terminating at a joiner of the extruder system and has a first set of material properties along the first length. The process also includes forming a second high molecular weight polymer using a second extruder of the extruder system. The second extruded high molecular weight polymer has a second length terminating at the joiner of the extruder system and has a second set of material properties along the second length. The process further includes bonding the first extruded high molecular weight polymer to the second extruded high molecular weight polymer to form a macromolecular block copolymer having a first segment of the first length and a second segment of the second length.

An article of manufacture includes a macromolecular block copolymer. The macromolecular block copolymer includes a first extruded high molecular weight polymer and a second extruded high molecular weight polymer bonded to the first extruded high molecular weight polymer. The first extruded high molecular weight polymer has a first characteristic rigidity value along a first length, and the second extruded high molecular weight polymer has a second characteristic rigidity value along a second length that is different from the first characteristic rigidity value.

A process of forming a macromolecular block copolymer includes forming a first high molecular weight polymer of a first length. The first high molecular weight polymer includes a first set of side-chain functional groups and has a first characteristic rigidity value along the first length. The process also includes forming a second high molecular weight polymer of a second length. The second high molecular weight polymer includes a second set of side-chain functional groups and has a second characteristic rigidity value along the second length that is less than the first characteristic rigidity value. The process further includes bonding the second high molecular weight polymer to the first high molecular weight polymer.

A polymer and a pharmaceutical composition employing the same are disclosed. The polymer includes a first repeating unit, a second repeating unit, and a third repeating unit. In particular, the first repeating unit is ##STR00001##
the second repeating unit is ##STR00002##
wherein R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-6 alkyl group; and the third repeating unit is ##STR00003##
wherein X is ##STR00004##
and Y is a hydrophilic polymeric moiety.

The present invention provides plasticizers, compositions, and tires which can vary tire performance in response to temperature changes. The present invention relates to a plasticizer for resins and/or elastomers, containing a group that changes hydrophilicity with changes in temperature.

Functionalized zwitterionic and mixed charge polymers and copolymers, methods for making the polymers and copolymers, hydrogels prepared from the functionalized zwitterionic and mixed charge polymers and copolymers, methods for making and using the hydrogels, and zwitterionic and mixed charge polymers and copolymers for administration for therapeutic agents.

Provided are a block copolymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution such that the copolymer can be used in a DSA technique, a block copolymer intermediate thereof, and methods for producing the same. A block copolymer intermediate represented by the general formula (1) or (2) is used:

##STR00001##

wherein, in the general formulae (1) and (2), each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 independently represents a polymerization initiator residue, each of R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 independently represents an aromatic group or an alkyl group, Y.sup.1 represents a polymer block of (a)an (meth)acrylic acid ester, Y.sup.2 represents a polymer block of styrene or a derivative thereof, L represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, X represents a halogen atom, and each of m and n independently represents an integer of 1 to 5.

Provided are a block copolymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution such that the copolymer can be used in a DSA technique, a block copolymer intermediate thereof, and methods for producing the same. A block copolymer intermediate represented by the general formula (1) or (2):

##STR00001##

wherein, in the formulae (1) and (2), each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 independently represents a polymerization initiator residue, each of R.sup.2 and R.sup.4 independently represents an aromatic group or an alkyl group, Y.sup.1 represents a polymer block of (a)an (meth)acrylic acid ester, Y.sup.2 represents a polymer block of styrene or a derivative thereof, L represents an alkylene group or a phenylene group, X represents a halogen group, and each of m and n independently represents an integer of 1 to 5.

In an aspect, a method of synthesizing a graft copolymer comprises the steps of: copolymerizing a first macromonomer and a first reactive diluent; wherein said first macromonomer comprises a first backbone precursor directly or indirectly covalently linked to a first polymer side chain group; wherein said reactive diluent is provided in the presence of the first macromonomer at an amount selected so as to result in formation said graft copolymer having a first backbone incorporating said diluent and said first macromonomer in a first polymer block characterized by a preselected first graft density or a preselected first graft distribution of said first macromonomer. In some embodiments of this aspect, said preselected first graft density is any value selected from the range of 0.05 to 0.75. In some methods, the composition and amount of said diluent is selected to provide both a first preselected first graft density and a first preselected first graft distribution.