A block copolymer consists mainly of structural units each derived from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer and has at least one mercapto group. The block copolymer has an Mn of 5,000-500,000 and has a block structure, which is an A-B-A triblock structure or a star-shaped block structure of [A-B]qX. The q is an integer of 2-6. The polymer block (A) has a glass transition temperature of 20° C. or higher. The polymer block (B) of the triblock structure has a glass transition temperature lower than 20° C., and the [polymer block (B)]qX of the star-shaped block structure has a glass transition temperature lower than 20° C. The X is an initiator residue or/and a coupling-agent residue or is a derivative thereof.

A thermoplastic elastomer composition including an acrylic block copolymer (I) and a hydrogenated block copolymer (II). The content of the acrylic block copolymer (I) is 70 to 300 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the hydrogenated block copolymer (II); the hydrogenated block copolymer (II) is a hydrogenated product of a block copolymer (P) including a polymer block (A1) containing structural units derived from an aromatic vinyl compound, and a polymer block (B1) containing 1 to 100 mass % of structural units (b1) derived from farnesene and 99 to 0 mass % of structural units (b2) derived from a conjugated diene other than farnesene, the mass ratio [(A1)/(B1)] of the polymer block (A1) to the polymer block (B1) being 1/99 to 70/30; and the hydrogenation ratio of carbon-carbon double bonds in the polymer block (B1) is 50 to 100 mol %.

A block copolymer (A) including a vinyl alcohol-based polymer block (b) and an ionic polymer block (c) containing a monomer unit with an ionic group forming a salt and a vinyl alcohol-based monomer unit. The ionic group is a carboxylic acid group, a sulfonic acid group, or an ammonium group. The vinyl alcohol-based polymer block (b) has a number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.b) from 15,000 to 220,000. The ionic polymer block (c) has a content of the vinyl alcohol-based monomer unit from 5 to 95 mol % based on the total monomer units. The block copolymer (A) has a number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.A) from 20,000 to 440,000. A ratio (Mn.sub.b/Mn.sub.A) of the number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.b) to the number-average molecular weight (Mn.sub.A) is from 0.1 to 0.9.

One aspect of this invention is a novel functional polymer having a polydispersity from 1 to about 1.12 comprising at least one reactive moiety, selected from a moiety comprising at least one N-coordinative functional group having at least one lone pair of electrons, a moiety comprising a dialkylsilyl group, or a mixture of both groups, wherein said reactive moiety is present in said functional styrenic polymer either on a repeat unit, on an end group or on both, and said N-coordinative functional group is either a monodentate N-coordinative functional group, a polydendate N-coordinative group or a mixture of thereof, and said monodentate coordinative functional group is an azide moiety (—N.sub.3) or a cyano moiety (—CN). Another aspect of this invention is the use of these novel polymer to selectively deposit a DSA directing layer on a metallic substrate.

Provided are a (meth)acrylic block copolymer exhibiting good active energy ray curability, in particular, curability of a blend thereof with an acrylate monomer, and an active energy ray curable composition comprising the (meth)acrylic block copolymer. The (meth)acrylic block copolymer includes a methacrylic polymer block (A) having an active energy ray curable group including a partial structure represented by the general formula (1) below wherein R.sup.1 denotes a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and W denotes a saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and an acrylic polymer block (B) having no active energy ray curable groups. ##STR00001##

The block copolymer intermediate represented by the following general formula (1) or (2) is used. In the formulae, R.sup.1 and R.sup.7 each independently represent a polymerization initiator residue, R.sup.2 and R.sup.8 each independently represent an aromatic group or an alkyl group, Y.sup.1 represents a polymer block of (meth)acrylic ester: Y.sup.2 represents a polymer block of styrene or a derivative thereof, and m and n each independently represent in an integer from 1 to 5. In the formulae, R.sup.3 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, L represents a linking group, R.sup.4 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or an aromatic group, and R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

##STR00001##

The present invention relates to thermally and chemically stable quantum dots encapsulated with functional polymeric ligands, a thermally stable quantum dot optical film using the encapsulated quantum dots, and a method for preparing the encapsulated quantum dots. The coating of the surface of the quantum dots with the polymer stabilizes the quantum dots and improves the durability and dispersibility of the quantum dot optical film, achieving markedly improved efficiency of photoluminescent quantum dot devices. Therefore, it is anticipated that the present invention will pave the way for practical use of quantum dots in a variety of light-emitting applications, particularly in high power light-emitting sources, to find commercial application in various fields, including displays, bioimaging, lightings, and photovoltaic cells.

An adhesive composition which is excellent in adhesion to various hardly adhesive materials such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, modified polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene sulfide, and a cycloolefin polymer. Further, an adhesive composition containing the following components (A) to (C) may be described Component (A): (Meth) acrylic triblock elastomer having a weight average molecular weight of 80,000 or more, Component (B): (Meth) acrylate monomer having no hydroxyl group and having a phenoxy group, and Component (C): Radical initiator.

A composition for forming a phase-separated structure contains a block copolymer having a block (b1) consisting of a repeating structure of a styrene unit and a block (b2) consisting of a repeating structure of a methyl methacrylate unit, in which the block (b2) is disposed at least at one terminal portion of the block copolymer, the block copolymer has a structure (e1) represented by General Formula (e1) at least at one main chain terminal, and the structure (e1) is bonded to the main chain terminal of the block (b2) disposed at a terminal portion of the block copolymer. Re.sup.e0 represents a hydrocarbon group containing a hetero atom, and Re1 represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom. ##STR00001##

A thermoplastic elastomer composition including 100 parts by mass of a hydrogenated block copolymer (A), 20 to 180 parts by mass of an acrylic block copolymer (B), 5 to 45 parts by mass of an aromatic polymer (C), and 70 to 250 parts by mass of a softener (D). The hydrogenated block copolymer (A) is a hydrogenated product of a block copolymer (P) having at least two polymer blocks (a1) with a structural unit derived from an aromatic vinyl compound and at least one polymer block (a2) with a structural unit derived from a conjugated diene. The acrylic block copolymer (B) has at least one polymer block (b1) with a structural unit derived from an acrylate and at least one polymer block (b2) with a structural unit derived from a methacrylate.