Patent ID: 6127487
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: C08F,C08L

Abstract:
A process to produce coupled block copolymers said process comprising:(1) charging diluent, polar compound, initiator (I.sub.1), and monovinylarene (S.sub.1), to a polymerization zone, to form a first mixture;(2) polymerizing, under solution polymerization conditions, said monovinylarene (S.sub.1), until essentially no unpolymerized monovinylarene is left in said first mixture, to form a second mixture that comprises S.sub.1 -I.sub.1 ;(3) charging conjugated diene (B.sub.1), to said second mixture to form a third mixture;(4) polymerizing, under solution polymerization conditions, said conjugated diene (B.sub.1), until essentially no unpolymerized conjugated diene is left in said third mixture, to form a fourth mixture that comprises S.sub.1 -B.sub.1 -I.sub.1 ;(5) charging monovinylarene (S.sub.2), to said fourth mixture to form a fifth mixture;(6) polymerizing, under solution polymerization conditions, said monovinylarene (S.sub.2), until essentially no unpolymerized monovinylarene is left in said fifth mixture, to form a sixth mixture that comprises S.sub.1 -B.sub.1 -S.sub.2 -I.sub.1 ;(7) charging initiator (I.sub.2) and monovinylarene (S.sub.3) to said sixth mixture to form a seventh mixture;(8) polymerizing, under solution polymerization conditions, said monovinylarene (S.sub.3), until essentially no unpolymerized monovinylarene is left in said seventh mixture, to form an eighth mixture that comprises S.sub.1 -B.sub.1 -S.sub.2 -S.sub.3 -I.sub.1 and S.sub.3 -I.sub.2 ;(9) charging conjugated diene (B.sub.2), to said eighth mixture to form a ninth mixture;(10) polymerizing, under solution polymerization conditions, said conjugated diene (B.sub.2), until essentially no unpolymerized conjugated diene is left in said ninth mixture, to form a tenth mixture that comprises S.sub.1 -B.sub.1 -S.sub.2 -S.sub.3 -B.sub.2 -I.sub.1, and S.sub.3 -B.sub.2 -I.sub.2, which are block copolymers;(11) charging coupling agent (C) to said tenth mixture to form an eleventh mixture;(12) coupling said block copolymers to form a twelfth mixture.