Patent ID: 7560509

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: (a) adding a polymer containing at least one block A and at least one additional block selected from the group consisting of a block B, a block C, and combinations thereof to a solvent comprising at least one vinyl monomer; (b) optionally adding at least one additional inert solvent; (c) optionally adding additives selected from the group consisting of extender oils, modifiers, and antioxidants, (d) initiating polymerization of the at least one vinyl monomer by the use of an initiator and/or heat, wherein steps (a), (b) and (c) can be performed in any order; whereby the result of steps (a)-(d) is production of an engineered plastic; wherein the engineered plastic is selected from the group consisting of high impact polystyrene, styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer, methylmethacrylate-butadiene-styrene copolymer, transparent impact polystyrene, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer; wherein said block A contains at least one high vinyl segment having a 1,2-vinyl bond content of greater than about 45% and a number average molecular weight of about 100 to about 20,000; wherein said block B has a vinyl content of less than about 45% and said block C comprises one or more aromatic vinyl monomers; wherein said polymer has an overall number average molecular weight of about 40,000 to about 300,000; and wherein the presence of the at least one high vinyl segment in the polymer allows direction of the grafting site during preparation of the engineered plastic.