Patent ID: 7465767

Claim:
A branched copolymer comprising an acrylic copolymer comprising at least one core arm comprising at least one acrylic core polymer and at least one shell arm comprising at least one acrylic shell polymer where said acrylic copolymer is obtained by transition metal catalyzed radical polymerization and has a polydispersity of from 3 to 10, and where (a) the core polymer has a polydispersity of at least 2 and a T g of from −65° C. to −20° C., and (b) the shell polymer has a T g of from 70° C. to 160° C.; where the branched polymer is a star shaped thermoplastic elastomer acrylic block copolymer with a number average molecular weight (M n ) of greater than 100 kilodaltons.