Conjugated diene polymers and copolymer blocks and process for preparing same
AssigneeKraton Polymers U.S. LLC
InventorCarl L. Willis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a process for preparing polymers and copolymer blocks of conjugated dienes with varying amounts of branching comprising the use of a microstructure control agent and a microstructure control agent deactivant. The polymerization can be started with or without a microstructure control agent. At some point in the polymerization prior to the completion of the addition of the conjugated diene to the polymer, the microstructure control agent can be deactivated, either partially or completely, resulting in a polymer or copolymer block having a region of less branching adjacent to a region of more branching. Preferred microstructure control agent deactivants are metal alkyls such as triethyl aluminum.
Claims31
A process for preparing a conjugated diene polymer or copolymer block having a varying amount of branching comprising combining:
- (a) an anionic polymerization site;
- (b) a conjugated diene monomer;
- and
- (c) a microstructure control agent;
- under reaction conditions sufficient to form a living polymer admixture and, at a point in the process prior to the completion of the polymerization of the conjugated diene monomer, combining the living polymer admixture with a microstructure control agent deactivant to mitigate or eliminate the effect of the microstructure control agent.
A polymer or copolymer block prepared using a process for preparing a conjugated diene polymer or copolymer block having a varying amount of branching comprising combining:
- (a) an anionic polymerization site;
- (b) a conjugated diene monomer;
- and
- (c) a microstructure control agent;
- under reaction conditions sufficient to form a living polymer admixture and, at a point in the process prior to the completion of the polymerization of the conjugated diene monomer, combining the living polymer admixture with a microstructure control agent deactivant to mitigate or eliminate the effect of the microstructure control agent.
A composition of matter comprising a conjugated diene polymer prepared by the anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene monomer, the polymer having a general structure:
- B1—B2—B3
- wherein:
- B1 represents a region of the polymer prepared in the absence of a microstructure control agent;
- B2 represents a region of the polymer prepared in the presence of a microstructure control agent;
- and
- B3 represent a region of the polymer prepared in the presence of a microstructure control agent and a microstructure control agent deactivant.
A composition of matter comprising a conjugated diene polymer prepared by the anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene monomer, the polymer having a general structure:
- B1—B2—B3
- wherein:
- B1, B2, and B3 each represent a region of the polymer having a different vinyl content from the adjacent region or regions and there is no residue of a coupling agent between the blocks.
A composition of matter comprising a conjugated diene block copolymer prepared by the anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene monomer, the polymer having the general structure:
- B1—B2—B3
- wherein B1 represents a diene polymer block having a vinyl content of from about 3 to about 50 mole percent, B2 represents a diene polymer block having a vinyl content at least 10% greater than the vinyl content of B1, and B3 represents a diene polymer block having a vinyl content greater than B1 but less than B2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.