Hydrocarbon Polymer Modifiers Having High Aromaticity and Low Molecular Weight and Uses Thereof

Abstract

Described herein are hydrocarbon polymer modifiers for use in various applications. The hydrocarbon polymer modifier comprises a cyclic component, and has a glass transition temperature and Mn defined by the following two equations: (1) Tg≥95−2.2*(% H Ar), and (2) Tg≥−53+(0.265*Mn); an aromatic proton content (% H Ar) of from 12 mole % to 19 mole %; and an Mn of from 300 g/mole to 450 g/mole, wherein Tg is glass transition temperature as expressed in ° C. of the modifier, the % H Ar represents the content of aromatic protons in the hydrocarbon polymer modifier, Mn represents the number average molecular weight of the hydrocarbon polymer modifier, and the cyclic component is selected from the group of a distillation cut from a petroleum refinery stream, and/or C4, C5 or C6 cyclic olefins and mixtures thereof. Further, the hydrocarbon polymer modifier may be characterized by a Tg of from 70° C. to 95° C. and/or a z-average molecular weight (Mz) of the hydrocarbon polymer modifier of less than 1000 g/mole. The hydrocarbon modifiers are particularly useful in high Tg applications where low molecular weight resin is desirable.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.