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A process for the manufacture of a baleable lithium carboxylate polymer. The process includes polymerizing at least one conjudated diene in the presence of an organolithium initiator to a substantial completion. Thereafter, the polymerization process is terminated by the addition of carbon dioxide.
1. A baled, low solution viscosity polymer comprising conjugated diene contributed monomer units and carboxylate terminal groups, wherein said polybutadiene comprises a solution viscosity below about 75 cP and a Mooney Viscosity above about 45.
2. The polymer of claim 1 further comprising monomer contributed units selected from the group comprising vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons.
3. The polymer of claim 1 further comprising an initiator residue such as Li + .
4. The polymer of claim 2 wherein said vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons are one or more of styrene, 6-methylstyrene, vinyl toluene, ethyl styrene, vinyl naphthalene, vinyl ethylnapthalene, vinyl methyl naphthalene, vinyl butyl naphthalene, vinyl d iphenyl, vinyl d iphenylethane, and 4-vinyl-4′-methyldiphenyl.
5. The polymer of claim 1 wherein said polymer is produced by a polymerization process initiated by a hydrocarbyl lithium.
6. The polymer of claim 5 wherein said hydrocarbyl lithium is n-butyl lithium.
7. A rubber-modified high impact polystyrene or styrene-maleic anhydride polymer wherein said rubber comprises a baleable carboxylate terminated polybutadiene of claim 1 .
8. The polymer of claim 1 having a number average molecular weight from about 100,000 to 300,000.
9. The polymer of claim 8 having a number average molecular weight from about 150,000 to 250,000.