Block copolymers and uses thereof

1. A block copolymer comprising at least one block A and at least one block B,

wherein the block “A” is a poly(vinylaromatic) block having a molecular weight of greater than 5 kg/mol; and

the block “B” is a rubber block comprising polymerized units derived from a 1,3-diene and a vinylaromatic compound, and having a molecular weight greater than 15 kg/mol;

wherein in the block B,

the polymerized units derived from the vinylaromatic compound represent 5 to 40 wt. % of the overall weight of the block “B”; and

the polymerized units derived from the 1,3-diene consisting of polymerized isoprene units, wherein 45-80 mol % of the polymerized isoprene units are 1,4-addition units;

wherein the block “A” represents from more than 5 wt. % to less than 40 wt. % of the overall block copolymer; and

the block “B” represents from more than 33 wt. % to less than 95 wt. % of the overall block copolymer; and

further wherein the block copolymer exhibits:

(i) an aromatic blockiness index, as measured by 1-H NMR, of more than 15% to less than 80%;

(ii) a rubber phase maximum damping factor of more than 1;

(iii) a temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor of greater than −30° C.; and

(iv) a difference of greater than 15° C. between the temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor and a temperature corresponding to a rubber phase maximum loss modulus.

2. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer has one or more of structures A-B, A-B-A, (A-B-A-)nX, and (A-B-)nX; wherein X is a residue of a coupling agent, and n is 1-30.

3. The block copolymer of claim 2 , having one or more of structures A-B-A, (A-B-A-)nX, and (A-B-)mX, wherein when m>1, the one or more structures represents from 75 wt. % to 100 wt. % of the overall weight of the block copolymer;

and wherein the block copolymer exhibits a tensile strength of greater than or equal to 15 MPa, measured according to ASTM D412.

4. The block copolymer of claim 1 , further comprising a block D and having a structure A-D-B, A-D-B-A, A-D-B-D-A, (A-D-B-)nX, (A-D-B-A-)nX, or any combinations thereof;

wherein

‘D’ is essentially a poly(1,3-diene) block comprising polymerized 1,3-diene units derived from an isoprenoid conjugated diene;

X is a residue of a coupling agent;

n is 1-30, and represents the number of polymer arms coupled to the terminus of the block “B” or the block “D” in a coupled block copolymer;

the coupled block copolymers species (A-D-B-)nX, (A-B-D-)nX, or combinations thereof represent more than 20 wt. % of the overall weight of the block copolymer;

the block A represents from more than 5 wt. % to less than 40 wt. % of the overall weight of the block copolymer;

the block B represents from more than 33 wt. % to less than 90 wt. % of the overall weight of the block copolymer; and

further wherein the block copolymer exhibits one or more of:

(i) a difference of greater than 15° C. between the temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor and the temperature corresponding to a rubber phase maximum loss modulus;

(ii) a rubber phase maximum damping factor (tanDelta) of more than 1.1;

(iii) a temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor of from above −10° C. to below +30° C.; and

(iv) a maximum absolute change in elastic modulus (G′) of less than 40 MPa per ° C.

5. The block copolymer of claim 4 , wherein the block D has a GPC molecular weight from 3 kg/mol to 50 kg/mol.

6. The block copolymer of claim 4 , wherein the block D has more than 50 mol % of the polymerized 1,3-diene units as 1,4-addition units.

7. The block copolymer of claim 4 , wherein the block A is a polystyrene block, the block D is a polyisoprene block.

8. The block copolymer of claim 4 , wherein the block copolymer exhibits a rubber phase maximum damping factor of more than 1.2.

9. The block copolymer of claim 8 , wherein 50-75 mol % of the polymerized isoprene based are 1,4-addition units; and wherein the block copolymer exhibits:

a temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor of from above 0° C. to below +20° C.;

and a rubber tanDelta peak temperature above 0° C. and below +20° C.

10. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the block A has a GPC molecular weight from 9 kg/mol to 40 kg/mol.

11. The block copolymer of claim 4 , having one or more of structures A-D-B-A, A-D-B-D-A, (A-D-B-)pX, (A-D-B-A-)nX, or any combinations thereof, wherein when p is greater than 1, the one or more structures represents from 75 wt. % to 100 wt. % of the overall weight of the block copolymer; and

wherein the block copolymer exhibits a tensile strength of greater than or equal to 15 MPa, measured according to ASTM D412.

12. The block copolymer of claim 4 , wherein the block copolymer is selectively hydrogenated,

wherein more than 92 mol % of the double bonds in the polymerized 1,3-diene units in blocks B and D are hydrogenated, and

wherein less than 20 mol % of the aromatic ring double bonds are hydrogenated.

13. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer is selectively hydrogenated,

wherein more than 80 mol % of the double bonds in the polymerized 1,3-diene units in blocks B are hydrogenated,

and wherein less than 30 mol % of the aromatic ring double bonds are hydrogenated.

14. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer further comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of OH, halogeno, and SO 3 Y, wherein Y is a metal cation, H, alkoxy, aryloxy; acid anhydride, or CO 2 Z, wherein Z is a metal cation, H, alkoxy, or aryloxy.

15. An article comprising the block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the article is used for any of vibration damping, adhesives, labels, sealants, seals, films, coatings, toys, shoe parts, wire and cables, medical goods, packaging, and sports goods.

16. The block copolymer of claim 1 , wherein the blocks “A” and “B” comprise polymerized units derived from one or more vinylaromatic compounds having a formula

wherein R1 is H or CH 3 ; and R2 is H, alkyl or aryl,

wherein the block copolymer is hydrogenated or unhydrogenated.

17. The block copolymer of claim 16 , wherein the block copolymer is a selectively hydrogenated form of the block copolymer.

18. A composition comprising:

100 parts by weight of the block copolymer of claim 16 ,

1-500 parts by weight in total of a paraffinic oil, a naphthenic oil, a natural oil, a tackifying resin, or combinations thereof;

and optionally a thermoplastic polymer and/or a filler.

19. A composition comprising, per 100 parts of the composition:

(i) 1 to 99 parts by weight of the block copolymer of claim 16 ,

(ii) 99 to 1 parts by weight of at least one rubber, and

(iii) up to 1000 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the sum of (i) and (ii) of one or more of a filler, a plasticizer, a resin, and an additive.

20. An article prepared from the composition of claim 19 .

21. A composition comprising, based on the overall weight of the composition:

100 parts by weight of an elastomeric composition, 50 to 200 parts by weight of a filler, 0.1 to 20 parts by weight, of a curative, and up to 70 parts by weight of a plasticizer or a resin;

wherein the elastomeric composition comprises 5 to 50 parts by weight of the block copolymer of claims 16 ,

and 5 to 95 parts by weight of a rubber, based on the total weight of the elastomeric composition.

22. A vibration damping composition comprising, per 100 parts of the composition:

100 parts by weight of the block copolymer of claim 1 or a selectively hydrogenated form thereof,

5-80 parts by weight of a propylene-based polymer, and

less than 40 parts by weight of a paraffinic oil, a naphthenic oil, a natural oil, or a tackifying resin;

wherein the vibration damping composition exhibits:

a temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor of from −5° C. to +20° C.,

a rubber phase maximum damping factor of more than 0.8, and

a difference of greater than 10° C. between the temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor and the temperature corresponding to a rubber phase maximum loss modulus.

23. A block copolymer comprising at least one block A, at least one block B, and a block D, having a structure A-D-B, A-D-B-A, A-D-B-D-A, (A-D-B-)nX, (A-D-B-A-)nX, or any combinations thereof;

wherein the block “A” is a poly(vinylaromatic) block having a molecular weight of greater than 5 kg/mol;

wherein the block “B” is a rubber block comprising polymerized units derived from a 1,3-diene and a vinylaromatic compound, and having a molecular weight greater than 15 kg/mol;

wherein in the block “B”,

the polymerized units derived from the vinylaromatic compound represent 5 to

40 wt. % of the overall weight of the block “B”; and

the polymerized units derived from the 1,3-diene consisting of polymerized isoprene units, wherein 45-80 mol % of the polymerized isoprene units are 1,4-addition units;

wherein the block “D” is essentially a poly(1,3-diene) block comprising polymerized 1,3-diene units derived from an isoprenoid conjugated diene; and

wherein the block “A” represents from more than 5 wt. % to less than 40 wt. % of the overall block copolymer; the block “B” represents from more than 33 wt. % to less than 95 wt. % of the overall block copolymer; X is a residue of a coupling agent; and n is 1-30, and represents the number of polymer arms coupled to the terminus of the block “B” or the block “D” in a coupled block copolymer;

the coupled block copolymers species (A-D-B-)nX, (A-B-D-)nX, or combinations thereof represent more than 20 wt. % of the overall weight of the block copolymer;

further wherein the block copolymer exhibits:

(i) an aromatic blockiness index, as measured by 1-H NMR, of more than 15% to less than 80%;

(ii) a rubber phase maximum damping factor of more than 1;

(iii) a temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor of greater than −30° C.; and

(iv) a difference of greater than 15° C. between the temperature corresponding to the rubber phase maximum damping factor and a temperature corresponding to a rubber phase maximum loss modulus.