Multiblock hydrogenated polymers for adhesives

Abstract

The present invention encompasses nontapered block copolymers of the following structure and adhesives containing them D--A--(B--A).sub.n --D.sub.x or (D--A--B).sub.z --Y where A is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer block, B and D are hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer blocks wherein if the diene is butadiene, it must have a vinyl content of at least 30 percent by weight, n is an integer from 1 to 5, x is 0 or 1, z is an integer from 2 to 30, and Y is a multifunctional coupling agent and the copolymer has a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon content of from 9 to 35 percent by weight. The ratio of the molecular weight of D to that of B ranges in accordance with the normalized molecular weight factor which may range from greater than 0 up to 180×10 -6 .

I claim: 
     
       1. An adhesive composition comprising (a) a nontapered multiblock copolymer of the formula   D--A--B--A     1) wherein A is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 4000 to 35,000,   2) B is a hydrogenated butadiene polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 20,000 to 200,000, and the vinyl content of the polymer block is from 30 to 65 percent by weight,   3) D is a hydrogenated isoprene polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 5000 to 50,000,   4) the ratio of the molecular weight of D to the molecular weight of B ranges such that the normalized peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography factor ranges from greater than 0 to 180×10 -6 , and   5) the copolymer has a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon content of from 9 to 35 percent by weight; and     (b) a tackifying resin. .Iadd.   
     
     
       2.  A nontapered multiblock copolymer of the formula   D--A--B--A--D     1) wherein A is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 4000 to 35,000,   2) B is a hydrogenated isoprene polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 20,000 to 200,000,   3) D is a hydrogenated isoprene polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 5000 to 50,000,   4) the ratio of the peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of D to the molecular weight of B ranges such that the normalized peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography factor ranges from greater than 0 to 180×10 -6 ,   5) and the copolymer has a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon content of from 9 to 35 percent by weight..Iaddend..Iadd.3. The copolymer of claim 2 wherein the normalized molecular weight factor ranges from greater than 0 to 100×10 -6 ..Iaddend..Iadd.4. The copolymer of claim 2 wherein the molecular weight ratio before normalizing is less than 0.4..Iaddend..Iadd.5. An adhesive composition comprising the polymer of claim 4 and a tackifying resin..Iaddend..Iadd.6. An adhesive composition comprising the polymer of claim 2 and a tackifying   
     
     
        resin..Iaddend..Iadd.    An adhesive composition comprising (a) a nontapered multiblock copolymer of the formula   D--A--B--A     1) wherein A is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 4000 to 35,000,   2) B is a hydrogenated isoprene polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 20,000 to 200,000,   3) D is a hydrogenated isoprene polymer block having a peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography of from 5000 to 50,000,   4) the ratio of the molecular weight of D to the molecular weight of B ranges such that the normalized peak molecular weight as determined by gel permeation chromatography factor ranges from greater than 0 to 180×10 -6 , and   5) the copolymer has a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon content of from 9 to 35 percent by weight; and     (b) a tackifying resin..Iaddend..Iadd.8. The composition of claim 7 wherein the normalized molecular weight factor ranges from greater than 0 to 100×10 -6 ..Iaddend..Iadd.9. The composition of claim 7 wherein the molecular weight ratio, before normalizing, is less than 0.4..Iaddend.