| abstract |
The present invention is a solid block copolymer comprising at least two polymer end blocks 5A and at least one polymer inner block B, wherein each A block is a polymer block that is not susceptible to sulfonation, each B block undergoing sulfonation. A susceptible polymer block, the A and B blocks do not contain significant levels of olefinic unsaturation. Preferably, each A block is a polymerized (i) para-substituted styrene monomer, (ii) ethylene, (iii) an α-olefin of 3 to 18 carbon atoms, (iv) 10 hydrogenated 1,3-cyclodiene monomer From (v) hydrogenated conjugated diene monomers, (vi) acrylic esters, (vii) methacrylic esters, and (viii) mixtures thereof having a vinyl content of less than 35 mole percent prior to hydrogenation Each B block comprises (i) an unsubstituted styrene monomer, (ii) an ortho-substituted styrene monomer, (iii) a meta-substituted styrene monomer, 15 (iv) α-methylstyrene, (v ) 1,1-diphenylethylene, (vi) 1,2-diphenylethylene, and (vii) mixtures thereof. One or more polymerized vinyl aromatic monomer segments. Also claimed are processes for the production of such block copolymers and various end uses and applications of such block copolymers. |