Disclosed is a hetero-branched radial block copolymer suitable as a base
polymer of pressure-sensitive adhesives, the hetero-branched radial block having
a hetero-branched structure comprised of polystyrene, polyisoprene, and polybutadiene
blocks and being represented by
(pS-pI)3X-(pB-pI-pS)
wherein pS is polystyrene; pI is polyisoprene; pB is polybutadiene; and X
is a residue of a tetravalent coupling agent.