Abstract The invention relates to compositions for sealing leaks in pipes, conduits, gas lines, closed containers, tanks and the like. The interior of such equipment is first purged with a nonreactive dry gas, such as nitrogen, to remove any moisture and/or oxygen which may be present. Then the sealant composition is introduced into the interior of the equipment in a suitable inert gas vehicle under pressure. The sealant composition in the gas vehicle will escape from any leaks present in the equipment into the adjacent external environment such as the outer ambient atmosphere or adjacent soil in the case of pipelines buried in soil. The sealant reacts with oxygen and/or moisture to form at the situs of the leak a solid reaction product. The sealant compositions comprise pyrophoric volatilizable alkyl aluminum etherates. Illustrative examples are trimethylaluminum dimethyletherate, trimethylaluminum diethyletherate, and triethylalumin diethyletherate. These and similar compounds may be used singly or in mixtures thereof. They may also be mixed with volatile organo-silane compounds in amounts ranging from about 1 to 99 percent by volume. Specific illustrative organosilane compounds are trimethyl ethoxy silane, dimethyl diethoxy silane, and propyl trimethoxy silane.
A sealant composition adapted for sealing a leak in a vessel upon escape therefrom into the ambient environment consisting essentially of a mixture of (1) a volatilizable pyrophoric trialkylaluminum alkyletherate wherein the alkyl is a straight or branched chain alkyl hydrocarbon having one to four carbon atoms, and (2) a volatilizable organo-silane compound capable of reacting with said trialkylaluminum alkyletherate to form a complex solid reaction product which seals the leak and having the formula R4 nSi(OR'')n wherein R and R'' is a straight or branched chain alkyl hydrocarbon having one to four carbon atoms, the alkyls being identical or different, and n and n'' is an integer from 1 to 4, the proportion of trialkyaluminum alkyletherate to organosilane compound ranging from about 1 percent to about 99 percent by volume.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A sealant composition adapted for sealing a leak in a vessel upon escape therefrom into the ambient environment consisting essentially of a mixture of (1) a volatilizable pyrophoric trialkylaluminum alkyletherate wherein the alkyl is a straight or branched chain alkyl hydrocarbon having one to four carbon atoms, and (2) a volatilizable organo-silane compound capable of reacting with said trialkylaluminum alkyletherate to form a complex solid reaction product which seals the leak and having the formula R4 nSi(OR'')n wherein R and R'' is a straight or branched chain alkyl hydrocarbon having one to four carbon atoms, the alkyls being identical or different, and n and n'' is an integer from 1 to 4, the proportion of trialkyaluminum alkyletherate to organosilane compound ranging from about 1 percent to about 99 percent by volume.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A sealant composition for sealing a leak in a vessel as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkyl etherate compound is selected from the group consisting of trimethylaluminum dimethyletherate, trimethylaluminum diethyletherate, triethylaluminum diethyletherate, tripropylaluminum diethyletherate and tri-i-butylaluminum diethyletherate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A sealant composition for sealing a leak in a vessel as defined in claim 1 wherein the volatilized organo-silane compound is selected from the group consisting of trimethyl ethoxy silane, isopropyl trimethoxy silane, butyl trimethoxy silane, dimethyl diethoxy silane, propyl trimethoxy silane, diisopropoxy dimethoxy silane, and tetraethoxysilane.