US4537919A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gelation of hydrocarbon solutions of blends of associating and non-associating polymers
Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Co
•
Filing: 1984-08-24
•
Granted: 1985-08-27
•
Expires: 2004-08-24
Abstract
Abstract A process for forming a thickened fluid having a viscosity of at least about 50 cps which includes the steps of: (a) forming two solvent systems one of an organic liquid and the other of said organic liquid and a polar cosolvent, said polar cosolvent being less than about 15 weight percent of each said solvent system, a viscosity of each said solvent system being less than about 100 cps; (b) dissolving a water insoluble sulfonated elastomeric polymer in said first solvent system to form a first solution, a concentration of said sulfonated polymer in said first solution being about 0.02 to about 10 weight percent, a viscosity of said first solution being less than about 2000 cps; (c) dissolving an elastomeric polymer in said second solvent system of said organic liquid to form a second solution, a concentration of said elastomeric polymer in said second solution being about 0.2 to about 10 weight percent, a viscosity of said solution being less than about 2000 cps; (d) mixing said first solution and said solution to form a solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer; and (e) adding about 5 to about 500 volume percent water to said solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer, said water being immiscible with said solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer, said polar cosolvent transferring from said organic liquid to said water thereby causing the viscosity of said organic liquid to increase to at least 5000 cps.
Inventors
- 👤 Pawan K. Agarwal
- 👤 Robert D. Lundberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 04:38
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/60; C09K8/601; C08; C08J; C08J3/00; C08J3/02; C08J3/09; C09K8/58; C09K8/588
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
266 words
A process for forming a thickened fluid have a viscosity of at least about 50 cps which includes the steps of: (a) forming two solvent systems, one of an organic liquid and the other of said organic liquid and a polar cosolvent, said polar cosolvent being less than about 15 weight percent of each said solvent system, a viscosity of each said solvent system being less than about 100 cps; (b) dissolving a water insoluble sulfonated elastomeric polymer in said first solvent system to form a first solution, a concentration of said sulfonated polymer in said first solution being about 0.2 to about 10 weight percent, a viscosity of said first solution being less than about 2000 cps; (c) dissolving an elastomeric polymer in said second solvent system of said organic liquid to form a second solution, a concentration of said elastomeric polymer in said second solution being about 0.02 to about 10 weight percent, a viscosity of said solution being less than about 2000 cps, said water insoluble sulfonated elastomeric and said elastomeric polymer having the same polymeric backbone; (d) mixing said first solution and said solution to form a solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer; and (e) adding about 5 to about 500 volume percent water to said solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer, said water being immiscible with said solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer, said polar cosolvent transferring from said organic liquid to said water thereby causing the viscosity of said organic liquid to increase to at least 5000 cps.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
266 words
A process for forming a thickened fluid have a viscosity of at least about 50 cps which includes the steps of: (a) forming two solvent systems, one of an organic liquid and the other of said organic liquid and a polar cosolvent, said polar cosolvent being less than about 15 weight percent of each said solvent system, a viscosity of each said solvent system being less than about 100 cps; (b) dissolving a water insoluble sulfonated elastomeric polymer in said first solvent system to form a first solution, a concentration of said sulfonated polymer in said first solution being about 0.2 to about 10 weight percent, a viscosity of said first solution being less than about 2000 cps; (c) dissolving an elastomeric polymer in said second solvent system of said organic liquid to form a second solution, a concentration of said elastomeric polymer in said second solution being about 0.02 to about 10 weight percent, a viscosity of said solution being less than about 2000 cps, said water insoluble sulfonated elastomeric and said elastomeric polymer having the same polymeric backbone; (d) mixing said first solution and said solution to form a solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer; and (e) adding about 5 to about 500 volume percent water to said solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer, said water being immiscible with said solution of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer and said elastomeric polymer, said polar cosolvent transferring from said organic liquid to said water thereby causing the viscosity of said organic liquid to increase to at least 5000 cps.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 1 further including a means for removing said aqueous fluid from said gelled organic liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein said sulfonated polymer is an unneutralized or neutralized sulfonated polymer which has about 5 (free acid) to about 50 meq. of pendant SO 3 H groups per 100 grams of said sulfonated polymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to claim 3 wherein said SO 3 H are neutralized within an ammonium or metal counterion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein said metal counterion is selected from the group consisting of antimony, tin, lead or Groups IA, IIA, IB and IIB of the Periodic Table of Elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein said SO 3 H groups are at least 90 mole percent neutralized.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said elastomeric polymer is an EPDM terpolymer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said polar cosolvent has a greater polarity than said organic liquid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said polar cosolvent is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic alcohols, aliphatic amines, di-or trifunctional aliphatic alcohols, water miscible amides, acetamides, phosphates, and lactones and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said polar cosolvent is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and isopropanol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said polar cosolvent has a solubility parameter of at least about 10 and is water miscible.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said organic liquid is selected from the group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, cyclic aliphatic ethers, aliphatic ethers and organic aliphatic esters and mixtures thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said organic liquid is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said organic liquid is selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene and styrene and mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said first solution and said second solution are mixed together under high shear conditions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein a molar ratio of said sulfonated elastomeric polymer to said elastomeric polymer is about 1 to about 25.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4208310A
Cited
US4282130A
Cited
US4313862A
Cited
US4322329A
Cited
US4304702A
Cited
US4465801A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-08-26 | 1989-02-25 | 1989-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-08-26 | 1993-02-25 | 1993-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-08-26 | 1997-02-25 | 1997-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |