Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Herbert Brooks

Frederick A Waite

A process is described for the production of copolymers derived predominantly from a monomer, e.g. tert-butylstyrene, having a very low solubility in water, by low temperature emulsion polymerization in a medium consisting substantially of water alone, under specified reaction conditions; high levels of conversion of monomer are achieved. The copolymer products are useful as additives to liquid hydrocarbon fuels for the purpose of reducing the tendency of the fuels to disseminate into mists under conditions of shock.

Production of copolymers using shortstop agent at end of polymerization

Copolymers are described of at least 75% by weight of tert-butyl styrene, from 1% to 24% by weight of a copolymerizable second monomer and from 1% to 10% by weight of methacrylic acid, the copolymers having certain specified solubility and rheological characteristics in AVTUR 50 aviation kerosene. A process for making the copolymers by aqueous emulsion polymerization of the monomers under certain defined conditions is also described. The copolymers are useful as additives to liquid hydrocarbon aircraft fuels for the purpose of reducing the tendency of such fuels to form inflammable mists under shock conditions.

Copolymers

Specified copolymers of tert-butylstyrene are dissolved in a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon fuel, especially an aircraft fuel, by the steps of (i) blending the finely-divided copolymer with a non-solvent hydroxylic liquid miscible with the fuel, (ii) mixing the blend into the fuel so as to give a copolymer concentration of 01.-1% by weight, and (iii) dissolving in the fuel so treated an amino compound in an amount of 0.01-0.6 mole per 100 g of copolymer present. The copolymers thus dissolved impart to the fuel a resistance towards mist formation when the fuel is subjected to conditions of shock.

Modification of liquid hydrocarbons

Specified copolymers of tert-butylstyrene are dissolved in a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon fuel, especially an aircraft fuel, by the steps of (i) blending the finely-divided copolymer with a non-solvent hydroxylic liquid miscible with the fuel, (ii) mixing the blend into the fuel so as to give a copolymer concentration of 0.1-1% by weight, and (iii) dissolving in the fuel so treated an amino compound in an amount of 0.01-0.6 mole per 100 g of copolymer present. The copolymers thus dissolved impart to the fuel a resistance towards mist formation when the fuel is subjected to conditions of shock.

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Twyford, United Kingdom

Herbert Brooks