Stepan Company

Carlisle Intangible Company

Sarah Wolek

Warren A Kaplan

Zhenhua Cui

Douglas Hillshafer

Chunhua Yao

David J Norberg

Jennifer S Westfall

William Schneider

Michael E O'brien

Calvin Gang

Mike Heishman

Laura Schreiner

A hydraulic fracturing method for recovering oil from a low-temperature subterranean oil formation is disclosed. Before, during, or after inducing hydraulic fracturing within the formation, a particulate, degradable polyester diverting agent is introduced into the formation in an amount effective to improve oil production from the formation. The diverting agent is allowed to degrade, and oil is recovered. The diverting agent has a melting point greater than the average temperature of the formation and is selected from: (i) ethylene glycol succinates; (ii) acid-terminated ethylene glycol succinates; (iii) acid-terminated polyglycolic acids; (iv) acid-terminated polylactic acids; and (v) mixtures of any of (i) through (iv) with a half acid ester.

Polyester diverting agents for low-temperature oil wells

Polyether- or polyester-epoxide polymer (PEEP) compositions are disclosed. The compositions comprise reaction products of a polyepoxide compound and a polyol composition. The polyol composition has a melting point within the range of 20° C. to 100° C. and a hydroxyl number less than 35 mg KOH/g. The PEEP composition is a solid-solid phase-change material. As measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at a heating/cooling rate of 10° C./minute, the PEEP composition has a transition temperature within the range of −10° C. to 70° C., a latent heat at the transition temperature within the range of 30 to 200 J/g, and little or no detectable hysteresis or supercooling upon thermal cycling over at least five heating/cooling cycles that encompass the transition temperature. The PEEP compositions should enable formulators to manage thermal energy changes in many practical applications, including automotive, marine or aircraft parts, building materials, appliance insulation, electronics, textiles, garments, and paints or coatings.

Solid-solid phase-change materials

A rigid PU or PU-PIR foam comprising a reaction product of water, a catalyst, a foam-stabilizing surfactant, a polyisocyanate, a blowing agent and a blend comprising: (a) 90 to 99 wt. % of an aromatic polyester polyol having a hydroxyl number within the range of 150 to 400 mg KOH/g; and (b) 1 to 10 wt. % of a fatty acid derivative selected from the group consisting of Cto Cfatty acid esters and Cto Cfatty acid amides.

Polyol blends and rigid foams with improved low-temperature r-values

Blends comprising an aromatic polyester polyol and a 1 to 10 wt. % of a fatty acid derivative are disclosed. The fatty acid derivative is a Cto Cfatty acid ester or a Cto Cfatty acid amide. Also disclosed are rigid PU or PU-PIR foams that comprise a reaction product of water, a catalyst, a foam-stabilizing surfactant, a polyisocyanate, a blowing agent, and the polyester polyol/fatty acid derivative blends. Surprisingly, low-temperature R-values of rigid foams based on pentane blowing agents can be improved significantly by using blends of aromatic polyester polyols and a minor proportion of readily available fatty acid derivatives. In some aspects, the difference between initial R-values of the foam measured at 75° F. and 40° F. is at least 5% greater than that of a similar foam prepared in the absence of the fatty acid derivative.

Polyol blends and rigid foams with improved low-temperature R-values

Noise, vibration, or harshness (NVH) properties of an industrial or consumer product are reduced by incorporating therein an effective amount of a polyether- or polyester-epoxide polymer (PEEP) composition. The PEEP compositions are one-component or two-component reaction products of a polyepoxide compound and a polyol composition. The PEEP compositions have a glass-transition temperature within the range of −50° C. to 50° C. and a loss factor of at least 0.5 by ASTM D5992 over a temperature range of at least 15 Celsius degrees at one or more frequencies within the range of 0.1 to 10,000 Hz. The PEEP compositions provide NVH damping over a broad temperature range, have improved flexibility compared with conventional epoxy technologies, avoid amine and isocyanate reactants, and can be tailored to meet target specifications.

Polyol-epoxide polymers for NVH damping applications

A hydraulic fracturing method for recovering oil from a low-temperature subterranean oil formation is disclosed. Before, during, or after inducing hydraulic fracturing within the formation, a particulate, degradable polyester diverting agent is introduced into the formation in an amount effective to improve oil production from the formation. The diverting agent is allowed to degrade, and oil is recovered. The diverting agent has a melting point greater than the average temperature of the formation and is selected from: (i) ethylene glycol succinates; (ii) acid-terminated ethylene glycol succinates; (iii) acid-terminated polyglycolic acids; (iv) acid-terminated polylactic acids; (v) mixtures of any of (i) through (iv) with a half acid ester; and (vi) mixtures of polylactic acids or polyglycolic acids with a half acid ester. These easily synthesized classes of particulate polyester diverting agents degrade more effectively than polylactides under the conditions present in low-temperature wells and should help to enhance well productivity.

A low-VOC, two-component polyurethane adhesive is provided. The polyurethane adhesive has an A-side that includes an isocyanate and a non-reactive plasticizer, and a B-side that includes an aliphatic polyester polyol, a non-polyester polyol, and a urethane catalyst. The A-side and the B-side are reacted at a volume ratio of 1:1 and formulated at an NCO/OH index within the range of 0.90 to 1.10. The polyurethane adhesive is solvent-free and is particularly suitable for adhering a polymeric membrane to a substrate.

Low VOC polyurethane adhesive

A promoted membrane suitable for use in single-ply roofing applications is disclosed. The membrane comprises EPDM rubber and 0.1 to 10 wt. % of an adhesion promoter. The promoter comprises a polyester resin having a hydroxyl number within the range of 28 to 250 mg KOH/g, a content of terephthalate recurring units within the range of 40 to 65 wt. % based on the amount of polyester resin, and a glass-transition temperature within the range of 40&#xb0; C. to 80&#xb0; C. Roofing systems comprising the promoted EPDM membranes are also disclosed. Compared with an unpromoted membrane, the promoted membranes provide a substantial and unexpected boost in peel strength such that the roofing systems resist weather-induced failure of the bond between the roofing membrane and the roof substrate. The invention helps roofers minimize or limit the aggravation and cost of warranty claims from customers whose buildings and contents may otherwise be damaged or destroyed by exposure to wind and/or rain.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington Heights, IL, United States of America

Sarah Wolek