Exxon Chemical Patents, Inc.

Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Thomas J Pacansky

Henry W Yang

Jan Bock

Charles C Cozewith

Paul L Valint

William M Davis

Gary William Verstrate

Pratima Rangarajan

A viscosity modifier comprising a low molecular weight block copolymer including A blocks and B blocks, wherein the A blocks comprise at least about 93 wt. % polyethylene and the B blocks comprise a copolymer of between about 40 wt. % to 75 wt. % ethylene and at least one other .alpha.-olefin; wherein the resulting block copolymer has an average ethylene content of between about 60 wt. % to 80 wt. %.

Polyolefin block copolymer viscosity modifier

This invention provides a process for preparing novel hydrophobically associating polymers containing cationic functionality which are useful for clean-up of waste waters containing organic contaminants. These water soluble polymers contain both water soluble and water insoluble monomers. The water soluble monomers are acrylamide (AM) and a salt of an unsaturated amine base (C), and the water insoluble monomer is a higher alkyl(meth)acrylamide or alkyl(meth)acrylate (R). These polymers are referred to as CRAM. The process relies on the dissolution of the water insoluble monomer(s) into an aqueous solution of water soluble monomers by means of a water miscible mutual cosolvent. The type and concentration of miscible solvents are chosen to produce a clear, uniform, homogeneous aqueous solution of the hydrophobic monomers in the presence of both nonionic and cationic water soluble monomers and, in addition, the reaction medium remains a clear, uniform, homogeneous mixture with no phase separation as the reaction proceeds to completion. Redox or free radical initiators are used to copolymerize both the water soluble and water insoluble monomers, forming terpolymers of ethylenically unsaturated amine base salts, alkyl(meth)acrylamides of alkyl(meth)acrylates and acrylamide. These polymers provide exceptional clean-up of waste waters containing organic contaminants. Also they are very effective for resolving oil-in-water emulsion, as such as those found in oil production.

Solution process for preparation hydrophobically functionalized cationic

High solids content, high molecular weight hydrophobe-containing cationic polymer products are prepared by an inverse (water-in-oil) emulsion process wherein the hydrophobic monomer is in the water phase. The resultant polymers have increased activity in oily water clean-up.

Inverse emulsion process for preparing hydrophobe-containing polymers

Hydrophobic water-insoluble monomers, such as alkyl acrylamides, which are solid at room temperature may be sufficiently dissolved in concentrated acrylamide or methacrylamide monomer solutions, in the absence of cosolvents, to allow copolymerization to occur without substantial phase separation. The hydrophobic monomer is added to the acrylamide monomer solution and heated, with agitation, to above the melting point of the hydrophobic monomer. Thereafter the temperature must be maintained at no lower than about 15.degree. C. below the melting point.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Thomas J Pacansky