Methods of making acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymers
AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.
InventorsStephen Marrou, Xiangyang Zhu, Heqing Huang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymers in water-in-oil latices is described. The method results in a copolymer having randomly distributed carboxylate functionalities and is suitable for ionic crosslinking. The copolymers and their ionically crosslinked counterparts are useful for enhanced oil recovery processes.
Claims19
A composition comprising a water-in-oil latex, the water-in-oil latex comprising a water phase and an oil phase, the water phase comprising water and monomers, the monomers consisting of acrylamide and acrylic acid, wherein the pH of the water phase is about 3.0 to 4.5;
- wherein the latex further comprises a surfactant mixture consisting essentially of nonionic surfactants and comprising a block copolymer.
A composition comprising a water-in-oil latex formed by a method comprising
- a. combining water and monomers to form a water phase, the monomers consisting of acrylamide and acrylic acid;
- b. adjusting the pH of the water phase to between about 3.0 to 4.5;
- c. combining a hydrocarbon solvent with a surfactant mixture to form an oil phase, the surfactant mixture consisting essentially of nonionic surfactants and comprising a block copolymer;
- d. contacting the water phase and the oil phase to form a water-in-oil latex;
- e. polymerizing the monomers to form a copolymer;
- and
- f. neutralizing the water phase.
A method of making a water-in-oil copolymer latex, the method comprising
- a. combining water and monomers to form a water phase, the monomers consisting of acrylamide and acrylic acid;
- b. adjusting the pH of the water phase to between about 3.0 to 4.5;
- c. combining a hydrocarbon solvent with a surfactant mixture to form an oil phase, the surfactant mixture consisting essentially of nonionic surfactants and comprising a block copolymer;
- d. contacting the water phase and the oil phase to form a water-in-oil latex;
- e. polymerizing the monomers to form a copolymer;
- and
- f. neutralizing the water phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.