# US 2013/0157902 A1 · High Molecular Weight Low Polydispersity Polymers

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- Number: US 2013/0157902 A1
- Document ID: US20130157902A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/333,377
- Filed: 2011-12-21
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20
- Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Inventors: James W. Ogle; Charm Boontheung; Rajesh K. Saini
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157902A1

## CPC

- C08F 220/56: Acrylamide; Methacrylamide
- C08F 2/38: Polymerisation using regulators, e.g. chain terminating agents {, e.g. telomerisation}
- C09K 8/64: Oil-based compositions
- C09K 8/68: containing organic compounds
- C09K 8/685: {containing cross-linking agents}
- C09K 8/80: Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
- C09K 8/882: {obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds}
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE

## Abstract

The present invention relates to synthetic polymers having high molecular weights and low polydispersities and methods of synthesis. In one embodiment of the present invention, a polymer includes a polyacrylate polymer obtained from a polymerization reaction in which the polyacrylate polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 500,000 and a polydispersity index of about 1.25 or less.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A polymer comprising:
a polyacrylate brush polymer obtained from a polymerization reaction wherein the polyacrylate brush polymer has a molecular weight of at least about 500,000 and a polydispersity index of about 1.25 or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polymer of claim 1 wherein the polyacrylate brush polymer is a product of a polymerization reaction of acrylate-based monomers selected from the group consisting of: an acrylamide, an acrylic acid, a methacrylic acid, an ethacrylic acid, a methyl methacrylate, a methacrylate, an acrylonitrile, a methyl acrylate, an ethyl acrylate, a 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, a hydroxyethyl methacrylate, a butyl acrylate, a butyl methacrylate, an acrylate ester, an acrylamide amide, and any combination thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The polymer of claim 1 wherein the polyacrylate brush polymer has a molecular weight of no more than about 5,000,000.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The polymer of claim 1 wherein the polyacrylate brush polymer is a copolymer derived from two or more monomers.

### Claim 5

(canceled)

### Claim 6

A subterranean fluid comprising:
a base fluid; and
a polyacrylate brush polymer that has a molecular weight of at least about 2,870,000 and a polydispersity index of about 1.25 or less.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The subterranean fluid of claim 6 wherein the polyacrylate brush polymer is a product of a polymerization reaction of acrylate-based monomers selected from the group consisting of: an acrylamide, an acrylic acid, a methacrylic acid, an ethacrylic acid, a methyl methacrylate, a methacrylate, an acrylonitrile, a methyl acrylate, an ethyl acrylate, a 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, a hydroxyethyl methacrylate, a butyl acrylate, a butyl methacrylate, an acrylate ester, an acrylamide amide, and any combination thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The subterranean fluid of claim 6 wherein the molecular weight of the polyacrylate brush polymer is no more than about 5,000,000.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The subterranean fluid of claim 6 wherein the subterranean fluid is a fracturing fluid, a drilling fluid, or a cementing fluid.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The subterranean fluid of claim 6 wherein the polyacrylate brush polymer is a cementing additive or a proppant coating.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The subterranean fluid of claim 6 wherein the base fluid is aqueous, oil-based, or synthetic.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The subterranean fluid of claim 6 further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of: a fluid loss control agent, a clay inhibitor, a lubricant, a weighting agent, a bentonite-based viscosifier, and any combination thereof.

### Claim 13

A polyacrylate polymer product prepared by a process comprising:
dissolving acrylate-based monomers in a fluid media comprising an olefin-containing polyalcohol amide surfactant; and
initiating a polymerization reaction of the acrylate-based monomers with a polymerization initiator
to produce a polymer having a molecular weight of at least about 2,870,000 and a polydispersity index of about 1.25 or less.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The polyacrylate polymer product of claim 13 wherein the molecular weight is no more than about 5,000,000.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The polyacrylate polymer product of claim 13 wherein the polyacrylate polymer is a product of a polymerization reaction of acrylate-based monomers selected from the group consisting of: an acrylamide, an acrylic acid, a methacrylic acid, an ethacrylic acid, a methyl methacrylate, a methacrylate, an acrylonitrile, a methyl acrylate, an ethyl acrylate, a 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, a hydroxyethyl methacrylate, a butyl acrylate, a butyl methacrylate, an acrylate ester, an acrylamide amide, and any combination thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The polyacrylate polymer product of claim 13 wherein the fluid media is aqueous or multi-phased.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The polyacrylate polymer product of claim 13 wherein the olefin-containing polyalcohol amide surfactant comprises a surfactant selected from the group consisting of: amide with an N-alkyl alcohol or two N-alkyl alcohols, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan mono-oleate, and any combination thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The polyacrylate polymer product of claim 13 wherein the polymerization initiator comprises an initiator selected from the group consisting of: an azo initiator, a persulfate initiator, a peroxide initiator, a hydroperoxide initiator, a redox initiator, a photoinitiator, and any combination thereof.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The polyacrylate polymer product of claim 13 wherein the olefin-containing polyalcohol amide surfactant is present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the fluid media.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The polyacrylate polymer product of claim 13 wherein the polymerization reaction takes place at about 20° C. to about 80° C.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The polymer of claim 1 wherein the polyacrylate brush polymer is a product of a polymerization reaction of an acrylate-based monomer and a non-acrylate-based monomer, wherein the non-acrylate-based monomer is a styrene, a vinyl, an olefin, or any combination thereof.