# US 2022/0033306 A1 · Comb polymers as blocking additives for swelling clays

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- Number: US 2022/0033306 A1
- Document ID: US20220033306A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/275,248
- Filed: 2019-10-01
- Published: 2022-02-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-05
- Assignees: Sika Technology AG
- Applicants: Sika Technology AG
- Inventors: Ulf VELTEN; Jürg WEIDMANN; Lukas FRUNZ; Patrick JUILLAND
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220033306A1

## CPC

- C04B 24/2647: {containing polyether side chains}
- C04B 14/104: {Bentonite, e.g. montmorillonite}
- C04B 24/165: {containing polyether side chains}
- C04B 24/246: {containing polyether side chains}
- C04B 24/2605: {containing polyether side chains}
- C04B 24/2658: {containing polyether side chains}
- C04B 28/02: containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
- C08F 290/142: {Polyethers}
- C04B 2103/006: {Comb polymers}
- C04B 2103/30: Water reducers, plasticisers, air-entrainers, flow improvers
- C04B 2111/32: Expansion-inhibited materials
- Y02W 30/91: Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

A comb polymer, in particular for use as a clay-inerting agent, including: a) at least one poly(alkylene oxide) side chain-bearing monomer unit M1 without ionic groups, b) optionally at least one cationic monomer unit MC, c) optionally at least one anionic monomer unit MA, d) optionally, at least one non-ionic monomer unit M3, wherein the molar ratio of the cationic monomer units MC to the side chain-bearing monomer units M1 is equal to or less than 10, the molar ratio of the anionic monomer units MA to the side chain-bearing monomer units M1 is less than 1, preferably equal to or less than 0.5, and the molar ratio of the non-ionic monomer units M3 to the side chain-bearing monomer units M1 is less than 5.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A comb polymer, in particular for use as a clay-inerting agent, comprising:
a) at least one poly(alkylene oxide) side chain-bearing monomer unit M1 without ionic groups,
b) optionally at least one cationic monomer unit MC,
c) optionally at least one anionic monomer unit MA,
d) optionally, at least one non-ionic monomer unit M3,
wherein the molar ratio of the cationic monomer units MC to the side chain-bearing monomer units M1 is equal to or less than 10, the molar ratio of the anionic monomer units MA to the side chain-bearing monomer units M1 is less than 1, and the molar ratio of the non-ionic monomer units M3 to the side chain-bearing monomer units M1 is less than 5.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the side chain-bearing monomer unit M1 includes a structure of the formula I
wherein
R1, and R2, in each case independently, are H or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms,
R3, in each case independently, is H, an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or a group with formula
—(CH2)m—[C═O]p—X—R4,
m=0, 1 or 2,
p=0 or 1,
X, in each case independently, is —O— or —NH—,
R8 is a group of the formula -[AO]n—Ra
where A=C2- to C4-alkylene, Ra is H, a C1- to C20-alkyl group, -cycloalkyl group or -alkylaryl group,
and n=2-250.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the cationic monomer unit MC in the polymer includes or consists a monomer which has a structure of the formula II,
wherein
R5, in each case independently, is -[D]d-[E]e—F, with
D=—(COO)— and/or —(CONH)—,
E=an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms,
F=—N+R10R11R12, —S+R10R11R12 and/or —P+R10R11R12,
wherein R10, R11 and R12 are independently of one another H, an aliphatic hydrocarbon moiety having 1 to 20 C atoms, a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon moiety having 5 to 8 C atoms and/or an aryl moiety having 6 to 14 C atoms;
whereby
d=0 or 1,
e=0 or 1,
R6, R7 and R8, in each case independently, are H or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the anionic monomer unit MA in the polymer includes or consists of a monomer which has a structure of the formula III,
wherein
R13, in each case independently, is —COOM, —SO2—OM, —O—PO(OM)2 and/or —PO(OM)2,
R14 and R15, in each case independently, are H or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, R16, in each case independently, are H, —COOM or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms,
or where R13 forms a ring together with R16 to give —CO—O—CO—,
M independently from each other is H+, an alkali metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion, a di- or trivalent metal ion, an ammonium ion and an organic ammonium group.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the non-ionic monomer M3 has a structure of the formula IV,
wherein
R5′, R6′, R7′ are the same as defined for R6, R7 and R8, and m′ and p′ are the same as defined for m and p as described above in the context of the copolymer,
Y, in each case independently, is a chemical bond or —O—,
Z, in each case independently, is a chemical bond, —O— or —NH—,
R20, in each case independently, is an alkyl group, cycloalkyl group, alkylaryl group, aryl group, hydroxyalkyl group or acetoxyalkyl group, each having 1-20 carbon atoms.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the comb polymer, with respect to the total number of monomer units present in the comb polymer, comprises:
a) 95-100 mol-%, of the at least one poly(alkylene oxide) side chain-bearing monomer unit M1,
b) 0-1 mol-%, of the at least one cationic monomer unit MC,
c) 0-1 mol-%, of the at least one anionic monomer unit MA,
d) 0-1 mol-%, of the at least one non-ionic monomer unit M3.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the comb polymer, with respect to the total number of monomer units present in the comb polymer, comprises:
a) 30-70 mol-%, of of the at least one poly(alkylene oxide) side chain-bearing monomer unit M1, and b) 0-1 mol-%, of the at least one cationic monomer unit MC,
c) 0-1 mol-%, of the at least one anionic monomer unit MA,
d) 30-70%, of the at least one non-ionic monomer unit M3.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the comb polymer, with respect to the total number of monomer units present in the comb polymer, comprises:
a) 10-99 mol-%, of the at least one poly(alkylene oxide) side chain-bearing monomer unit M1, and
b) 1-90 mol-%, of the at least one cationic monomer unit MC,
c) 0-1 mol-%, of the at least one anionic monomer unit MA,
d) 0-75 mol-% or 0 mol-%, of the at least one non-ionic monomer unit M3.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the comb polymer consists of the at least one poly(alkylene oxide) side chain-bearing monomer unit M1 and, optionally, the non-ionic monomer unit M3.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the comb polymer consists of the at least one poly(alkylene oxide) side chain-bearing monomer unit M1 and the at least one cationic monomer unit MC.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A comb polymer according to claim 1, wherein the comb polymer is a block polymer, whereby, at least 75 mol-%, of the total number of the at least one side chain-bearing monomer units M1 are arranged in a first block of the block copolymer and wherein the block copolymer comprises a second block in which at least 75 mol-%, of the total number of the at least one cationic monomer units MC are arranged.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A kit of parts comprising a comb polymer according to claim 1 and a plasticizer for mineral binder compositions.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A composition comprising a comb polymer according to claim 1 and further comprising a mineral binder, aggregates and/or swellable clays.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A method comprising the steps of adding to a composition comprising swellable clays (i) a comb polymer according to claim 1 and (ii) a plasticizer for mineral binder compositions.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A method for inerting a swellable clay and/or for reducing or inhibiting adverse effects of swellable clays on the effectiveness of dispersants in mineral binder compositions, comprising adding the comb polymer according to claim 1 to a mineral binder composition.