Dissolving polymers in compatible liquids and uses thereof
AssigneeGeneral Technology Applications, Inc.
InventorWilliam Weitzen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention provides a technique for extremely rapid dissolution, or dispersion on essentially the molecular level, of certain polymeric materials in compatible liquid vehicles. The polymeric materials are comminuted at cryogenic temperatures and are then introduced into a liquid vehicle preferably while still at or near cryogenic temperature. At low concentrations, the resulting blend or system displays reduced friction to flow while high concentrations may be used to immobilize the liquid vehicle and/or reduce its vapor pressure.
Claims21
Process for dissolving a high molecular weight hydrocarbon polymer in liquid hydrocarbons which comprises chilling to cryogenic temperature said polymer, comminuting the chilled polymer at cryogenic temperature to form discrete particles displaying a high surface energy state and contacting the so-formed particles at or near cryogenic temperature and while in said high surface energy state with liquid hydrocarbons whereby the polymer particles are dissolved therein.
Process of reducing friction caused by flowing hydrocarbons through a conduit which comprises cryogenically comminuting a long chain rubbery hydrocarbon polymer to form particles thereof, said particles having high surface energy, dissolving the so-formed particles while at or near cryogenic temperature and in said high surface energy state in liquid hydrocarbon and flowing the resulting solution through a conduit.
Process of reducing friction caused by flowing hydrocarbons through a conduit which comprises cryogenically comminuting polyisobutylene having a molecular weight of from about 1,000,000 to about 10,000,000 to form discrete particles of enhanced surface energy and of a size to pass through a No. 10 U.S. Standard screen scale, contacting the so-formed particles of polyisobutylene at or near cryogenic temperature and while in said enhanced surface energy state as discrete particles with liquid hydrocarbon whereby said particles are rapidly dissolved in the liquid hydrocarbons, and flowing the liquid hydrocarbons containing dissolved polyisobutylene through a conduit.
A process for dissolving a thermoplastic polymer in a compatible liquid vehicle which comprises cryogenically comminuting said polymer to form discrete particles of enhanced surface energy and admixing said particles with the liquid vehicle while while maintaining said particles in a high surface energy state and at or near cryogenic temperature until introduced into said liquid.
A process for dissolving a thermoplastic polymer in a compatible liquid vehicle which comprises chilling to cryogenic temperature said polymer, comminuting the chilled polymer at cryogenic temperature to form discrete particles having free radicals thereon and contacting the so-formed, free radical-containing particles while at or near cryogenic temperature with the liquid vehicle whereby the particles are dissolved therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.