Inverse emulsion polymerization
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorEarl Clark, Jr.
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Abstract
In an inverse emulsion polymerization system for producing water-soluble polymers from a monomer system comprising an N-vinyl lactam and/or a vinyl-containing sulfonic acid or salt thereof utilizing a surfactant system having (1) a surfactant with a bulky lipophilic portion and a hydrophilic portion and (2) a generally straight-chain nonionic surfactant having a lipophilic hydrocarbon group and an OH-terminated hydrophilic group, i.e. an alcohol. Such a system having both the right HLB and the right chemical cobination results in a stable emulsion for the polymerization of these particular water-soluble monomers.
Claims10
A polymerization process comprising:
- (a) admixing at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer, water, at least one organic liquid characterized as substantially immiscible with water, at least one polymerization initiator, and a surfactant to form an admixture
- wherein said surfactant comprises:
- at least one glyceride,
- at least one polyethoxylated sorbitol fatty acid ester, and
- at least one polyethoxylated fatty alcohol, wherein said surfactant is characterized by an HLB number within the range of about 7 to about 9, and wherein said surfactant is present in said admixture in an amount of about 3 to about 12 weight percent based on the total weight of said admixture;
- and (b) subjecting said admixture to polymerization conditions sufficient to produce a water-in-oil latex comprising a water-soluble polymer of said at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.