Wetting of water repellent soil by low HLB EO/PO block copolymers and enhancing solubility of same
AssigneeAquatrols Corporation of America, Inc.
InventorsStanley J. Kostka, Paul Thomas Bially
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Water repellent soil is treated with low concentrations of EO/PO block copolymer having an HLB value of less than or equal to 2; an average molecular weight of greater than 3,000; and a percent hydrophile of 10 in order to rapidly increase the wetting rate of the water repellent soil.
Claims6
A process for increasing the wetting rate of water repellent soil which comprises the steps of:
- i) preparing an aqueous wetting agent composition consisting of
- a) an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer wherein the copolymer has an HLB value of less than or equal to 2;
- an average molecular weight of greater than 3,000;
- and a percent hydrophile of less than or equal to 10;
- and
- b) water;
- and
- ii) intimately contacting water repellent soil with an amount of said wetting agent composition such that the block copolymer will provide a measurable increase in the wetting rate of the soil.
A process for increasing the wetting rate of water repellent soil which comprises the steps of:
- i)preparing a solid granular or powder wetting agent composition with the wetting agent consisting of an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer wherein the copolymer has an HLB value of less than or equal to 2;
- an average molecular weight of greater than 3,000;
- and a percent hydrophile of less than or equal to 10 being added to inert filler material and/or blended with fillers and additives;
- and
- ii)contacting water repellent soil with an amount of said solid wetting agent composition such that the block copolymer will provide a measurable increase in the wetting rate of the soil.
A process for increasing the wetting rate of water repellent soil which comprises the steps of:
- i) preparing a solid granular or powder wetting agent composition with the wetting agent consisting of an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer wherein the copolymer has an HLB value of less than or equal to 2;
- an average molecular weight of greater than 3,000;
- and a percent hydrophile of less than or equal to 10 being added to inert filler material and/or blended with fillers and additives;
- ii) adding said solid wetting agent composition to water to form an aqueous wetting agent composition;
- and
- iii) intimately contacting water repellent soil with an amount of said aqueous wetting agent composition such that the block copolymer will provide a measurable increase in the wetting rate of the soil.
A process for increasing the wetting rate of water repellent soil which comprises the steps of:
- i) preparing an aqueous wetting agent composition consisting of
- a) an ethylene oxide propylene oxide block copolymer wherein the copolymer has an HLB value of less than or equal to 2;
- an average molecular weight of greater than 3,000;
- and a percent hydrophile of less than or equal to 10;
- b) an ethylene-propylene oxide block copolymer having an HLB, value greater than 2 and an average molecular weight of from 2,000 to 8,000;
- and
- c) water;
- and
- ii)intimately contacting water repellent soil with an amount of said wetting agent composition such that the block copolymer having an HLB value of less than or equal to 2 will provide a measurable increase m the wetting rate of the soil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.