Rheology modifying star macrmolecules for fracking fluids and home care
AssigneeATRP Solutions, Inc.
InventorsWojciech Jakubowski, Patrick McCarthy, Nicolay Tsarevsky, James Spanswick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A polymer composition comprising star macromolecules is provided. Each star macromolecule has a core and five or more arms, wherein the number of arms within a star macromolecule varies across the composition of star molecules. The arms on a star are covalently attached to the core of the star; each arm comprises one or more (co)polymer segments; and at least one arm and/or at least one segment exhibits a different solubility from at least one other arm or one other segment, respectively, in a reference liquid of interest.
Claims20
A composition, comprising at least 0.05 wt. % of one or more rheology-modifying star macromolecules, wherein the one or more rheology-modifying star macromolecules comprises:
- a) a molecular weight of greater than 100,000 g/mol;
- b) a core having a hydrophobic crosslinked polymeric segment;
- and
- c) a plurality of hydrophilic-segment-containing arms comprising at least two types of arms, wherein a first-arm-type extends beyond a second-arm-type and said first-arm-type has a hydrophobic segment on its distal end;
- and
- wherein the composition has a shear-thinning value of at least 6.
A composition, comprising at least 0.05 wt. % of an additive to improve water flooding during enhanced oil recovery, wherein the additive is a star macromolecule comprising:
- a) a molecular weight of greater than 100,000 g/mol;
- b) a core having a hydrophobic crosslinked polymeric segment;
- and
- c) a plurality of hydrophilic-segment-containing arms comprising at least two types of arms, wherein a first-arm-type extends beyond a second-arm-type and said first-arm-type has a hydrophobic segment on its distal end;
- and
- wherein the composition has a shear-thinning value of at least 6.
A shear-sensitive gel composition, comprising at least 0.05 wt. % of one or more shear-sensitive star macromolecules, wherein the one or more shear-sensitive star macromolecules comprises:
- a) a molecular weight of greater than 100,000 g/mol;
- b) a core having a hydrophobic crosslinked polymeric segment;
- and
- c) a plurality of hydrophilic-segment-containing arms comprising at least two types of arms, wherein a first-arm-type extends beyond a second-arm-type and said first-arm-type has a hydrophobic segment on its distal end;
- and
- wherein the composition has a shear-thinning value of at least 6.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.