Rheology modifying star macrmolecules for fracking fluids and home care

• US 8,604,132 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pilot Polymer Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ATRP Solutions, Inc. (Pilot Chemical Corp.)
• Inventors: Jakubowski, Wojciech, McCarthy, Patrick, Tsarevsky, Nicolay, Spanswick, James
• Primary Examiner(s): KAUCHER, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US13/410,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20120172531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 525/50, 525/191, 525/193, 525/241, 525/244, 525/301, 525/221, 525/227, 525/223, 525/70
• US Class Current: 525/244
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/10 General cosmetic use
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/48 Thickener, Thickening system
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/72 containing organic macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/8147 Homopolymers or copolymers of acids; Metal or ammonium salts thereof, e.g. crotonic acid, (meth)acrylic acid; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/8152 Homopolymers or copolymers of esters, e.g. (meth)acrylic acid esters; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/90 Block copolymers A61K8/89 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/00 Preparations for care of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2438/01 Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization [ATRP] or reverse ATRP
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 265/02 on to polymers of acids, salts or anhydrides
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 265/04 on to polymers of esters
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 293/005 using free radical "living" or "controlled" polymerisation, e.g. using a complexing agent
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 299/04 from polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 299/0492 the unsaturation being in acrylic or methacrylic groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 83/003 Dendrimers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2300/206 Star polymers

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.

Claims

1. 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.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is a home care composition.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein the composition is a sprayable formulation.

4. The composition of claim 2, wherein the composition is a sprayable cleaner.

5. The composition of claim 4, wherein the composition is clear.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is a detergent composition.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is a cosmetic or personal care composition.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is a paint or oil-well drilling-fluid composition.

9. 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.

10. The composition of claim 9, wherein the composition has high gel strength, according to the strong gel test.

11. 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.

12. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 11, wherein the composition is a lubricant.

13. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 11, wherein the composition is a personal care lubricant.

14. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 11, wherein the composition is homogeneous.

15. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 11, wherein the composition is clear.

16. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 11, wherein the composition is an emulsion.

17. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 16, wherein the emulsion is an emulsifier-free emulsion.

18. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 11, wherein the composition has an emulsion value of greater than 12 hours.

19. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 11, wherein the composition has a salt-induced break value of at least 60%.

20. The shear-sensitive gel composition of claim 11, wherein the composition has a dynamic viscosity of at least 20,000 cP at 1 rpm.