Good Oil Resistance Research Articles

Elastomeric Diene/Polyhalophenyl Acrylic Copolymers with Intrinsic Flame Retardance

Abstract It is well known that certain aliphatic or aromatic halogen-containing substituents impart flame retardance to compounds containing them. This fact has been applied not only to development of fire retardant additives for organic compositions but also to preparation of various halogen-containing polymers with intrinsic fire retardance. These include resinous or fibrous homopolymers or copolymers of polyhalophenyl methacrylates or acrylates. The monomers used for these contain relatively high concentrations of highly heat stable aromatic halogen groups and may be prepared by various means from available, potentially low-cost polyhalophenols. The present report describes efforts to prepare elastomeric diene-copolymers with intrinsic flame retardance by the use of such monomers. Utilization of these monomers for the preparation of elastomeric terpolymers with fairly good low-temperature properties and oil resistance is also illustrated.

New Generation Polyacrylate Elastomers

Abstract Polyacrylate elastomers have come a long way since the first large-volume commercial product was introduced in 1948. Rapid cure rates with relatively mild cure systems are now possible. Low temperature limits have been extended from −15°C to the −30 to −40°C range, while maintaining good oil resistance. The need to post cure has been removed in some processes and minimized in others. Future trends in ACM research are aimed at improving strength (especially abrasion), complete elimination of post cures, and improved fuel (especially gasoline) resistance.

Oil well sand consolidation. I. Resins for a three‐step process

AbstractOil‐bearing formations often consist of loose sandy material. In the production of oil from these formations sand tends to be carried to the well bore along with the oil. The flow of sand can be prevented by consolidating or cementing together the sand particles of the formation around the well bore. The cementing has to be accomplished in such a manner that fluid flow channels between particles remain open. This paper describes a new three‐step process that was developed to consolidate oil well sand. The steps in the process involve injection of: (1) resin, (2) inert fluid, and (3) inert fluid containing a catalyst. In the first step of the process, resin in injected into the formation where it fully saturates the interstices between sand grains. Permeability is established in the second step by displacement of the excess resin from the interstices, thereby leaving a thin film of resin on the sand grains. In the third step, polymerization is activated by migration of catalyst from the inert fluid into the thin resin film on the sand. The process has the advantage that resin is placed and permeability is established before the resin is catalyzed. This avoids premature polymerization of the resin which might cause plugging of the formation or the tubing string used to inject resin. Desirable characteristics of a resin for the three‐step process are: (1) viscosity of 25–200 cp. at well bore temperature; (2) stability for several days at well bore temperature; (3) high adhesion to sand in the presence of an inert flushing fluid; (4) polymerization by less than 10% catalyst; (5) the polymerized resin binds sand together with a strong bond that is not affected by well fluids. Five different resin types have been tested for use in the three‐step sand consolidation process. These are: (1) epoxy–anhydride cured with a tertiary amine; (2) epoxy–epoxy diluent cured with a primary–tertiary amine mixture; (3) furan; (4) unsaturated polyester–vinylpyrrolidone; (5) unsaturated polyester–styrene. The two epoxy resins give strong, permeable consolidated sand which is resistant to well fluids such as brine and crude oil. The furan resin gives a weak consolidation. The unsaturated polyester–vinylpyrrolidone gives good strength and oil resistance but is sensitive to brine. The unsaturated polyester–styrene is difficult to apply. Many oil wells have been successfully treated in the Gulf Coast area and in California with the two epoxy resins. Almost all of these wells are producing free of sand, and, to date, more than five million barrels of oil have been produced from these wells.

High Quality Foams from NIR Latex

Abstract Foam rubber properties have been measured for NIR latexes as a function of acrylonitrile content of the copolymer and as a function of ratio of NIR latex to NR latex and high modulus SBR latex. Foam rubber made from NIR latex had good aging and oil resistance, combined with the desirable high tensile strength and elongation characteristic of natural rubber foam. Resilience and low temperature flexibility of NIR foams were found to be lower than that achieved with foams of either SBR or NR latexes. Although compression modulus of NIR foam was lower than that of a high modulus SBR foam and approximately equivalent to that of NR foam, it was effectively increased by the addition of either such SBR latex or a high-styrene resin latex.

Polyurethan VC, a Virtually Crosslinked Elastomer

Abstract Many of the outstanding physical properties that characterize elastomeric Polyurethans have been realized in a soluble, thermoplastic variety, Polyurethan VC, which displays the superficial properties of a rubbery vulcanizate at room temperature and so is considered to be virtually crosslinked. High tensile strength as well as good tear, abrasion, solvent, oil, and ozone resistance characterizes this polymer. Since these properties are realized in the unvulcanized state, many useful applications of the readily processable polymer can be made, avoiding the complications which attend the use of conventional (vulcanizing) urethan elastomers. Outdoor exposure and indoor accelerated weathering studies demonstrated a deficiency in the weather resistance of the raw polymer. Weather-induced changes, believed to be due to ultraviolet-initiated autoxidation, have been estimated by noting changes in the stress-strain properties as well as the ultraviolet and infrared absorption spectra of the polymer on exposure to natural and artificial weather conditions. The beneficial effects of certain carbon blacks, conventional antioxidants, and ultraviolet absorbers on the weather resistance of the polymer have been described.

Some new butadiene copolymers

AbstractCopolymers of butadiene with 2‐ethoxyethyl acrylate, 2‐ethoxyethyl methacrylate, tetrahydrofurfuryl acrylate, acrylic acid, and methacrylic acid have been prepared and evaluated as rubbers. The 2‐ethoxyethyl acrylate copolymer has good low temperature properties. The methacrylic acid copolymer has unexpectedly good oil resistance, but the low temperature properties are poor. The acrylic acid copolymers show fair oil resistance and good low temperature properties. Both acrylic acid and methacrylic acid copolymers with butadiene show unexpectedly good tensiles.

Elastomers from Fluoroprene

Abstract As the first member of the haloprene or halogen-substituted butadiene series, fluoroprene (2-fluoro-1,3-butadiene) occupies a position between butadiene and chloroprene in most of its properties and characteristics. For example, it polymerizes at a rate approximately twenty-five times that of butadiene under comparable conditions, but it is somewhat slower than chloroprene in its rate of polymerization. However, fluoroprene resembles butadiene in that it copolymerizes readily in wide proportions with most 1,3-dienes and many monovinyl compounds, whereas chloroprene copolymerizes only incompletely with many monomers. In sharp contrast to the other haloprenes, fluoroprene polymers, like those of butadiene, have an amorphous rather than crystalline structure in the stretched state, and they require reinforcement with fillers to develop high tensile properties in their vulcanizates. Polyfluoroprene rubbers obtained in 85 to 90 per cent conversions using selected emulsion systems have exhibited tensile strengths of 2800 to 3200 pounds per square inch at 400 to 500 per cent elongation in tread type of vulcanizates. These vulcanizates are highly freeze resistant and have the good oil resistance of corresponding chloroprene polymers. The resilience of the vulcanizates is excellent and their resistance to ozone and sunlight is good although not so outstanding as that of corresponding polychloroprene products. Polyfluoroprene vulcanizates, unlike those of polychloroprene, propagate a flame when ignited, but they burn at a much slower rate than GR-S or natural rubber. In electrical properties they are superior to polychloroprene vulcanizates, and approach natural rubber in resistivity and power factor.