Aqueous compositions comprising a chemical microgel associated with an aqueous polymer

Abstract

The invention concerns an aqueous composition comprising particles of a water-soluble or water-dispersible chemical microgel, associated with at least a water-soluble or water-dispersible crosslinking polymer, differing in composition from the particles; the amount of chemical microgel particles ranging between 0.05 to 40% by dry weight of the composition and the amount of crosslinking polymer being such that the viscosity of the composition is at least three times higher than that of an aqueous solution of chemical microgel particles and than that of an aqueous solution of crosslinking polymer, in similar conditions. The invention also concerns said composition, its use and formulations comprising same.

1 - 23 . Canceled  
     
     
         24 . An aqueous composition comprising particles of hydrosoluble or hydrodispersible chemical microgel associated with at least one hydrosoluble or hydrodispersible bridging polymer with a chemical composition that differs from that of said particles; the chemical microgel particles being in a quantity in the range 0.05% to 40% of the dry weight of the composition and the bridging polymer being in a quantity such that the composition has a viscosity of at least three times that of an aqueous solution of chemical microgel particles and that of an aqueous solution of bridging polymer under the same conditions.  
     
     
         25 . The aqueous composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the quantity of chemical microgel particles is in the range 0.05% to 10% of the dry composition weight.  
     
     
         26 . The aqueous composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the quantity of bridging polymer is such that the mixture of chemical microgel particles and bridging polymer is hydrosoluble or hydrodispersible.  
     
     
         27 . The aqueous composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the chemical microgel particles are constituted by at least one chemically cross-linked hydrosoluble or hydrodispersible polymer.  
     
     
         28 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the polymer has a number of hydrosoluble motifs representing at least 50% of the number of motifs of the polymer.  
     
     
         29 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the chemical microgel particles has a number average size in the range 0.3 μm to 10 mm.  
     
     
         30 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the bridging polymer is constituted by at least one polymer with a theoretical molar mass in the range 10 3  to 5×10 7  g/mol by weight.  
     
     
         31 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the polymers from which the chemical microgel particles and the bridging polymer are derived are obtained at least starting from hydrophilic, non ionic, ionic or potentially ionizable and optionally hydrophobic monomers.  
     
     
         32 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the non ionic hydrophilic monomers are ethylene oxide; amides of linear or branched, cyclic or aromatic mono- or polycarboxylic acids, comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated bond; 2-hydroxyethyl (meth) acrylate; or vinyl esters producing polyvinyl alcohol blocks after hydrolysis.  
     
     
         33 . The composition according to  claim 32 , wherein the ionic or potentially ionic hydrophilic monomers are anionic or potentially anionic monomers carrying at least one carboxylic, sulphonic, sulphuric, phosphonic, phosphoric or sulphosuccinic function.  
     
     
         34 . The composition according to  claim 32 , wherein the anionic or potentially anionic monomers are: 
 linear or branched, cyclic or aromatic mono- or poly-carboxylic acids, N-substituted derivatives of said acids, or monoesters of poly-carboxylic acids, comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated bond;    linear or branched, cyclic or aromatic vinyl carboxylic acids; or    aminoacids comprising one or more ethylenically unsaturated bonds.    
     
     
         35 . The composition according to  claim 32 , wherein the ionic or potentially ionic hydrophilic monomers are cationic or potentially cationic monomers being: 
 aminoalkyl (meth)acrylates, aminoalkyl (meth)acrylamides;    monomers comprising at least one secondary, tertiary or quaternary amine function, or a heterocyclic group containing a nitrogen atom, vinylamine, ethylene imine; or    diallyldialkyl ammonium salts.    
     
     
         36 . The composition according to  claim 32 , wherein the ionic or potentially ionic hydrophilic monomers further comprise one or more amphoteric and/or zwitterionic monomers.  
     
     
         37 . The composition according to  claim 32 , wherein the polymers from which the polymer particles and the bridging species are derived are obtained from at least one hydrophobic monomer being: 
 propylene oxide, butylene oxide;    esters of linear or branched, cyclic or aromatic mono- or poly-carboxylic acids comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated bond;    αβ ethylenically unsaturated nitrites, vinyl ethers, vinyl esters, vinylaromatic monomers, vinyl or vinylidene halides; or    linear or branched, aromatic or non aromatic hydrocarbon monomers comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated bond.    The composition according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bridging polymer comprises at least one polymer selected from chemically modified or non modified biopolymers.    
     
     
         38 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the biopolymers are galactomannans, glucoomannans, succinoglycans, xanthan gum, cellulose, alginates or gelatin.  
     
     
         39 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the chemical microgel particles and the bridging polymer are further associated by electrostatic interactions; the chemical microgel particles having overall charge being opposite to the overall charge of the bridging polymer.  
     
     
         40 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the chemical microgel particles and the bridging polymer are further associated by means of hydrophobic-hydrophobic type interactions; the chemical microgel particles and the bridging polymer comprising motifs associating together in an aqueous phase by means of said interactions.  
     
     
         41 . The composition according to  claim 24 , wherein the chemical microgel particles and the bridging polymer are associated by means of hydrogen bond interactions: the chemical microgel particles and the bridging polymer comprising motifs associating together in an aqueous phase by means of said bonds.  
     
     
         42 . A process for preparing a composition as defined in  claim 24 , comprising the following steps: 
 a) preparing a chemical gel in an aqueous phase by polymerizing the desired monomer or monomers and a crosslinking agent, or by chemical post-polymerization cross-linking of a polymer;    b) grinding the resulting gel to obtain chemical microgel particles; and    c) bringing said chemical microgel particles into contact with at least one bridging polymer in an aqueous phase.    
     
     
         43 . A process for preparing a composition as defined in  claim 24 , comprising the following steps: 
 1) preparing particles of chemical microgel by polymerizing the desired monomer or monomers and a cross-linking agent in micro-reactors and/or with stirring and/or in the presence of at least one limiting agent, or by chemical post-polymerization cross-linking of a polymer in micro-reactors and/or with stirring; and    2) bringing said chemical microgel particles into contact with at least one bridging polymer in an aqueous phase.    
     
     
         44 . Formulations for oil or gas field working, detergents and cosmetics, comprising the composition as defined in  claim 24 , in the fields.