Aqueous treatment compositions and polymers for use therein

Abstract

Aqueous treatment composition for use as anti-scalant and dispersant. The composition includes a polymer containing low amounts of sulfonate that prove as effective in carbonate and phosphate inhibition as polymers containing much higher amounts of sulfonate.

1 . A polymer for use in an aqueous treatment composition, the polymer comprising: 
 at least one carboxylic acid functionality;    at least one nonionic functionality; and    at least one sulfonate functionality, wherein the sulfonate functionality is less than about 4 mole % of the polymer except when the nonionic functionality is aromatic.    
     
     
         2 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one nonionic functionality contains an aromatic moiety.  
     
     
         3 . The polymer of  claim 2  wherein the at least one sulfonate functionality is present in an amount of up to about 50 mole %.  
     
     
         4 . The polymer of  claim 2  wherein the aromatic moiety is styrene.  
     
     
         5 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one carboxylic functionality is present in an amount of about 45 mole % to about 98 mole %.  
     
     
         6 . The polymer of  claim 5  wherein the at least one carboxylic functionality is present in an amount of about 70 mole % to about 90 mole %.  
     
     
         7 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one nonionic functionality is present in an amount of about 0 mole % to about 50 mole %.  
     
     
         8 . The polymer of  claim 7  wherein the at least one nonionic functionality is present in an amount of about 5 mole % to about 30 mole %.  
     
     
         9 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sulfonate functionality is present in an amount of less than about 2 mole %.  
     
     
         10 . An aqueous treatment composition comprising the polymer of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . The aqueous treatment composition of  claim 10  wherein the polymer is present in the aqueous treatment composition in an amount of about 0.001 to about 25% by weight of the polymer.  
     
     
         12 . The aqueous treatment composition of  claim 11  wherein the polymer is present in the aqueous treatment composition in an amount of about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of the polymer.  
     
     
         13 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one carboxylic functionality is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, maleic acid, itaconic acid and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one nonionic functionality is selected from the group consisting of methyl (meth) acrylate, ethyl (meth) acrylate, t-butyl (meth) acrylate, methyl (meth) acrylamide, ethyl (meth) acrylamide, t-butyl (meth) acrylamide, styrene, α-methyl styrene and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sulfonate functionality is selected from the group consisting of sodium (meth) allyl sulfonate, vinyl sulfonate, sodium phenyl (meth) allyl ether sulfonate, 2-acrylamido-methyl propane sulfonic acid and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one carboxylic acid functionality is of the general formula— 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 1  to R 4  are independently hydrogen, methyl, carboxylic acid group or CH 2 COOH; and wherein the carboxylic acid groups can be neutralized.  
     
     
         17 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one nonionic functionality is of the general formula— 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 5  is hydrogen, C 1  to C 6  alkyl, or C 1  to C 6  hydroxyalkyl, and X is either aromatic with R 5  being hydrogen or methyl when X is aromatic, or X is the general formula (III)— 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 6  is, independently of R 5 , hydrogen, C 1  to C 6  alkyl, or C 1  to C 6  hydroxyalkyl; and Y is O or N.  
     
     
         18 . The polymer of  claim 1  wherein the at least one sulfonate functionality is of the general formula— 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 7  is a group comprising at least one sp 2  bond, A is O, N, P, S or an amido or ester linkage, B is a mono- or polycyclic aromatic group or an aliphatic group, each t is independently 0 or 1, and C +  is a cation.  
     
     
         19 . A cleaning formulation comprising the polymer of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         20 . The cleaning formulation of  claim 19  wherein the polymer is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the cleaning formulation.  
     
     
         21 . The cleaning formulation of  claim 20  wherein the polymer is present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the cleaning formulation.  
     
     
         22 . A personal care formulation comprising the polymer of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         23 . The personal care formulation of  claim 22  wherein the formulation is a sunscreen.  
     
     
         24 . The personal care formulation of  claim 23  wherein the sunscreen is water repellant.  
     
     
         25 . A cement composition comprising the polymer of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         26 . A composition for use in oil field applications comprising the polymer of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         27 . A polymer useful in scale inhibition and as a dispersant comprising: 
 at least one structural unit derived from at least one carboxylic monomer having the general formula (I)—                         wherein R 1  to R 4  are independently hydrogen, methyl, carboxylic acid group, or CH 2 COOH, wherein the carboxylic acid groups can be neutralized;    at least one structural unit derived from at least one nonionic monomer having the general formula (II)—                         wherein R 5  is hydrogen, C 1  to C 6  alkyl, or C 1  to C 6  hydroxyalkyl, and X is either aromatic with R 5  being hydrogen or methyl when X is aromatic, or X is the general formula (III)—                         wherein R 6  is, independently of R 5 , hydrogen, C 1  to C 6  alkyl, or C 1  to C 6  hydroxyalkyl; and Y is O or N;    and at least one structural unit derived from at least one sulfonate monomer having the general formula—                         wherein R 7  is a group comprising at least one sp 2  bond, A is O, N, P, S or an amido or ester linkage, B is a mono- or polycyclic aromatic group or an aliphatic group, each t is independently 0 or 1, and C +  is a cation, and    wherein the sulfonate monomer is present in the polymer in an amount of less than about 4 mole % except when X is aromatic.    
     
     
         28 . The polymer of  claim 27  wherein X is aromatic.  
     
     
         29 . The polymer of  claim 28  wherein the sulfonate monomer is present in the polymer in an amount of up to about 50 mole %.  
     
     
         30 . The polymer of  claim 28  wherein X is styrene.  
     
     
         31 . The polymer of  claim 27  wherein the at least one structural unit derived from at least one carboxylic monomer is present in an amount of about 45 mole % to about 98 mole %.  
     
     
         32 . The polymer of  claim 31  wherein the at least one structural unit derived from at least one carboxylic monomer is present in an amount of about 70 mole % to about 90 mole %.  
     
     
         33 . The polymer of  claim 27  wherein the at least one structural unit derived from at least one nonionic monomer is present in an amount of about 0 mole % to about 50 mole %.  
     
     
         34 . The polymer of  claim 33  wherein the at least one structural unit derived from at least one nonionic monomer is present in an amount of about 5 mole % to about 30 mole %.  
     
     
         35 . The polymer of  claim 27  wherein the at least one structural unit derived from at least one sulfonate monomer is present in an amount of less than about 2 mole %.  
     
     
         36 . The polymer of  claim 27  wherein the at least one structural unit derived from at least one carboxylic monomer is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, maleic acid, itaconic acid and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         37 . The polymer of  claim 27  wherein the at least one structural unit derived from at least one nonionic monomer is selected from the group consisting of methyl (meth) acrylate, ethyl (meth) acrylate, t-butyl (meth) acrylate, methyl (meth) acrylamide, ethyl (meth) acrylamide, t-butyl (meth) acrylamide, styrene, α-methyl styrene and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         38 . The polymer of  claim 27  wherein the at least one structural unit derived from at least one sulfonate monomer is selected from the group consisting of sodium (meth) allyl sulfonate, vinyl sulfonate, sodium phenyl (meth) allyl ether sulfonate, 2-acrylamido-methyl propane sulfonic acid and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         39 . A water treatment composition comprising the polymer of  claim 27 .  
     
     
         40 . The water treatment composition of  claim 39  wherein the polymer is present in an amount of about 0.001% to about 25% by weight of the water treatment composition.  
     
     
         41 . A cleaning formulation comprising the polymer of  claim 27 .  
     
     
         42 . The cleaning formulation of  claim 41  wherein the polymer is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the cleaning formulation.  
     
     
         43 . The cleaning formulation of  claim 42  wherein the polymer is present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the cleaning formulation.