Patent ID: 6368368
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: B01F,C08L,C10L

Abstract:
An emulsion containing in a continuous phase a hydrocarbon liquid and in a dispersed phase alcohol and/or water in the presence of:(a) an emulsifier being a copolymer containing at least one relatively hydrophobic polymeric block of at least one monomer selected from the group comprising styrene and ring substituted styrenes, and at least one relatively hydrophilic polymeric block of at least one monomer selected from the group having the formula H(Oâ€”R)n OH where R is an aliphatic radical containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and n is a number between 20 and 300, and (b) a coupling agent being a copolymer containing at least one polymeric block of at least one monomer selected from the group comprising styrene and ring substituted styrenes, and at least one block being a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon moiety, the emulsifier and the coupling agent being present in the emulsion in a weight ratio of greater than 3.0:1, with the emulsifier being present in an amount sufficient to form micelles of the relatively hydrophilic polymer block sufficient to contain the dispersed phase and the coupling agent being present in an amount that is sufficient to substantially prevent the dispersed phase droplets from coalescing while not being present in a sufficiently high amount that micelles of the styrene containing polymeric blocks of the coupling agent form in the continuous phase of the emulsion.