Foam forming compositions comprising a particulate inorganic material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10351764-B2
Application number	US-201615543584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2016
Priority date	Jan 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to aqueous compositions for forming a foam, comprising a surfactant and a particulate inorganic material, and optionally one or more polymers, such as soil conditioning polymers, and/or viscosity increasing polymers. The present invention further relates to the use and application of said aqueous compositions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aqueous composition for forming a foam, the composition comprising a surfactant and a particulate inorganic material,
wherein the surfactant absorbs onto the particulate inorganic material;
wherein the particulate inorganic material is talc or a combination of talc and a particulate inorganic material selected from the group consisting of perlite, bentonite, wollastonite, an alkaline earth metal carbonate or sulphate, calcium carbonate, natural calcium carbonate, and/or precipitated calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, dolomite, gypsum, an aluminosilicate, kaolin, mica, diatomaceous earth, vermiculite, pumice, magnesium hydroxide, aluminium trihydrate, zinc oxide, and combinations thereof; and
wherein the weight ratio of particulate inorganic powder to surfactant is in the range of 500:1 to 1:1.

2. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein the surfactant comprises one or more anionic surfactants, or one or more cationic surfactants, or one or more amphoteric surfactants, or one or more non-ionic surfactants, one or more fatty acid amines, or any combination thereof.

3. An aqueous composition according to claim 2 , wherein the surfactant comprises a sodium salt of an ethoxylated C 12 to C 14 -alcohol sulphate.

4. An aqueous composition according to claim 2 , wherein the surfactant comprises an alkyl trimethyl ammonium halide, tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, dicocodimethylammonium chloride, dihydrogenated tallowoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate, or a polymeric quaternary ammonium ester.

5. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein the talc comprises microcrystalline talc, macrocrystalline talc, microlamellar talc, or a mixture thereof.

6. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein the talc is a microcrystalline talc having a d 50 of 10 μm or lower.

7. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of surfactant to water is in the range of 0.05 to 5 wt. %.

8. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of particulate inorganic powder to water is in the range of 1 to 60 wt. %.

9. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of particulate inorganic powder to surfactant is in the range of from 500:1 to 1:1.

10. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate inorganic material is perlite or a mixture of perlite and talc.

11. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a contaminant.

12. A method of preparing an aqueous composition according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of
providing a surfactant;
providing a particulate inorganic material; and
providing water; and
mixing the provided components in any order.

13. An aqueous composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises 5 wt.-% water or less.

14. An aqueous composition according to claim 13 , wherein the particulate inorganic material is talc and the surfactant is a cationic surfactant, tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, or dicocodimethylammonium chloride.

15. An aqueous composition according to claim 3 , wherein sodium salt of an ethoxylated C 12 to C 14 -alcohol sulphate is sodium lauryl ether sulphate.

16. An aqueous composition according to claim 11 , wherein the contaminant is a clay.

17. A method comprising:
preparing an aqueous composition comprising a surfactant and a particulate inorganic material, wherein the surfactant absorbs onto the particulate inorganic material;
using the aqueous composition to prepare a foam; and
applying the foam during tunnel excavation

wherein the surfactant absorbs onto the particulate inorganic material;
wherein the particulate inorganic material is talc or a combination of talc and a particulate inorganic material selected from the group consisting of perlite, bentonite, wollastonite, an alkaline earth metal carbonate or sulphate, calcium carbonate, natural calcium carbonate, and/or precipitated calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, dolomite, gypsum, an aluminosilicate, kaolin, mica, diatomaceous earth, vermiculite, pumice, magnesium hydroxide, aluminium trihydrate, zinc oxide, and combinations thereof; and
wherein the weight ratio of particulate inorganic powder to surfactant is in the range of 500:1 to 1:1.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein applying the foam during tunnel excavation prevents the clogging of a wide boring apparatus by excavated spoil.

19. A method of stabilizing an aqueous foam, comprising the steps of
providing a surfactant,
providing a particulate inorganic material,
providing one or more soil conditioning polymers, viscosity increasing polymers, anti-settling agents, and
mixing the components into an aqueous foam,

wherein the surfactant absorbs onto the particulate inorganic material;
wherein the particulate inorganic material is talc or a combination of talc and a particulate inorganic material selected from the group consisting of perlite, bentonite, wollastonite, an alkaline earth metal carbonate or sulphate, calcium carbonate, natural calcium carbonate, and/or precipitated calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, dolomite, gypsum, an aluminosilicate, kaolin, mica, diatomaceous earth, vermiculite, pumice, magnesium hydroxide, aluminium trihydrate, zinc oxide, and combinations thereof; and
wherein the weight ratio of particulate inorganic powder to surfactant is in the range of 500:1 to 1:1.

Assignees

• Imertech Sas

Inventors

• Greenhill-Hooper Michael
• Collard Gilles
• Neethling Stephen Johan
• Brito Parada Pablo Rafael

Classifications

• C09K8/94 Primary

  Foams · CPC title

• C09K8/703

  Foams · CPC title

• C09K8/518

  Foams · CPC title

• C09K8/38 Primary

  Gaseous or foamed well-drilling compositions · CPC title

• C09K8/528

  inorganic depositions, e.g. sulfates or carbonates · CPC title