Products and methods for the treatment of mixtures of water and hydrophobic liquids
US11485891B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 5, 2019 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 9, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02A20/204
- WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The invention relates to chemical-based methods and products for mitigating the impact of an oil spill, that act via mechanisms which include reducing adhesiveness, herding, thickening and gelling. N-fatty acid amino acid (FA-AA) conjugates display oil-herding behavior when formulated as a salt, or the free acid in water-miscible organic solvents. Various salts of FA-AA conjugates are water soluble and can herd oils and increase the thickness of the oil layer. Replacement of the acid group of fatty acid α-amino acid conjugates with other groups that act as hydrogen bond donors and acceptors results in potent phase selective organo gellants. The oil thickeners or gellants include can be prepared from biobased feedstocks, have low toxicity, high capacity for oil and reduction of the need to use an organic solvent to apply the thickener or gellant to an oil and water mixture in order to gel the oil phase.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.