Abstract: This disclosure relates to lubricating engines using formulated lubricating oils to reduce wear and improve engine fuel efficiency. The formulated lubricating oils contain a major amount of a nonpolar lubricating oil base stock and a minor amount of one or more polar lubricating oil additives. The one or more polar lubricating oil additives include swollen inverse micelles dispersed in the nonpolar lubricating oil base stock. The swollen inverse micelles include (i) a liquid polar core containing a polar solvent and one or more polar lubricating oil additives having solubility in the polar solvent, and (ii) a layer of liquid surfactant molecules enclosing the liquid polar core in which polar heads of the liquid surfactant molecules are oriented towards the liquid polar core. A method of improving solubility of polar lubricating oil additives in a nonpolar lubricating oil base stock is also provided.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a lubricant composition that is comprised of a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase, i.e., a two phase lubricant composition. The continuous phase and the discontinuous phase of the lubricant of this invention are oil or oil type compositions that are essentially insoluble in one another. The lubricant composition is comprised of a continuous phase base oil that is comprised of a low viscosity Group II, III, IV or GTL base stock or a blend of at least two of the Group II, III, IV and GTL base stocks, optionally including a low viscosity Group V base stock, with the continuous phase base oil having, independently, a viscosity of from 1 to 100 cSt at 100° C. The lubricant composition is further comprised of a discontinuous phase that is comprised of an ester composition having a mean average droplet size of from 0.01 microns to 20 microns, in which the ester composition is comprised of an ester compound having no ether linkages.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for producing a lubricant composition that is comprised of a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase. The method involves mixing together high viscosity ester, ether or combination thereof, and polar diluent or solvent, to produce a solution. The solution is then added to a low viscosity Group IV base oil to produce a discontinuous phase dispersed throughout a continuous phase.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a lubricant composition that is comprised of a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase, i.e., a two phase lubricant composition. The continuous phase and the discontinuous phase of the lubricant of this invention are oil or oil type compositions that are essentially insoluble in one another. The lubricant composition is comprised of a continuous phase base oil that is comprised of a low viscosity Group II, III, IV or GTL base stock or a blend of at least two of the Group II, III, IV and GTL base stocks, optionally including a low viscosity Group V base stock, with the continuous phase base oil having, independently, a viscosity of from 1 to 100 cSt at 100° C. The lubricant composition is further comprised of a discontinuous phase that is comprised of an ester composition having a mean average droplet size of from 0.01 microns to 20 microns, in which the ester composition is comprised of an ester compound having no ether linkages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for slowing the rise of air bubbles for large-scale applications such as bubble curtains for suppressing noise in marine seismic surveys. Bubble rise time is increased by a chemical additive which either retards bubble coalescence or produces smaller bubbles through wetting agent properties, or a combination of both.

Abstract: The present invention provides an enhanced biodegradation process by applying to petroleum contaminated soil or water essential microbial nutrients in a form capable of releasing the nutrients over time at a rate which, at 25.degree. C., is substantially linear. Importantly, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the microbial nutrients that are applied to the soil or water are in a form such that the release of nutrients at 38.degree. C. will be greater than that at 25.degree. C. by a factor of about 2.5 to 6.0, and preferably from a factor of about 3 to about 5.0.

Abstract: A vegetation enhancement composite including a vegetation enhancement agent consisting of a first member selected from the group consisting of at least one macronutrient, micronutrient, nitrogen fertilizer including an inhibitor of nitrification activity, slow release fertilizer, and mixtures of such members and a pesticide; and at least one first controlled release film including a sulfonated polymer coating at least a portion of a surface of the vegetation enhancement agent.

Abstract: There is provided a coated agricultural substrate in which the coating comprises a blend of a neutralized sulfonated ionomer and asphalt. Preferably, the coating contains from about 1 to 20 wt. % asphalt and from 99 to 80 wt. % of the neutralized sulfonated ionomer. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the coating contains about 7 wt. % asphalt and about 93 wt. % of the neutralized sulfonated ionomer.

Abstract: A composite comprising a urea substrate and ionically and covalently crosslinked, neutralized, sulfonated EPDM elastomeric coating encapsulating the urea.

Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in a fracturing process in an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: (a) a breaker chemical; (b) a water soluble sealing layer, such as urea, having a thickness within the range of about 1 to about 30 microns deposited on the surface of said breaker chemical and encapsulating said breaker chemical; and (c) a pinhole free coating of a neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the coated breaker chemical, wherein said neutralized sulfonated polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical and is permeable to the breaker chemical.

Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in a fracturing process in the protection of an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: a breaker chemical; and a pinhole free coating of a neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the breaker chemical, wherein said neutralized sulfonated polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical, wherein the neutralized sulfonated polymer is permeable to the breaker chemical and the neutralized sulfonated polymer is non-reactive to the breaker chemical.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the encapsulation of a solid substrate with a neutralized sulfonated polymer, which comprises the steps of: (a) forming a solution of a non-conjugated, diene polymer in a solvent selected from the group consisting of aliphatic, aromatic hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof; (b) contacting the solution of the unsaturated polymer with a sulfonating agent at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient period of time to form a solution of a sulfonated polymer containing free acid; (c) forming a solution of a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and mixtures thereof in a mixtrue of an aliphatic alcohol and a hydrocarbon, the hydrocarbon being selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof; (d) adding the solution of base to the solution of sulfonated polymer in an amount sufficient to neutralize the polymer and the free acid, thereby forming a coating solution; (e) contacting the solid substr

Abstract: A composite comprising a substrate and a polymeric coating adhered to at least one surface of said substrate, said polymer coating having a thickness of about 1 to about 100 micrometers, wherein said polymer coating comprises an ionically and covalently crosslinked neutralized carboxylated polymer having a carboxylate content of about 5 to about 300 meq. per 100 grams of said ionically and covalently crosslinked neutralized carboxylated polymer.

Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: a breaker chemical; and a pinhole free coating of an ionically and covalently crosslinked neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the breaker chemical, wherein said polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical, wherein the polymer is permeable to the breaker chemical and the polymer is non-reactive to the breaker chemical.

Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: a breaker chemical; and a pinhole free coating of an ionically and covalently crosslinked neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polyer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the breaker chemical, wherein said polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical, wherein the polymer is permeable to the breaker chemical and the polymer is non-reactive to the breaker chemical.

Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in a fracturing process in the protection of an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: a breaker chemical; and a pinhole free coating of a neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the breaker chemical, wherein said neutralized sulfonated polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical, wherein the neutralized sulfonated polymer is permeable to the breaker chemical and the neutralized sulfonated polymer is non-reactive to the breaker chemical.

Abstract: An encapsulated breaker chemical composition used in a fracturing process in an oil or gas stimulation operation which comprises: (a) a breaker chemical; (b) a water soluble sealing layer, such as urea, having a thickness within the range of about 1 to about 30 microns deposited on the surface of said breaker chemical and encapsulating said breaker chemical; and (c) a pinhole free coating of a neutralized sulfonated elastomeric polymer of about 2 to about 80 microns thick deposited onto the surface of the coated breaker chemical, wherein said neutralized sulfonated polymer encapsulates the breaker chemical and is permeable to the breaker chemical.

Abstract: An encapsulated water soluble fertilizer which comprises a polymeric film of about 2 to about 100 micrometers coated on a surface of said fertilizer, said polymeric film comprising a sulfonated polymer having about 10 to about 200 meq of sulfonate groups per 100 grams of said sulfonated polymer, said sulfonate groups being neutralized with a polycaprolactone polymer being characterized by the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl group; R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are a hydrogen or alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl groups; m equals 1 to 20 and n equals 1 to 500.

Abstract: An encapsulated water soluble fertilizer which comprises a polymeric film of about 2 to about 100 micrometers coated on a surface of said fertilizer, said polymeric film comprising a sulfonated polymer having about 10 to about 200 meq of sulfonate groups per 100 grams of said sulfonated polymer, said sulfonate groups being neutralized with a polycaprolactone polymer being characterized by the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl group; R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are a hydrogen or alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl groups; m equals 1 to 20 and n equals 1 to 500.

Abstract: A composite comprising a substrate and an elastomeric coating adhered to at least one surface of said substrate, said elastomeric coating having a thickness of about 1 to about 100 micrometers, wherein said elastomeric coating comprises a neutralized sulfonated polymer having a sulfonate content of about 4 to about 200 meq. per 100 grams of said neutralized sulfonated polymer.