Patents Assigned to Saramco, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6103000
    Abstract: The invention relates to an improved surfactant mixture which permits use of lower concentrations of polyphenolics including natural vegetable polyphenolic extracts and/or synthetic phenolic resins to produce stable anionic slow-setting asphalt-in-water emulsion compositions suitable for use as pavement sealers and coatings. The polyphenolics are selected from natural vegetable polyphenolic extracts including Chestnut A, Chestnut N and Sumac-K10; or from synthetic phenolic resins including phenol-formaldehyde, resorcinol-formaldehyde and novolak resins; or mixtures thereof; in amounts of about 0.1% to 10% polyphenolics in the final emulsion, to form and stabilize the emulsion. The emulsions employ a surfactant mixture comprising a nonionic surfactant with a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance index of from about 16 to about 20, and an anionic lignin sulfonate, in amounts of about 0.1% to 3.0% surfactant mixture in the final emulsion. Optionally 0.02% to 2.00% w/w of sodium borate decahydrate may be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Saramco, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Custer
  • Patent number: 5650000
    Abstract: Emulsifier compositions comprising a mixture of a Natural Vegetable Polyphenolic Extract (NVPE) selected from Quebracho (preferred), Chestnut A, Chestnut N and Sumac-K10, surfactant, water, and a pH adjusting reagent for dry and aqueous anionic emulsifiers for producing universal bitumen-in-water emulsions. These NVPE emulsifiers are particularly useful in producing stable, anionic asphalt-in-water emulsions that are universal, i.e., they can be used as is or with a wide variety of fillers, additives, pigments and the like, including fine particulate materials, without premature breaking. In the preferred emulsifier, crude, spray-dried Quebracho is mixed with an alpha olefin sulfonate containing 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and the pH is preferably adjusted to pH 10 producing an anionic emulsifying agent. The pH may be adjusted from pH 4.5 to pH 11.5. Asphaltic emulsions made with the NVPE Quebracho emulsifier exhibit enhanced stability, increased viscosity, high ionic headroom and decreased drying times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Saramco, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Shuey, Robert S. Custer
  • Patent number: 5578118
    Abstract: The addition of from about 0.1 to about 1 parts by weight of a natural polyphenolic-containing vegetable extract (NPVE) per 100 parts of bitumens (particularly asphalt), coal tar, or other high boiling tars containing mixtures of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons modifies the characteristics of the treated product to enhance its performance as hot-melt adhesives, coatings, sealants, roof-coatings, and road-coatings as compared to the base bitumen. The NPVEs are naturally occurring, are extracted from plants and include quebracho, chestnut, wattle and sumac. By forming the ammonia salt of NPVE (ammonium/NPVE) and adding it to a base or NPVE-modified bitumen, the characteristics of increased adhesion and resistance to stripping is observed. Surprisingly, the addition of commercially available anti-stripping agents to an ammonium/NPVE-modified bitumen results in a modified-bitumen having a stripping resistance greater than either of the additives alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Saramco, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Shuey, Robert S. Custer
  • Patent number: 5407476
    Abstract: Emulsifier compositions comprising a mixture of quebracho, a surfactant, water, and a pH adjusting reagent for dry and aqueous anionic emulsifiers for producing universal bitumen-in-water emulsions. These emulsifiers are particularly useful in producing stable, anionic asphalt-in-water emulsions that are universal, i.e., they can be used as is or with a wide variety of fillers, additives, pigments and the like, including fine particulate materials, without premature breaking. In the preferred emulsifier, crude, spray-dried quebracho is mixed with an alpha olefin sulfonate containing 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and the pH is preferably adjusted to pH 10 producing an anionic emulsifying agent. The pH may be adjusted from pH 4.5 to pH 11.5. Asphaltic emulsions made with the quebracho emulsifier exhibit enhanced stability, increased viscosity, high ionic headroom and decreased drying times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Saramco, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Shuey, Robert S. Custer
  • Patent number: 5401308
    Abstract: The addition of from about 0.1 to about 25 parts by weight of quebracho per 100 parts of bitumens (particularly asphalt), coal tar, or other high boiling tars containing mixtures of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons modifies the characteristics of the treated product to enhance its performance as hot-melt adhesives, coatings, sealants, roof-coatings, and road-coatings as compared to the base bitumen. The improved characteristics obtained by the addition of quebracho include: increased softening point, lower penetration number, and higher viscosity. The quebracho may be mixed directly with the tars or put into a water solution, using sodium hydroxide if necessary, and then added to hot tars with the water being driven off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Saramco, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Shuey, Robert S. Custer