Abstract: Copolymers of (1) from about 80% to about 98% by weight of acrylic acid and (2) from about 2% to about 20% by weight of itaconic acid and having a weight average molecular weight of between about 100,000 to about 800,000 and which are at least water dispersible are useful as retention aids for paper coating compositions.

Abstract: Drilling fluid compositions and methods of using such compositions in oil, gas and water well drilling fluid operations to reduce fluid loss from the composition to the formation are disclosed. Such compositions incorporate a terpolymer formed from (a) a vinyl containing alkyl or aromatic substituted sulfonate selected from the group consisting of 2-acrylamido, 2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), sodium vinyl sulfonate or vinyl benzene sulfonate, and method salts thereof at about 10 to 75 weight percent in the polymer; (b) an unsaturated polybasic acid such as itaconic acid at about 1 to 60 weight percent; and metal salts thereof and (c) a nonionic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, N, N-dimethylacrylamide, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, N-vinyl acetamide, or dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate and metal salts thereof at about 10 to 76 weight percent.The terpolymer should have a molecular weight between 200,000 to 1,000,000. The preferred terpolymer comprises AMPS, acrylamide and itaconic acid.

Abstract: Cementing compositions and methods of using such compositions in oil, gas and water well cementing operations to reduce fluid loss from the composition to the formation are disclosed. Such compositions incorporate a terpolymer formed from (a) an acid monomer selected from the group consisting of 2-acrylamido, 2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), sodium vinyl sulfonate or vinyl benzene sulfonate, and metal salts thereof at about 10 to 75 weight percent in the polymer; (b) an unsaturated polybasic acid such as itaconic acid at about 1 to 60 weight percent; and metal salts thereof and (c) a nonionic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, N, N dimethylacrylamide, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, N-vinyl acetamide, or dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate and metal salts thereof at about 10 to 76 weight percent. The terpolymer should have a molecular weight between 200,000 to 1,000,000. The preferred terpolymer comprise AMPS, acrylamide and itaconic acid.