Abstract: Fluid solutions, e.g. mineral oil solutions, of polydispersed polymers have improved resistance to mechanical shear when said polymers have a narrow molecular weight distribution, i.e. ##EQU1## 10 and/or a reduced compliance less than that of a linear monodisperse polymer of the same chemical repeat unit and M.sub.w and preferably said solution at a concentration such that [.eta.] c ranges from one-tenth to five where [.eta.] is the intrinsic viscosity of the polymer in the oil and c is the concentration in the same units and/or has a compliance no larger than twenty times the value exhibited by an identical solution except that said polymer was replaced by a linear monodisperse polymer of the same chemical structure and of the same (.+-.5%) weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w).

Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrocarbon extended gels and solutions of blends of sulfonated ionomers and their precursors which behave as rigid gels at high shear rates, but act as viscous liquids at very low shear rates. The blend gel systems have more persistent networks than the gels of sulfonated ionomers. Typically the blends containing 5 to 25 times their weight in oil are preferred compositions.