Interfacial viscosification of aqueous acid systems utilizing sulfonated ionomers

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for the gelation (i. e. thickening) of an aqueous acid solution which includes the steps of forming a solvent system of an organic liquid or oil and a polar cosolvent, the polar cosolvent being less than about 15 weight percent of the solvent system, a viscosity of the solvent system being less than about 100 cps; dissolving a neutralized sulfonated polymer in the solvent system to form a solution, a concentration of the neutralized sulfonated polymer in the solution being about 0.01 to about 0.5 weight percent, a viscosity of the solution being less than about 200 cps; and admixing or contacting said solution with about 5 to about 500 volume percent of the aqueous acid solution, the aqueous acid solution being immiscible with the organic liquid and the polar cosolvent and neutralized sulfonated polymer transferring from the organic liquid to the aqueous acid phase, thereby causing the aqueous acid phase to thicken (i.e. interfacial viscosification).