US1643521A - Plastic composition - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. BEEVE, OI GRANTWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ABSIGNOR 1'0 THE BARRETT COH- I'ANY, A CORPORATION 01 NEW JERSEY.

PLASTIC comrosrrion.

Io Drawing.

This invention relates to bituminous com positions of various consistencies and rubbery character which may serve a variety of purposes such as paving and roofing com- 5 pounds, water-proof paints and coatings, rubber compounds, floorings, etc. It deals particularly with a means of producing such compositions from oil shale.

A well known characteristic of tar pitches,

" such as those obtained as residuals from the fractionaldistillation of coal tar and watergas tars, is their relatively high susceptibil- 1ty to changes in temperature. In other words, a given itch may vary in consistency from a britt e solid at freezing temperature to a viscous fluid at extremely high summer temperatures. Residual asphalts obtained by the distillation of petroleum also possesses this characteristic to a great extent, but with them, the susceptibility is materally reduced by blowing or passing a required'amount of air thru them at high temperatures. Such treatment is, however, relatively ineifective on tar pitches on-account of the different properties of the hydrocarbons contained in such. pitches as compared with those in petroleum residuals.

For many purposes, it is desirable to have a bituminous material that is, relatively, only slightly susceptible to temperature changes, in other words, a material that will show a relatively slight change in consistency in passing thru the temperature range to which it will be exposed. A rubbery or elastic character is an additional desideratum which tar pitches do not possess in that a slab of the material when bent or twisted will not of itself straightenout or recover its original form.

I have discovered that compositions of matter possessing these desirable characteristics may be prepared by digestingoil shales with high boiling tar distlllates in a manner hereinafter described. These shales consist essentially of a mineral matter, usually argillaceous, and a combination of hydrocarbons, commonly termed Kerogen, which latter upon heatin to tem eratures whichdifier somewhat wit shales om different localities, is converted into bitumen. If theheating of these shales is carried out in a retort, 1t is' the common practice to Application flled lanuary 24, 1922. Serial No. 531,468.

carry the temperature beyond the point of holding the shale at or near the tem erature at which the Kerogen is converted to itumen while being agitated with a high boiling tar distillate;

The following is given as a specific example illustrative of myinvention, altho it is understood that I may use a great variety of oils and shales and that I may vary the proportions, time and temperature of treatment to produce the desired product without departing from the spirit of my" invention.

' take approximately 1 part of a coal tar distillate, preferably that portion recovered from coal tar after the. anthracene fraction has been removed, and 1 part of a Nevada oil shale having approximately 40% volatile matter (American Society for Testing Materials Standard Method D2216). The shale is preferably crushed to a size that will pass a 10 mesh sieve altho it is possible to accomplish my purpose with larger size particles. The materials in the above proportions are placed in a metal still or kettle provided with a mechanical stirrer or agitator and a condenser with a receiver for any small amount of distillate that may be evolved, heated to a temperature of approximately 300 C. to 400 (3., preferably about 310 C. to 320? C. and maintained at that temperature for 10 to 15'h011rs while being continually stirred. I have found this optimum temperature to vary with different shales. Some Colorado shales for instance, would require a temperature of 340350 C. for similar results. ,At the end of this period, it will be found that the shale has decomposed as evidenced by the fact that the particles have lost their shape that the mineral matter has gone into a state of very fine dispersion with practically no evidence of grit, and that the bitumen formed has entered into combination with the oil. The product may be rendered more homogeneous if desired by passing between rolls.

This product has a very low susceptibility blown asphalts as shown by the following penetration tests (A. S. T. M. D5-20).

Penetration C., 200 gms, 1 min.)- 6.5 Penetration (25 C., 100 gms.,5secs.) 44.0 Penetration (465 (1., 50 gms.,- 5 secs) 110.0

While soft and flexible at ordinary temperatures, I have been unable to render it liquid by heating it to a temperature of 500 in the regular cube in air test. (Jour. Ind. and Eng. Chem., Oct. 1918.) I know of no other products of either coal tar distillates or oil shales possessing these characteristics.

Another characteristic of compounds prepared by my process is their elasticity or resiliency as compared with coal tar pitches. The former when bent or stretched tend to immediately assume their original shape which is a characteristic entirely absent from the latter.

Compositions of the character described may have a variety of uses. They have the property of stron ly adhering to iron and when thinned with solvent may be used as bituminous paints. Their relatively low susceptibility to temperature changes and strong adhesive qualities make these compositions articularly adapted for uses where there wou d be a tendency for other bituminous materials to flow. The same qualities render the aforesaid com ositions particularly applicable as paving Joint fillers of the pro-moulded type. They may be renderd fluid by means of a volatile solvent and then used as a saturant for fabrics. In this connection the may prove especially well adapted to abric belt saturation Where (pliability at low temperatures and no flui ity at moderately high temperatures is desirable.

In general the products find usefulness in all, fiields where bituminous materials are applicable, and the variations of proportions of shale and tar products, the temperature and time of digestion and the final melting point of the product are all within the skill of the chemist familiar with bituminous ma terials, depending on the purpose for which the final product is to be used.

I claim:

1. A new and useful composition of matter comprising coal tar oil and substantially all of the decomposition products of an oil shale in which the mineral matter of the oil shale is finely divided.

4.. The process-of manufacture of a prodnot containing bituminous matter, which comprises heating oil shale in the presence of-coal tar oil at a temperature at which the kerogen is decomposed without permitting substantial distillation of the mixture.

5. The process of manufacture of a product containing bituminous matter, which comprises heating oil shale in-the presence of coal tar oil at a temperature .of approximately 310 to 320 C. for about to hours.

6. The process of manufacture of a product containing bituminous matter, which comprises heating oil shale in the presence of an equal part of coal tar oil at a temperature of about 315 C. for about 10 to 15 hours.-

7. The process of manufacture of a prodnot containing bituminous matter, which comprises heating oil shale in the presence of coal tar oil at a temperatureat which the kerogen of the oil shale is decomposed without permitting substantial distillation of the mixture, said coal tar. oil having a boiling point above the boiling point of anthracene.

8. The product-ion of a bituminous composition, which comprises digesting oil shale with coal taroil at such a temperature that decomposition of said shale and the combination of its decomposition products with said oil occur simultaneously without permitting substantial distillation of the mixture.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES S. REEVE.