Claims
- 1. A method of forming a seal at the situs of a leak located in a vessel by polymerizing an organic monomer at said situs, comprising introducing a sealant composition, comprising an admixture of up to 90 mol % of (1) an alkoxy silane monomer or an acetoxysilane or a mercaptosilane together with (2) an aminosilane monomer and in the absence of a metal alkyl or catalyst, into the interior of said vessel, said aminosilane monomer being readily volatilizable at the ambient temperature of said vessel and having the formula: ##STR7## wherein R is H, halogen or R', and R" is alkyl of 1-4 carbons or vinyl;
- R.sub.1 is halogen, R', --OR, --NHR' or --N(R').sub.2 ;
- R.sub.2 is halogen, R', --OR, --NHR' or --N(R').sub.2 ; and
- R.sub.3 is --NHR' or --N(R').sub.2 ;
- said sealant composition being introduced to said vessel under sufficient pressure and for a sufficient period of time to effect contact with said leak situs with said monomers in the vapor state and to effect polymerization of said monomers at said leak situs and sealing of the leak.
- 2. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising, as a preliminary step, flushing said vessel with a moisture-laden gas inert to said sealant composition.
- 3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vessel is a pipe buried in sand.
- 4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vessel is a pipe buried in moist earth.
- 5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said aminosilane is bis(dimethylamino)methylsilane.
- 6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said aminosilane is selected from the group consisting of bis(dimethylamino)dimethylsilane; methoxy-dimethylamino-methylsilane; methoxy-bis(dimethylamino)methylsilane: di-methoxy-dimethylamino-methylsilane; and methoxy-dimethyl-amino-dimethylsilane.
- 7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said composition comprises approximately 30 wt % of bis(dimethylamino)methylsilane, about 60 wt % vinyl tri-methoxysilane and about 10 wt % tetramethoxysilane.
- 8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said silane is carried in a gas inert thereto.
- 9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sealant composition is introduced into said vessel in a continuous manner at such a rate that the concentration of monomer vapor is in the range of 100-1,000 ppm.
- 10. A method in accordance with claim 1, carried out at a temperature of 30.degree. F. to 190.degree. F.
- 11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein R.sub.1 is R' or --OR'; and R.sub.2 is --OR or --N(R').sub.2.
- 12. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vessel is a natural or fuel gas pipe, and said aminosilane is introduced, into natural or fuel gas continuously carried by said gas pipe, in an intermittent manner.
- 13. A sealed vessel obtained by the method of claim 1.
- 14. A sealed vessel obtained by the method of claim 9.
- 15. A method of forming a seal at the situs of a leak located in a vessel by polymerizing an organic monomer at said situs, comprising introducing a sealant composition, comprising 0-90 mol % of (1) an alkoxy silane monomer or an acetoxysilane monomer or a mercaptosilane monomer, and (2) 100-10 mol % of an aminosilane monomer comprising a vinyl amino silane, and in the absence of a metal alkyl or catalyst, into the interior of said vessel, said vinyl amino silane being readily volatilizable at the ambient temperature of said vessel, said sealant composition being introduced to said vessel under sufficient pressure and for a sufficient period of time to effect contact with said leak situs with said sealant composition in the vapor state and to effect polymerization of said sealant composition at said leak situs and sealing of the leak.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of parent copending application Ser. No. 966,327 filed Dec. 4, 1978 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,172.
US Referenced Citations (39)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Wilson et al., "Detection, Repair, and Prevention of Gas Leaks," American Gas Journal, v. 186, No. 8 (Aug., 1959) pp. 16-28. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
966327 |
Dec 1978 |
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