There is disclosed an article of manufacture (and a method of using same) useful for preventing flow of water therethrough by hydration of a water-swellable clay composition comprising a cohesive mass of a water-swellable clay (12) in essentially non-hydrated form, said water-swellable clay (12) present in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the total composition, and a non-aqueous liquid binder capable of adhering the clay together without substantial hydration of said clay, said composition having a flexible, elongated structural support material (40; 42; 44) embedded in said composition to prevent the composition from being displaced from its intended location in use. Preferably the clay composition is a non-hydrated, bentonite composition including an intimate mixture of bentonite clay with a non-aqueous liquid binder, such as polypropene or polybutene, to form a cohesive, non-hydrated, shapeable bentonite composition, and the composition is adhered to a structural, flexible, support material either within the interior of the composition, or on at least one major outer surface of the composition. In one embodiment of the invention, an elastomer such as partially cross-linked butyl rubber is included in the composition. The elastomer has sufficient resiliency to stretch upon hydration of the bentonite and adds structural integrity to the composition. Additional additives may be included in the formable bentonite composition, such as tackifiers, viscosity modifiers, thickeners, extenders and the like.
本发明公开了一种制造品(及其使用方法),该制造品可通过
水合可贮
水粘土组合物来防止
水流过,该组合物由基本上未
水合的可贮
水粘土(12)的粘结块组成,所述可贮
水粘土(12)的含量至少为总组合物重量的 20%,以及一种非
水性液体粘结剂,该粘结剂能够在所述粘土未大量
水合的情况下将粘土粘结在一起,所述组合物具有柔性的、细长的结构支撑材料(40;42;44)嵌入所述组合物中,以防止组合物在使用中偏离预定位置。粘土组合物最好是非
水化膨润土组合物,包括膨润土粘土与非
水性液体粘结剂(如聚
丙烯或聚
丁烯)的亲密混合物,以形成具有内聚力的、非
水化的、可塑形的膨润土组合物,该组合物在组合物内部或组合物的至少一个主要外表面粘附在柔性结构支撑材料上。在本发明的一个实施方案中,组合物中含有一种弹性体,如部分交联
丁基橡胶。这种弹性体具有足够的弹性,可以在膨润土
水化时伸展,并增加组合物的结构完整性。可成形膨润土组合物中还可加入其他添加剂,如增粘剂、粘度调节剂、
增稠剂、扩展剂等。