Method of quenching

Abstract

A method of quenching which comprises the steps of (a) immersing a metal heated to an elevated temperature in a quenchant composition comprising an aqueous-solution of a sufficiently hydrophilic water-soluble or water-dispersible organic polymer of the formula:

Y[ar]_x

to provide a solution containing 15∅]. from about 1 to about 20 weight percent of polymer and a balance of water with a drag Out value of less than about 40, preferably less than about 35 and most preferably less than about 25 under standard conditions; wherein

Y is the residue of an active hydrogen-containing organic copound following active hydrogen removal;

x is an integer having a value of at least 1; wherein for values of x greater than 1 each ar segment of the polymer is the same or different;

A is a random or block polyoxyalkylene residue having units derived from ethylene oxide and at least one other lower alkylene oxide having 3 or 4 carbon atoms; and

R is hydrogen or an hydrolytically stable organic moiety;

wherein for values of x greater than 1 each ar segment of the polymer is the same or different; with the proviso that R is only hydrogen or an organic moiety less hydrophobic than propane either when x is 1 and Y is at least as hydrophobic as hexane or when x is greater than 1 and at least one other R, individually or in combination is sufficiently hydrophobic to depress the cloud point of a 10% by weight aqueous solution of the corresponding Y[ar]_x, wherein R is hydrogen, by 10° F.; and (b) removing the metal from the quenchant when a desired low temperature is reached.

Description

15∅]. from about 1 to about 20 weight percent of polymer and a balance of water with a Drag Out Value of less than about 40, preferably less than about 35 and most preferably less than about 25 under Standard Conditions; wherein

Y is the residue of an active hydrogen-containing organic compound following active hydrogen removal;

A is a random or block polyoxyalkylene residue having units derived from ethylene oxide and at least one other lower alkylene oxide having 3 to 4 carbon atoms;

R is hydrogen or a hydrolytically stable organic moiety; and

x in an integer having a value of at least 1; wherein for values of x greater than 1 each AR segment of the polymer is the same or different; with the proviso that R is only hydrogen or an organic moiety less hydrophobic than propane either when x is 1 and Y is at least as hydrophobic as hexane or when x is greater than 1 and at least one other R, individually or in combination is sufficiently hydrophobic to depress the cloud point of a 10% by weight aqueous solution of the corresponding Y[AR]_x, wherein R is hydrogen, by about 10° F.; and (b) removing the metal from the quenchant when a desired low temperature is reached.

This invention is also directed to the above described quenchant composition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The distinctive characteristic of the polymers of this invention is the presence of at least one terminal hydrophobe, regardless of whether that hydrophobe is provided by the residue of a hydrophobic monohydric active hydrogen containing initiator, Y, or one or more hydrophobic end groups, R, or both.

It has been found that the presence of a terminal hydrophobe segment may have a significant influence on the cooling rate behavior of quenchant compositions comprising aqueous solutions of polyoxyalkylene-containing polymers (i.e., polyether polyols). In general, the presence of a sufficiently hydrophobic terminal segment reduces the C-stage cooling rate provided by polyether polyol-containing quenchants. However, it has also been found that polymers having excessively hydrophobic terminal end groups oftentimes are excessively viscous for quenchant applications and tend to be selectively removed from solution on materials quenched therein at a rate which renders such polymers mechanically unstable for quenchant applications. By this invention, polymers capable of providing quenchant compositions with desirable C-stage cooling rates and acceptable Drag Out Values are provided.

Polymers having at least one R as hydrophobic as propane are termed "hydrophobe capped polymers". In a preferred embodiment, this invention relates to a hydrophobe capped polymer wherein all Rs are at least as hydrophobic as propane. In another embodiment this invention relates to hydrophobe capped polymers having at least one hydrophobic end group R, which individually or in combination with at least one other R is sufficiently hydrophobic to reduce the cooling rate at 300°C of an aqueous solution comprising about 10.0 weight percent of the corresponding Y[AR]_x wherein R is hydrogen, by at least 15%, preferably by at least 20% and most preferably by at least 35% as per the Cooling Rate Test previously described at a bath temperature of about 40°C

The polymers of this invention generally have number average molecular weights in a range of from about 4,000 to about 25,000, preferably from about 8,000 to about 20,000, and most preferably from about 10,000 to about 15,000.

In the broadest sense, Y includes the residues of active hydrogen-containing compounds which are substantially identical to the polymers of this invention devoid of R groups, since compositions in virtually all stages of alkoxylation may be considered as potential initiators in producing the hydrophobe terminated polymers of this invention.

Y segments of the polymers of this invention include the residue of C₁ to C₂4 preferably C₁ to C₁6 and most preferably C₁ to C₁2 monohydric alcohols having a primary, secondary and/or tertiary hydroxyl group, such as 1-butanol, 1-hexanol, 2-butanol, 2-hexanol and the like; C₂ to C₂4 preferably C₂ to C₁6, and most preferably C₂ to C₁2 diols such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, 1.4-butane diol, 1,6-hexane diol and the like; C₃ to C₂4 preferably C₃ to C₁6 and most preferably C₃ to C₁2 polyols such as 1,1,1-trimethylol propane, glycerin, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, and the like; amines such as ethanol amine, diethanol amine, dimethylethanol amine, triethanol amine, ethylene diamine and the like; polyglycerin having a molecular weight up to about 1800; alkyl phenols having at least one alkyl group, wherein the total number of alkyl carbon atoms ranges from about 2 to 16, preferably from about 6 to 10 and most preferably is 8 to 9, including compositions such as octyl phenol, nonyl phenol and the like; polyalkylene glycols of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R' and R'" are C₁ to C₈, preferably C₂ to C₄ alkyl groups, R" is a C₁ or C₂ alkyl group, y is an integer having a value of 3 or 4, and n and m are integers from 2 to 20, preferably 4 to 12; and the like.

Organic compounds having at least 1, preferably 1 to 4 and most preferably 2 active hydrogen atoms are particularly well suited for producing the Y segments of the hydrophobe capped polymers of this invention.

Polymers are widely variable as regards the composition of a polyoxyalkylene chain A. The alkylene oxides which are reacted with a selected active hydrogen-containing compound to produce polymers having at least one polyoxyalkylene chain include ethylene oxide and at least one lower alkylene oxide having 3 to 4 carbon atoms such as 1,2-propylene oxide, 1,3-propylene oxide, 1,2-butylene oxide, 2,3-butylene oxide, 1,4-butylene oxide, and the like. Polyoxyalkylene chains containing units derived from ethylene oxide and 1,2-propylene oxide and/or 1,2-butylene oxide are particularly desired. For convenient disposal, clean-up and handling it is desirable that the polyoxyalkylene-containing polymers of this invention contain sufficient ethylene oxide derived units to provide a water-dispersible or water-soluble polymer. In general, a chain may comprise from about 60 to about 90 percent by weight, of ethylene oxide derived units and from about 40 to about 10 percent by weight, of units derived from at least one other lower alkylene oxide. A polyoxyalkylene chain comprising from about 75 to about 85 percent by weight, of ethylene oxide derived units and from about 25 to about 15 percent by weight of units derived from at least one other lower alkylene oxide is preferred. When Y is itself alkoxylated, the limitations provided with respect to A apply to what is termed the polyoxyalkylene portion of the polymer, i.e. entire polyoxyalkylene segments exclusive of R groups, regardless of whether the individual oxyalkylene derived units are considered as belonging to Y or A.

Polyoxyalkylene chains are also widely variable in length. Excessively long polyoxalkylene chains often-times produce viscous polymers which tend to be rapidly depleted from quench baths, whereas, excessively short chains may result in polymers which are unable to provide desired quench rates. Typically a polymer contains a sufficient number of oxyalkylene units in one or more oxyalkylene chains to provide the polymer with a Saybolt Universal viscosity at 100° F. of from about 5,000 seconds to about 500,000 seconds, preferably from about 10,000 seconds to about 400,000 seconds and most preferably from about 10,000 seconds to about 300,000 seconds.

The R groups of the polymers of this invention include hydrogen, and hydrolytically stable organic moieties. Since polymers of this invention require the presence of at least one terminal hydrophobe, R may only be hydrogen or an organic moiety less hydrophobic than propane either when x is 1 and Y is at least as hydrophobic as hexane or when x is greater than 1 and at least one other R, individually or in combination, provides the polymer with the requisite degree of hydrophobicity (i.e. R individually or in combination is sufficiently hydrophobic to depress the cloud point of a 10% by weight aqueous solution of the corresponding Y[AH]_x by about 10° F.). When R is an organic moiety, R includes C₁ to C₂4 alkyl groups, at least one C₂ to C₁2 alkylene oxide derived unit, and the like, C₂ to C₁2 alkylene oxides include compounds such as 1,2-propylene oxide, 1,3-propylene oxide, 1,4-butylene oxide, 1,2-butylene oxide, 2,3-butylene oxide and the like.

For purposes of this invention, an organic moiety, R, is considered to be hydrophobic, i.e. having a degree of hydrophobicity at least as great as that of propane, or non-hydrophobic, i.e. having a degree of hydrophobicity less than that of propane. In determining the hydrophobicity of oxyalkylene derived end groups an oxypropylene derived unit may generally be considered to be approximately as hydrophobic as a unit corresponding to the formula--CH₂ -- in an alkane chain. For example, an end group comprising a single unit derived from 1,2-propylene oxide is considered to be a non-hydrophobic organic moiety, whereas, an end group derived from 3 or more units of 1,2-propylene oxide is considered to be a hydrophobic moiety.

Polymers of this invention may contain from about 0 to about 20, preferably from about 1 to about 15 and most preferably from about 3 to about 10 percent by weight of C₃ to C₁2 alkylene oxide derived units in one or more terminal end groups R.

In an especially preferred embodiment the polymer of this invention has a Saybolt viscosity at 100° F. of from about 150,000 to about 250,000, Y is the residue of a C₂ to C₈ diol, preferably ethylene glycol, A is a random polyoxyalkylene chain comprising from about 75 to about 85 weight percent of ethylene oxide derived units and from about 25 to about 15 weight percent of 1,2-propylene oxide derived units, and R is an organic moiety more hydrophobic than propane comprising capping units derived from propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide, wherein the capping units comprise from about 2 to about 8 percent of the total weight of the polymer.

The polymers may be produced by various methods of preparation such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,381,205, 4,288,639 and 3,220,893 incorporated herein by reference.

Typically, the polymers are prepared by contacting ethylene oxide and at least one other lower alkylene oxide with a selected initiator at a temperature of from about 80°C to about 150°C, preferably from about 100°C to about 115°C to produce an alkoxylated product. The preparation may be conducted at any pressure convenient for reaction. Preferably the reaction is conducted at pressures of from about 14 to about 150 psig, most preferably from about 60 to about 100 psig. . The reaction may be conducted in the presence of a solvent including volatile hydrocarbons such as toluene, but is usually carried out neat. The reaction is generally carried out in the presence of a catalyst including basic catalysts such as potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, Lewis acid catalysts such as BF₃ ; and the like. When producing polymers having alkylene oxide derived terminal end groups, upon completion of the initial alkoxylation reaction and the selected C₂ to C₁2 alkylene oxide is added to the reaction mixture and the reaction continued to terminate the polymers with the desired alkylene oxide derived end groups. When R is an alkyl group, conventional methods such as dehydroformylation, Williamson synthesis and the like may be used to terminate a polyoxyalkylene containing compound with an alkyl group.

The quenchant compositions are typically available as concentrates which may be diluted to a wide range of concentrations depending on a particular application. The polymer concentration of the composition in use as a bath may range from about 1 to about 20 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the bath, with polymer concentrations of from about 2 to about 15 percent by weight being preferred. As a concentrate, a composition having from about 25 to about 60% by weight, based on the total weight of the bath, of polymer and a balance of water is preferred.

The quenchant compositions of this invention in use as baths are generally maintained at bath temperatures of from about 20°C to about 80°C, with bath temperatures of from about 40°C to about 60°C being preferred.

Additional materials such as corrosion inhibitors, and/or buffers may also be present. Examples of suitable corrosion inhibitors are provided by compounds such as inorganic nitrites, soluble salts of fatty acids, a combination of an aromatic compound having at least one substituent nitro group and/or the water soluble organic or inorganic salts thereof and a hydroxy substituted mono aromatic carboxylic acid and/or in the water soluble organic or inorganic salts thereof. Buffers include compounds capable of maintaining the pH value of the composition in use in a range of from about 7.0 to 11.5 such as water soluble phosphates, borates, bicarbonates, borax, and the like.

EXAMPLES

The following serve to illustrate the specific embodiments of this invention. It is not intended that the scope of the invention shall be limited by these Examples.

POLYMER I

Into a one gallon reactor equipped with a nitrogen inlet, thermometer and stirrer were added 300 gms of a random polyethylene-polypropylene glycol starter containing 75 percent by weight of oxyethylene groups and 25 percent by weight of oxypropylene groups having an SUS viscosity of about 5,000 at 100° F. and 2.5 gms of powdered potassium hydroxide. The resultant mixture was stirred at a temperature of about 90°C for a period of several hours to promote dissolution of the potassium hydroxide catalyst. Following heating the mixture was purged with nitrogen at 60 psi and the pressure of the reactor bled down to 15 psi. Thereafter, a series of successive reactions were conducted by adding incremental quantities of a previously prepared oxide mixture containing about 78 percent of ethylene oxide and about 22 weight percent of 1,2-propylene oxide to the reactor and heating the resultant mixtures to a temperature of 100°C under a nitrogen atmosphere of 15 psi until each of the reactions was substantially complete. Following the individual reactions varying quantities of product were sampled and polymer viscosities measured.

After a product viscosity of about 189,000 SUS at 100° F. had been attained, all but 1978 grams of product (designated polymer IP₁) were removed from the reactor. Approximately 16.3 g of oxide mixture per gram of starter were reacted to produce polymer IP₁. The remaining 1978 grams of product were reacted to completion with 130 grams of 1,2-propylene oxide to produce a propylene oxide capped polymer (designated polymer IP₂) having a viscosity of 193,430 SUS at 100° F. All but 1455 g of this product were drained from the reactor and the remainder further reacted with 30 g of 1,2-propylene oxide to form polymer IP₃, having a viscosity of 188,800 SUS at 100° F.

POLYMER II

Into a five gallon reactor equipped with a nitrogen inlet, thermometer and stirrer were added 2,5000 gms of a random polyethylene-polypropylene glycol starter containing 75 percent by weight of oxyethylene groups and 25 percent by weight of oxypropylene groups having an SUS viscosity of about 5,000 at 100° F. and 20.8 g of powdered potassium hydroxide. The resultant mixture was stirred at a temperature of about 90°C for a period of approximately 6 hours to promote dissolution of the potassium hydroxide catalyst. Following heating the mixture was purged with nitrogen at 60 psi and the pressure of the reactor bled down to 20 psi. Thereafter, a series of successive reactions were conducted by adding incremental quantities of a previously prepared oxide mixture containing about 76 weight percent of ethylene oxide and about 24 weight percent of 1,2-propylene oxide to the autoclave and heating the resultant mixtures to a temperature of 110°C under a nitrogen atmosphere of 20 psi until each of the reactions was substantially complete. Following the individual reactions varying quantities of product were sampled and viscosities measured.

After a product viscosity of about 226,000 SUS at 100° F. was attained, all but 21,215 grams of product, designated polymer IIP₁, were removed from the reactor. Approximately 10.9 g of oxide mixture per gram of starter were reacted to produce polymer IIP₁. The remaining 21,215 grams of product were reacted to completion with 1,350 grams of 1,2-propylene oxide to produce a propylene oxide capped polymer (designated IIP₂) having a viscosity of about 214,500 SUS at 100° F.

POLYMER III

Into a 1 gallon reactor equipped with a nitrogen inlet, thermometer and stirrer were added 350 g of a random polyethylene-polypropylene glycol starter containing 75 percent by weight of oxyethylene groups and 25 percent by weight of oxypropylene groups having an SUS viscosity of about 1,000 at 100° F. and 5.6 gms of powdered potassium hydroxide. The resultant mixture was stirred at a temperature of about 90°C for a period of approximately 2 hours to promote dissolution of the potassium hydroxide catalyst. Following heating the mixture was purged with nitrogen at 60 psi and the pressure of the reactor bled down to 20 psi. Thereafter, a series of successive reactions were conducted by adding incremental quantities of a previously prepared oxide mixture containing about 86 weight percent of ethylene oxide and about 14 weight percent of 1,2-propylene oxide to the reactor and heating the resultant mixture to a temperature of 110°C under a nitrogen atmosphere of 20 psi until each of the reactions was substantially complete. Following the individual reactions varying quantities of product were sampled and polymer viscosities measured.

After a product viscosity of 122,200 SUS at 100° F. was attained, all but 2,434 grams of product designated IIIP₁ were removed from the reactor. Approximately 9.4 grams of oxide mixture per gram of starter were reacted to produce polymer IIIP₁. The remaining 2,434 grams of product were reacted to completion with 230 grams of 1,2-propylene oxide to produce a propylene oxide capped polymer (designated IIIP₂) having a viscosity of 120,400 SUS at 100° F.

POLYMER IV

Into a 1 gallon reactor equipped with a nitrogen inlet, thermometer and stirrer were added 410 gms of a random polyethylene-polypropylene glycol starter containing 75 percent by weight of oxyethylene groups and 25 percent by weight of oxypropylene groups having an SUS viscosity of about 1,000 at 100° F. and 6.56 gms of powdered potassium hydroxide. The resultant mixture was stirred at a temperature of about 90°C for a period of approximately 5 hours to promote dissolution of the potassium hydroxide catalyst. Following heating the mixture was purged with nitrogen at 60 psi and the pressure of the reactor bled down to 20 psi. Thereafter, a series of successive reactions were conducted by adding incremental quantities of a previously prepared oxide mixture containing about 86 weight percent of ethylene oxide and about 14 weight percent of 1,2-propylene oxide to the reactor and heating the resultant mixture to a temperature of 110°C under a nitrogen atmosphere of 20 psi until each of the reactions was substantially complete. Following the individual reactions varying quantities of product were sampled and polymer viscosities measured.

After a product viscosity of 117,500 SUS at 100° F. was attained, all but 2,879 grams of product designated IVP₁ were removed from the reactor. Approximately 7.0 grams of oxide mixture per gram of starter were reacted to produce polymer IVP₁. The remaining 2,879 grams of product were reacted to completion with 73.8 grams of 1,2-butylene oxide to produce a butylene oxide capped polymer (designated IVP₂) having a viscosity of 121,200 SUS at 100° F. Thereafter, all but 1,483 grams of IVP₂ were drained from the reactor and the remainder further reacted with 38 g of 1,2-butylene oxide to form a butylene oxide capped polymer (designated IVP₃) having a viscosity of 115,200 SUS at 100° F.

POLYMER V

Into a one gallon reactor equipped with a nitrogen inlet, thermometer and stirrer were added 600 gms of a random polyethylene-polypropylene glycol containing 75 percent by weight of oxyethylene groups and 25 percent by weight of oxypropylene groups, having an SUS viscosity of about 5,000 at 100° F., and 3 g of powdered potassium hydroxide. The resultant mixture was stirred at a temperature of about 110°C for a period of approximately 1 hour to promote dissolution of the potassium hydroxide catalyst. Following heating, the mixture was purged with nitrogen at 60 psi and the reactor bled down to a pressure of 20 psi. Thereafter, a series of successive reactions were conducted by adding incremental quantities of a previously prepared oxide mixture containing about 75 weight percent of ethylene oxide and about 25 weight percent of 1,2-propylene oxide to the reactor and heating the resultant mixtures to a temperature of 110°C under a nitrogen atmosphere of 20 psi until each of the reactions was substantially complete. Following the individual reactions varying quantities of product were sampled and viscosities measured.

After a product viscosity of 101,649 SUS at 100° F. was attained, all but 2,523 grams of product designated VP₁ were removed from the reactor. Approximately 3.8 grams of oxide mixture per gram of starter were reacted to produce polymer VP₁. The remaining 2,523 grams of product were reacted to completion with 96 grams of 1,2-hexadecene oxide to produce a 1,2-hexadecene oxide capped polymer, designated VP₂, having a viscosity of about 100,000 SUS at 100° F.

EXAMPLES 1 TO 5 AND COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES C₁ AND C₂

The stability of several aqueous solutions of the previously prepared random oxyethylene-oxypropylene copolymers as a function of the ability of the copolymers to resist drag-out was measured by means of the Repeat Quench Test previously described.

Refractive index data and Drag Out Values obtained for samples of various polymer solutions are provided in Table I below.

TABLE I
__________________________________________________________________________
Polymer             Apparent
Concen-             Concentration
tration             of Polymer
Drag
(Percent            (By Refrac-
Out
Example
Polymer
by Weight)
ηD100 initial
ηD100 final
tive Index)1
Value2
__________________________________________________________________________
1    IP3
7.5   1.3420 1.3393 11.2    24
2    IP3
10    1.3456 1.3406 13.0    34
3    IP2
10    1.3455 1.3422 15.4    22
C1
IIP1
10    1.3426 1.3418 18.6     5
4    IIP2
10    1.3422 1.3402 16.3    17
5    IIP2
12.5  1.3456 1.3414 17.7    28
C2
VP2
4     1.3367 1.3228  2.2    72
__________________________________________________________________________
1 Measured refractive index of water at 100° F. is 1.3313.
2 It should be noted that Drag Out Values provided take into account
a small correction for two solution samplings of 25 ml each. Following
sampling solution volume was made up by the addition of water.

EXAMPLES 6 TO 9 AND COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES C₃ TO C₆

The cooling-curve performance of oil, water and several aqueous solutions of random oxyethylene-oxyalkylene polymers was obtained by means of the Cooling Rate Test previously described. The cooling curves for oil, water, and a 7.7 weight percent solution of II P₂ at bath temperatures of 40°C and 60°C are provided in FIG. 1 attached hereto. Table II below provides the cooling rates, as determined by cooling curve data of oil, water, and polymer solutions at temperatures of 200°, 250° and 300°C, at bath temperatures over a range of 40°C to 60°C

TABLE II
__________________________________________________________________________
Concen-
tration
Cooling Rate
(Percent
-C°/sec for
-C°/sec for
-C°/sec for
Example
Polymer
by weight)
Tc = 300°C
Tc = 250°C
Tc = 200°C
__________________________________________________________________________
C3
Water
0     28-25  22-20  17-15
C4
Oil  100   10      7      5
C5
IIIP1
10    25     20-19  14-13
6    IIIP2
10    16     12      8
7    IVP3
10    19     15-14  10
C6
IP1
7.5   22-19  17-15  12-11
8    IP3
7.5   14-13  11-10  8-7
9    IIP2
7.7   13-11  9-8    6-5
__________________________________________________________________________

Claims

1. A method of quenching which comprises the steps of (a) immersing a metal heated to an elevated temperature in a quenchant composition comprising an aqueous solution of a sufficiently hydrophilic water-soluble or water-dispersible organic polymer of the formula:

Y[ar]_x

to provide a solution containing 15∅]. from about 1 to about 20 weight percent of polymer and a balance of water with a drag Out value of less than about 40 under standard conditions; wherein

Y is the residue of an active hydrogen-containing organic compound following active hydrogen removal;

A is a random or block polyoxyalkylene residue having units derived from ethylene oxide and at least one other lower alkylene oxide having 3 or 4 carbon atoms;

R is hydrogen or a hydrolytically stable organic moiety; and

x is an integer having a value of at least 1; wherein for values of x greater than 1 each ar segment of the polymer is the same or different; with the proviso that R is only hydrogen or an organic moiety less hydrophobic than propane either when x is 1 and Y is at least as hydrophobic as hexane or when x is greater than 1 and at least one other R, individually or in combination is sufficiently hydrophobic to depress the cloud point of a 10% by weight aqueous solution of the corresponding Y[ar]_x, wherein R is hydrogen, by about 10° F.; and (b) removing the metal from the quenchant when a desired low temperature is reached.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one R is an organic moiety at least as hydrophobic as propane.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer contains from about 0 to about 20 percent by weight of C₃ to C₁2 alkylene oxide derived units in one or more terminal end groups R.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein x is 1 or 2 and R is derived from at least one C₃ to C₁2 alkylene oxide.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the C₃ to C₁2 alkylene oxide derived units in 1 to 2 terminal end groups R, comprise from about 1 to about 15 percent by weight of the polymer.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the polymer has a Saybolt viscosity at 100° F. of from about 10,000 to about 400,000.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein A comprises from about 60 to about 90 percent by weight of ethylene oxide derived units and from about 40 to about 10 percent by weight of units derived from at least one other lower alkylene oxide having 3 to 4 carbon atoms.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein Y is the residue of an active hydrogen containing initiator selected from the group consisting of C₁ to C₂4 aliphatic monohydric alcohols, diols and polyols, alkyl phenols having at least one alkyl group wherein the total number of alkyl carbon atoms ranges from about 2 to about 16, and polyalkylene glycols of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R' and R'" are C₁ to C₈ alkyl groups, R" is a C₁ or C₂ alkyl group, y is an integer having a value of 3 or 4 and n and m are integers from 2 to 20; and alkoxylation products of said initiators.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the solution also comprises a corrosion inhibitor and/or buffer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the solution comprises from about 1 2 to about 20 15 percent by weight of polymer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the solution is maintained at a temperature of from about 20°C to about 80°C

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer is a hydrophobe capped polymer having at least one hydrophobic end group, R, which individually or in combination with at least one other R is sufficiently hydrophobic to reduce the cooling rate at 300°C of an aqueous solution comprising about 10.0 weight percent of the corresponding Y[ar]_x, wherein R is hydrogen, by about 20% as per the Cooling Rate Test at a bath temperature of about 40°C

13. A method of quenching ferrous metals which comprises the steps of (a)immersing a workpiece heated to an elevated temperature in excess of about 800°C in an aqueous solution comprising a sufficiently hydrophilic water-soluble or water dispersible polymer of the formula yar to provide an aqueous solution containing 15∅]. from about 1 to about 20 weight percent of polymer with a drag Out value of less than about 35 under standard conditions; wherein Y is the residue of an active hydrogen-containing organic compound selected from the group consisting of C₆ to C₂4 aliphatic monohydric alcohols and alkyl phenols having at least one alkyl group wherein the total number of alkyl carbon atoms ranges from about 6 to about 10; A is a random or block polyoxyalkylene residue having units derived from ethylene oxide and at least one other lower alkylene oxide having 3 or 4 carbon atoms; and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, and a hydrolytically stable organic moiety; and (b) removing the metal from the quenchant when a desired low temperature is reached.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein R is hydrogen or organic moiety less hydrophobic than propane.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein R is an organic moiety at least as hydrophobic as propane.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the polymer has a Saybolt viscosity of 100° F. of from about 10,000 to 100,000.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein A has units derived from ethylene oxide, and 1,2-propylene oxide and/or 1,2-butylene oxide.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein R comprises from about 3 to about 10 percent by weight of the polymer.

19. A method of quenching metals which comprises the steps of (a) immersing a metal heated to a temperature in excess of about 800°C in an aqueous solution comprising a sufficiently hydrophilic water-soluble or water-dispersible organic polymer of the formula:

Y[ar]₂

to provide a solution containing 15∅]. from about 1 to about 20 weight percent of polymer and a balance of water with a drag Out value of less than about 40 under standard conditions; wherein

Y is the residue of a C₁ to C₂4 diol;

Y is a random polyoxyalkylene chain comprising from about 75 to about 85 weight percent of ethylene oxide derived units and from about 25 to about 15 weight percent of 1,2-propylene oxide derived units; and

R is an organic moiety more hydrophobic than propane, comprising capping units derived from propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide, wherein the capping units comprise from about 6 to about 8 percent of the total weight of the polymer; and (b) removing the metal from the quenchant when a desired low temperature is reached.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the polymer has a Saybolt viscosity of 100° F. of from about 150,000 to about 250,000.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the solution contains from about 1 2 to about 20 15 weight percent of polymer and also contains at least one corrosion inhibitor and/or buffer.