US Patent 7101928 Polymeric thickeners for oil-containing compositions

Novel thickeners for oil-containing compositions are crystalline polymers, preferably side chain crystalline polymers, which (a) have a crystalline melting point, Tp, and an onset of melting temperature, To, such that Tp−To is less than Tp0.7; (b) are soluble in the oil at temperatures above Tp, and (c) have been dispersed in the oil by a process which comprises (i)dissolving the polymer in the oil at a temperature above Tp, and (ii) cooling the solution from step (i) to crystallize the polymer in the oil.