To provide a polymeric material that forms a colloid or a gel that can be used in treatment, combustion or recovery of oil.

A method for preparing a first polymeric compound comprises providing a compound of formula (I) (wherein A and B are the same or different, and at least one of them comprises a relatively polar atom or group; and R1 and R2 independently comprise relatively non-polar atoms or groups) or a salt thereof in a solvent in which ethene itself is generally insoluble and reacting groups C=C in the compound with one another to form a polymeric structure. The first polymer compound may be reacted with a second polymer compound (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol, collagen or the like) to produce the colloid or gel that can be used in the treatment, combustion or recovery of the oil.