Most nail polish remover isn't pure acetone (some don't have any) and have some oil included to reduce drying to the nails and surrounding skin. Either use pure acetone from the hardware store or use sandpaper to buff the oxide layer form the outside of the tube.

Then let the "glue" dry completely without blowing on it to rush it before applying the patch.

Lastly stitch the patch down to ensure a good bond, using something like the curved back end of an adjustable wrench, to apply intense pressure working your way over the entire patch. Patch companies sell stitchers consisting of a flat edged wheel on a stick for this job, which is the key to a permanent bond. A properly applied patch won't come off without taking some of the tube with it.

As for whether thorn resistant tubes make any sense, the jury's out. If you live in the southwest they do reduce the likelihood of thorn punctures, but otherwise don't do much to prevent flats from other causes.