TY - JOUR
T1 - Design and synthesis of novel di‐ and triblock amphiphilic polyelectrolytes
T2 - Improving salt‐induced viscosity reduction of water solutions for potential application in enhanced oil recovery
AU - Boulif, Nadia
AU - Sebakhy, Khaled O.
AU - Joosten, Hidde
AU - Raffa, Patrizio
PY - 2021/3/15
Y1 - 2021/3/15
N2 - In the present study, three different block copolymers based on styrene, tert‐butyl methacrylate, and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) were synthesized via sequential atom transfer radical polymerization. The addition of the GMA block was found to be best performed at 60°C. The polymers were then hydrolyzed and neutralized, to afford amphiphilic block copolymers, and the rheological properties of their aqueous solutions were measured, in order to investigate solution properties relevant for enhanced oil recovery, as a function of the polymer structure. It was observed that these polymers behave as thickening agents with shear thinning behavior. As expected, the polymers were sensitive to the presence of salt, as lower viscosities were recorded in saline water. However, the viscosity is less affected by high salinity, when compared to previously studied analogous diblock systems. In the best case, the viscosity only decreased by a factor of 1.8 upon salt addition whereas it decreased by a factor of 10 in previously reported non‐GMA containing polymers. Finally, thermo‐responsive behavior was found for one of the synthesized polymers. In particular, a hydrolyzed triblock poly[styrene‐b‐tert‐butyl methacrylate‐b‐glycidyl methacrylate], which synthesis is reported here for the first time, showed a thermothickening behavior, promising for the intended application in oil recovery.
AB - In the present study, three different block copolymers based on styrene, tert‐butyl methacrylate, and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) were synthesized via sequential atom transfer radical polymerization. The addition of the GMA block was found to be best performed at 60°C. The polymers were then hydrolyzed and neutralized, to afford amphiphilic block copolymers, and the rheological properties of their aqueous solutions were measured, in order to investigate solution properties relevant for enhanced oil recovery, as a function of the polymer structure. It was observed that these polymers behave as thickening agents with shear thinning behavior. As expected, the polymers were sensitive to the presence of salt, as lower viscosities were recorded in saline water. However, the viscosity is less affected by high salinity, when compared to previously studied analogous diblock systems. In the best case, the viscosity only decreased by a factor of 1.8 upon salt addition whereas it decreased by a factor of 10 in previously reported non‐GMA containing polymers. Finally, thermo‐responsive behavior was found for one of the synthesized polymers. In particular, a hydrolyzed triblock poly[styrene‐b‐tert‐butyl methacrylate‐b‐glycidyl methacrylate], which synthesis is reported here for the first time, showed a thermothickening behavior, promising for the intended application in oil recovery.
U2 - 10.1002/app.50366
DO - 10.1002/app.50366
M3 - Article
VL - 138
JO - Journal of Applied Polymer Science
JF - Journal of Applied Polymer Science
SN - 0021-8995
IS - 19
M1 - 50366
ER -