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Preparation and Solution Characteristics of a Novel Hydrophobically Associating Terpolymer for Enhanced Oil Recovery

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Abstract

Hydrophobically associating terpolymers were prepared by the micellar copolymerization technique using acrylamide (AM), 2-trimethylammonium ethyl methacrylate chloride (TMAEMC) as a cationic monomer, and small amounts of 5,5,5-triphenyl-1-pentene (TP<0.5 mol-%) as the hydrophobe. The structure of the copolymer was characterized by FT-IR and 1H-NMR. The aqueous solution properties of the terpolymers were also investigated as functions of polymer concentration, salinity, temperature and shear rate. The results showed that the thickening behavior of these terpolymers are remarkably dependent on both the number and length of hydrophobic segments in the copolymer chains. As expected, the terpolymers exhibited improved viscosity enhancement properties as the concentration exceeded 0.25 g⋅dL−1, due to intermolecular hydrophobic association. Additional evidence for hydrophobic microdomains was obtained utilizing pyrene-probe fluorescence. Additionally, the ternary copolymers showed favorable salt tolerance, temperature resistance, and recoverable viscosity after shearing.

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Author notes

  1. Yefei Wang

    Present address: , No. 66, West Changjiang Road, Economic and Technical Exploitation District, 266555, Qingdao, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266555, China

    Peng Zhang, Yefei Wang, Wuhua Chen, Haiyang Yu, Ziyuan Qi & Kanyun Li

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  1. Peng Zhang
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  2. Yefei Wang
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Correspondence to Peng Zhang.

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Zhang, P., Wang, Y., Chen, W. et al. Preparation and Solution Characteristics of a Novel Hydrophobically Associating Terpolymer for Enhanced Oil Recovery. J Solution Chem 40, 447–457 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10953-011-9663-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10953-011-9663-9

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