Polystyrene - poly (sodium methacrylate) amphiphilic triblock copolymers by ATRP for Enhanced Oil Recovery

Meijerink, M.P. (2015) Polystyrene - poly (sodium methacrylate) amphiphilic triblock copolymers by ATRP for Enhanced Oil Recovery. Master's Thesis / Essay, Chemistry.

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Abstract

Well-defined amphiphilic triblock poly(sodium methacrylate)-polystyrene-poly(sodium methacrylate) (PMAA-b-PS-b-PMAA) copolymers characterized by a different length of either the hydrophilic or the hydrophobic block have been synthesized by ATRP. In solution the micelle-like aggregates consists of a collapsed PS core surrounded by charged hydrated PMAA chains which are fully stretched. The micelles are kinetically ‘frozen’ and as a consequence the triblock copolymers do not show any surface activity. At higher polymer concentrations the micelles interpenetrate and shrink, forming a polymer network. A mathematical model is used to describe the micelle radius and the results were in good agreement with the experimentally obtained radius in transmission electron microscopy. A systematic investigation of the triblock copolymers concerning their rheological behavior in water showed that the hydrophilic block length has a major influence on the rheology where the short PMAA blocks yield the strongest gels at the same weight concentration. The hydrophobic block length has only a minor influence until a certain threshold (35 monomeric units) below which the hydrophobic interactions are too weak resulting in the formation of weak gels. When the polymers are used in EOR, they improve the oil recovery between 40-60% in a 2D flow-cell, which simulates the residual oil in dead-end pores. The oil recovery in high permeable Bentheim sandstone cores was significantly improved with an additional oil recovery of 6% for the triblock copolymer compared with 4% for a commercial HPAM polymer.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master's Thesis / Essay)
Degree programme:	Chemistry
Thesis type:	Master's Thesis / Essay
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	15 Feb 2018 08:10
Last Modified:	15 Feb 2018 08:10
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/13631

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