Does salt and temperature affect the viscosity of a novel functional polymer?

The influence of salt and temperature on the viscosity of a hydrophobically modified polyacrylamide-based (PAM-based) novel functional polymer (RH-4) was investigated. To study the viscosifying mechanism in brine solution, scanning electron microscope (SEM) was applied to observe the network microstructures of polymer solution.

Are polyacrylamide copolymers easy to decompose?

However, they are easy to deposit and decompose under high temperatures and high salt conditions. On the one hand, copolymers with polyacrylamide (PAM) as the main monomer hydrolysis and degradation speed at high temperature [1–6]. On the other hand, the carboxyl groups in the molecules are very sensitive to salts.

Is polyacrylamide hydrolyzed?

Among the numerous results, polyacrylamides (PAM) were widely used because they can increase the viscosity of the displacing phase while reducing the water/oil mobility ratio so as to enlarge the swept volume , . However, PAM is easily hydrolyzed and did not show temperature, salt, and shear resistances , , .

What is the role of electrolyte salt in hydrophobic acrylamide-based polymers?

Addition of small amount of electrolyte salt to aqueous solution of hydrophobically modified acrylamide-based polymers helps to increase the solution polarization, and reinforcing the hydrophobic association , .

Can polyacrylamide polymers be used in high-temperature and high-salt reservoirs?

Under high salinity, the molecular chains will curl up severely at high mineralization, which has an irreversible impact on the viscosity. Therefore, the application of polyacrylamide polymers in high-temperature and high-salt reservoirs has certain limitations [7–11].

How to improve temperature and salt resistance?

In response to such problems, domestic and foreign researchers have proposed several ideas to improve the temperature and salt resistance [12–17]: (1) Addition of salt-resistant groups. 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) was the main component. (2) Addition of hydrophobic groups.