Date of Award

5-2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Material Science Engineering (MSMatSE)

Department

Materials Science

First Advisor

D r. Mahmood Allawy Mohsin

Second Advisor

Dr. Mamdouh Taha Ghannam

Third Advisor

Professor Howell G. M. Edwards

Comments

Water-soluble polymers are becoming increasingly important in their applications as stabilizer fluids as well as for enhanced oil recovery [EOR]. These materials also used as viscosity builders, filtration control agents, flocculent, and deflocculent. Polymer flooding is the most economic tertiary oil recovery method in which polymer solution used to displace oil from the porous media. The important function of drilling fluid are to stabilize down hole formations and prevent hole collapse. Polymer chemistry, ionic character, degree of charge, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, and other factors play an important role in determining the suitability and the effectiveness of such polymers. Some of the more commonly used polymer types are natural gums (guar, xanthan, and flaxseed), cellulose derivatives (carboxymethyl and hydroxy ethyl), starches, and high molecular weight polyacrylamide and its co-polymers.

In this research polyacrylamide homo and block copolymers were synthesized using free radical polymerization process utilizing potassium persulfate as an initiator. Reaction condition and monomer/initiator ratio were changed to produce polymers with varying molecular weight. The experimental procedure was changed to produce polymers in solution and in bulk (Gel method). Polymer characterization was carried out using Proton Nuclear Magnetic Radiation Spectroscopy (1HNMR), Fourier Transform InfraRed Radiation (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Thermodynamic Gravimetric Analysis (TGA).

In this research polyacrylamide homo and block copolymers were synthesized using free radical polymerization process utilizing potassium persulfate as an initiator. Reaction condition and monomer/initiator ratio were changed to produce polymers with varying molecular weight. The experimental procedure was changed to produce polymers in solution and in bulk (Gel method). Polymer characterization was carried out using Proton Nuclear Magnetic Radiation Spectroscopy (1HNMR), Fourier Transform InfraRed Radiation (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Thermodynamic Gravimetric Analysis (TGA).

Rheological properties for the synthesized polymer products were examined using a Brookfield viscometer to investigate the flow properties of water soluble polymers under different operating conditions of polymer type, concentration, and temperature. The experimental results showed that the synthetic method is suitable to produce polyacrylamide with varying molecular weight in both solution and bulk process with acceptable yield result.

Characterization of the rheolgical properties of various polyacrylamides with different salt concentration and different temperatures showed a non-Newtonian shear thinning behaviour with strong dependency on polymer molecular weight, salt concentration, and temperature.

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