Miniemulsion polymerization to prepare drag reducers
View Patent ↗A method of producing a polymer latex drag reducer. The method begins by forming an aqueous solution comprising a surfactant, a buffer and water. The method then forms an organic solution comprising a monomer and a co-stabilizer. The aqueous solution and the organic solution are mixed to form an emulsion. The emulsion is then subjecting to a high shear device to produce a miniemulsion, wherein the monomers are broken into small droplets followed by polymerizing the miniemulsion with the addition of an initiator, wherein a nucleation occurs in the small monomer droplets.
1. A method of forming a polymer latex drag reducer comprising:
forming an aqueous solution comprising a surfactant, a first buffer and water;
forming an organic solution comprising a monomer and a co-stabilizer comprising a water-insoluble molecule;
mixing the aqueous solution and the organic solution to form an emulsion;
subjecting the emulsion to a high shear device to produce a miniemulsion, wherein the monomers are broken into small droplets; and
polymerizing the miniemulsion with the addition of an initiator system, wherein the initiator system comprises a second buffer, an oxidizer and a reducer, wherein a nucleation occurs in the small monomer droplets;
wherein the polymerization produces the polymer latex drag reducer with a molecular weight in excess of five million;
wherein the monomer comprises form 80-99.99 wt % of the organic solution and wherein the initiator is only added after subjecting the emulsion to a high shear device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the co-stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, hexadecane and combinations thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high shear device is used to produce droplets ranging from 50-500 nm.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high shear device comprises a sonifier, a microfluidizer, a static mixer or a homogenizer.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drag reduction properties are improved by at least 20% compared to drag reducers not produced through a miniemulsion.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiator system is aqueous.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution and the organic solution are homogenous.
8. A method of forming a polymer latex drag reducer comprising:
forming an aqueous solution comprising a surfactant, a first buffer and water;
forming an organic solution comprising (i) a monomer comprising from 80-99.99 wt % of the organic solution; and (ii) a co-stabilizer selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, hexadecane and combinations thereof;
mixing the aqueous solution and the organic solution to form an emulsion;
subjecting the emulsion to a high shear device to produce a miniemulsion, wherein the monomers are broken into small droplets; and
polymerizing the miniemulsion with the addition of an initiator system, wherein the initiator system comprises a second buffer, an oxidizer and a reducer, wherein a nucleation occurs in the small monomer droplets;
wherein the polymerization produces the polymer latex drag reducer with a molecular weight in excess of five million.
9. A method of forming a polymer latex drag reducer comprising:
forming an aqueous solution comprising a surfactant, a first buffer and water;
forming an organic solution comprising a monomer and a co-stabilizer comprising a water-insoluble molecule;
mixing the aqueous solution and the organic solution to form an emulsion;
subjecting the emulsion to a high shear device to produce a miniemulsion, wherein the monomers are broken into small droplets; and
polymerizing the miniemulsion with the addition of an initiator system, wherein the polymerization produces the polymer latex drag reducer with a molecular weight in excess of five million, wherein the polymer latex drag reducer is produced at a temperature ranging from about 2 degrees Celsius to about 5 degrees Celsius.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the miniemulsion is polymerized at about 5 degrees Celsius.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the miniemulsion is produced at a temperature of about 2 degrees Celsius.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the initiator system comprises an oxidizer and a reducer.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the initiator system further comprises a second buffer.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first buffer and second buffer each comprises at least one of a carbonate, a phosphate, and a borate.