NANOPARTICLE MODIFIED FLUIDS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF
Disclosed herein is a nanoparticle modified fluid that comprises nanoparticles; and a liquid carrier; where the nanoparticles have their surfaces modified so as to increase the viscosity of the nanoparticle modified fluid above that of a comparative nanoparticle modified fluid that contains the same nanoparticles whose surfaces are not modified, when both nanoparticle modified fluids are tested at the same shear rate and temperature.
1 . A nanoparticle modified fluid comprising:
nanoparticles; and
a liquid carrier; where the nanoparticles have their surfaces modified so as to increase the viscosity of the nanoparticle modified fluid above that of a comparative nanoparticle modified fluid that contains the same nanoparticles whose surfaces are not modified, when both nanoparticle modified fluids are tested at the same shear rate and temperature.
2 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticle is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the nanoparticle modified fluid.
3 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticles have a surface area of about 120 to about 2,000 square meters per gram.
4 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticles are carbonaceous nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes, clay nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, boron nitride or a combination thereof.
5 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 4 , where the carbonaceous nanoparticles are carbon nanotubes, graphite nanoparticles, graphene nanoparticles, fullerenes, or a combination thereof.
6 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticles are spherical or ellipsoidal nanoparticles, nanorods, nanotubes, nanowhiskers, nanoribbons, nanosheets, nanoplatelets, or a combination thereof.
7 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticles have an aspect ratio greater than 5.
8 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 4 , where the metal oxide nanoparticles are zinc oxide nanoribbons, tin dioxide nanoribbons, indium (III) oxide nanowires, cadmium oxide nanoribbons, gallium (III) oxide nanoribbons, tungsten oxide nanowires, titanium dioxide nanotubes, silicon dioxide spherical or ellipsoidal nanoparticles, aluminum oxide spherical or ellipsoidal nanoparticles, zirconium oxide spherical or ellipsoidal nanoparticles, titanium dioxide spherical or ellipsoidal nanoparticles, or a combination thereof.
9 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticles are modified with functional groups that permit them to be dispersed in liquid carrier and which prevent them from phase separating from the liquid carrier.
10 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 9 , where the functional groups are carboxyl groups, amine groups, amide groups, polymers, oligomers, ionic groups or combinations thereof.
11 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticles are modified with polymers.
12 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticles are modified with groups that are compatible with water.
13 . The nanoparticle modified fluid of claim 1 , where the nanoparticle modified fluid has a higher viscosity at a shear rate of 0.1 seconds −1 than the viscosity at a shear rate of 1,000 seconds −1 .
14 . A method comprising:
mixing nanoparticles with a liquid carrier to form a nanoparticle modified fluid; where the nanoparticles have their surfaces modified so as to increase the viscosity of the nanoparticle modified fluid above that of a comparative nanoparticle modified fluid that contains the same nanoparticles whose surfaces are not modified, when both nanoparticle modified fluids are tested at the same shear rate and temperature.
15 . A method of using a nanoparticle modified fluid comprising:
injecting into a subterranean hydrocarbon formation the nanoparticle modified fluid;
contacting the subterranean hydrocarbon formation with the nanoparticle modified fluid;
where the reduction in flow rate of the nanoparticle modified fluid as it contacts the formation promotes an increase in the viscosity of the nanoparticle modified fluid to a point of gelation; and
injecting additional nanoparticle modified fluid into channels formed in the gelled nanoparticle modified fluid in the subterranean hydrocarbon formation.
16 . The method of claim 15 , where the viscosity of the nanoparticle modified fluid increases by at least three orders of magnitude as the shear rate is decreased from 1,000 seconds −1 to 0.1 seconds −1 .