Enhancing thermal stability and viscosity of cellulose ether using propylene carbonate as a transesterification agent for oilfield applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47264/idea.ajset/4.1.1Keywords:
Cellulose ether, Viscosity, Organic carbonate, Concentration, Thermal degradation, Rheological properties, Propylene carbonate, Hydroxyethyl methyl celluloseAbstract
This study presents the utilisation of Propylene Carbonate (PC), along with an alkali-based solution, to modify the Hydroxyethyl Methyl Cellulose (HEMC) polymer to mitigate the thermal degradation of cellulose ether. The experimental results from FTIR and XRD analysis confirmed the addition of a new function group to the HEMC backbone and the formation of a new organic carbonate-based cellulose ether. Shear viscosity experiments were conducted at concentrations of 0.50-wt.% to 2-wt.% at ambient and elevated temperatures ranging from 80°C-110°C using a rheometer. All polymeric solutions exhibited shear-thinning behaviour, and the viscosity of polymeric solutions was enhanced by increasing the concentration of modified HEMC solutions. The modified HEMC solutions exhibited higher viscosity at 1000 s-1 shear rate at 110ºC compared to the native HEMC solutions, confirming the enhanced thermal stability of the PC-based modified HEMC solution. Alkali-based modified HEMC solution exhibited low shear viscosity at ambient temperature. The alkali-based polymeric solution’s viscosity was increased by 48% at a high shear rate at 110ºC. In conclusion, 0.50-wt.% and 01-wt.% concentration of alkali-based PC-modified HEMC solution proved efficient in maintaining viscosity under ambient conditions, increasing solubility and exhibiting improved thermal stability at geothermal conditions for oil field applications.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ghulam Abbas, Faisal Hussain Memon, Abdul Samad Shaikh, Tariq Ali Chandio, Khalil Rehman Memon, Abdul Haque Tunio

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Please click here for details about AJSET's Licensing and Copyright policies.