Open AccessTitanium‐based nanoscale cross‐linker for guar gum fracturing fluid: effects on rheological behaviour and proppant‐carrying ability
Author(s) -
Wang Chunnan,
Zhang Zifeng,
Du Jing,
Li Xiaohong,
Zhao Mengyun,
Zhang Zhijun
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
micro and nano letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.25
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1750-0443
DOI - 10.1049/mnl.2018.5730
Subject(s) - guar gum , materials science , rheology , chemical engineering , thermal stability , nanoscopic scale , boric acid , guar , composite material , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
Ti 4+ was introduced onto the surface of 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (denoted as APTS; a silane coupling agent; commercial name: KH550) by surface‐modification technology to afford a precursor of nanoscale cross‐linker. The as‐obtained precursor of nanoscale cross‐linker was further transformed to a Ti‐based nanoscale cross‐linker (denoted as Ti‐NC) by hydrolysis and condensation in association with self‐aggregation. The microstructure of the Ti‐NC crosslinking guar gum gel was characterised by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the effects of the as‐prepared Ti‐NC on the thermal stability, rheological behaviour, and proppant‐carrying ability of guar gum fracturing fluid were investigated with boric acid and TiCl 4 as the controls. Results indicate that the as‐prepared Ti‐NC has a sphere‐like shape and a size of 6–13 nm. In the meantime, the guar gum gel cross‐linked by Ti‐NC exhibits better thermal stability, rheological behaviour, and proppant‐carrying ability than the ones cross‐linked by TiCl 4 or boric acid, which indicates that the as‐prepared Ti‐NC could find promising application in enhancing the oil recovery of the low‐permeability reservoir. This is because Ti‐NC contributes to enhancing the inter‐molecular cross‐linking rather than intra‐molecular cross‐linking of guar gum molecular chains and yielding a tight three‐dimensional network structure in the cross‐linked guar gum gel.