INFLUENCE OF SOLVENT AND POLYMER SORT ON ANOMALOUS RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF POLYMER SOLUTION AT HIGH DILUTION

The rheological behavior of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) in N,N’\|dimethylformamide (DMF), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), 1,2\|dichloroethane (DCE), tetrahydrofuran (THF) and toluene (TOL), polystyrene (PS) in DMF, MEK, DCE, THF and cyclohexane (CYH), and random ethylene\|vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer in DCE, TOL, CYH with and without surfactant of Span80 and in the DCE/CYH solvent mixtures with surfactant of Span80 was examined at high dilution. It was shown that the extent and type of the upsweep or downsweep (anomalous rheological behavior) of the reduced viscosity\|concentration curves of these different polymers at high dilution are markedly dependent on the dielectric constant of the solvent and the polarity of the polymer used. The experimental results indicated that the anomalous rheological behavior of EVA copolymer, widely used as a flow improver, is related to its efficiency in reducing viscosity and depressing pour point of crude oil and waxy solvents.