Synthesis and Characterization of an Associative Polymer with an Octylphenyl Polyoxyethylene Side Chain as a Potential Enhanced-Oil-Recovery Chemical

A novel nonionic surfmer, AGE-TX-100, was synthesized by the epoxide ring-opening reaction of allyl glycidyl ether and polyoxyethylene (10) octylphenyl ether (TX-100). Then a novel copolymer, acrylamide (AM)/acrylic acid (AA)/AGE-TX-100, was synthesized with AM, AA, and AGE-TX-100 in aqueous solution through free-radical random polymerization. The structures of the novel surfmer and copolymer were characterized by IR and H-1-NMR. The results of the salt-resistance tests and the rheological tests indicate that the copolymer had good salt tolerance, thermal stability at high temperatures, and shearing resistance under high shear rates. The environmental scanning electron micrographs showed that the copolymer could form a tighter three-dimensional network structure than partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) in aqueous solution. Compared with the HPAM solution, the copolymer solution showed a good ability to emulsify organic components. (C) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.