Synthesis and Aqueous Solution Properties of a Novel NonIonic,Amphiphilic Comb-Type Polyacrylamide

Nowadays comb-type polyacrylamides are deemed to be the most promising oil-displacing agent in the field of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). We describe the synthesis of a nonionic, amphiphilic macromer (OPAE) with acrylic acid (AA) and t-octylphenoxypolyoxyehylene (OP) by an esterification reaction. The macromer was then copolymerized with acrylamide (AM) under a free radical initiator system and a comb-type modified polyacrylamide (MPAM) was obtained. The structures of OPAE and the MPAM were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and dynamic laser light scattering. In order to compare with partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), the aqueous solution of the MPAM had a higher apparent viscosity, especially in brine. We suggest that the reason was that the branched chains enhanced the rigidity of the MPAM, and made the molecules have a larger hydrodynamic radius, especially in brine, endowing the copolymer with excellent salt tolerance.