Shape memory polymer proppants and methods of making shape memory polymer proppants for application in hydraulic fracturing treatments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10538694-B2
Application number	US-201815988252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2018
Priority date	Nov 5, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for shape memory proppants, methods for making shape memory proppants, and methods of using shape memory proppants, and the like. The strong expandable proppants of the present disclosure may be used in maintaining fracture openings.

First claim

We claim at least the following:

1. A composition, comprising:
a shape memory polymer proppant composed entirely of a shape memory polymer material, wherein the proppant has an activated state and a programmed state, wherein in the programmed state of the proppant has a programmed state diameter, wherein in the activated state of the proppant has an activated state diameter, wherein the activated state diameter is equal to or greater than the programmed state diameter, wherein the proppant in the programmed state will convert to the proppant in the activated state when an activation condition is applied to the proppant in the programmed state, wherein the activation condition is selected from the group consisting of: an activation temperature, a moisture, a light, a pH, a magnetic field, an ultrasonic current, electricity current, and a combination thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is a thermoplastic shape memory polymer, a thermosetting shape memory polymer, or a combination thereof.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic shape memory polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene, polyurethane, polynorbornene, polyester, polyether, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethyleneoxide (PEO), poly(1,4-butadiene), poly(vinyl acetate), polyamide-6 (nylon-6), poly(tetrahydrofuran), poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline), poly(ethylene adipate), MDI/1,4-butanediol, poly(ε-caprolactone), poly vinyl chloride, polyethylene/polyamide blend, and a combination thereof.

4. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the thermosetting shape memory polymer is selected from the group consisting of: an epoxy family and a phenolic family.

5. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the polymer material is a blend, a composite, or an interpenetration network of a thermoplastic shape memory polymer and a thermosetting shape memory polymer.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the activation condition is an activation temperature.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the activation temperature is about 70 to 180° C.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the programmed state diameter is about 100 μm to 1 mm, and wherein the activated state diameter is about 100 μm to 1 mm, and wherein the activated state diameter is equal to or greater than the programmed state diameter.

Assignees

• Univ Louisiana State
• Board Of Supervisors Of Lousiana State Univ And Agricultural And Mechanical College

Inventors

• Dahi Taleghani Arash
• Shojaei Amir
• Li Guoqiang

Classifications

• C09K8/805

  Coated proppants · CPC title

• C09K8/80 Primary

  Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open · CPC title