Core-shell structured non-ionic nanoemulsion system and preparation and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097239-B2
Application number	US-201916691946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2019
Priority date	Jan 2, 2019
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

The invention discloses a core-shell structured non-ionic nanoemulsion system and the preparation and use thereof. The system comprises a non-ionic gemini surfactant, an oil phase material, a solubilizer, and water; wherein the microemulsion has a core-shell structure, with the outer shell being the non-ionic Gemini surfactant, and the inner core being the oil phase material. The non-ionic Gemini surfactant is di(octylphenol polyoxyethylene ether)-substituted dicarboxylic acid diphenyl ether having the structural formula:The non-ionic nanoemulsion system of the present invention is homogeneous and transparent, and has a spherical core-shell structure with nanometer-sized (3-40 nm) droplets, narrow particle size distribution, low tendency to agglomerate, good stability, and both an ultra-low interfacial tension and the ability to reduce viscosity of crude oil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A core-shell structured non-ionic nanoemulsion system, wherein the system comprises: a non-ionic Gemini surfactant, an oil phase material, a solubilizer, and water;
wherein the microemulsion has a core-shell structure, with the outer shell being the non-ionic Gemini surfactant and the inner core being the oil phase material; and
the non-ionic Gemini surfactant is di(octylphenol polyoxyethylene ether)-substituted dicarboxylic acid diphenyl ether having the structure formula:

2. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion has a droplet size ranging from 3 nm to 40 nm.

3. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion has an effective concentration of 0.05% to 0.5%, wherein the effective concentration is the total concentration of the non-ionic Gemini surfactant, the oil phase material, and the solubilizer.

4. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 3 , wherein in the system, the non-ionic Gemini surfactant accounts for 10% to 75% by mass, the oil phase material accounts for 5% to 25% by mass, and the solubilizer accounts for 10% to 32% by mass.

5. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the oil phase material is selected from an aromatic hydrocarbon compound, a heterocyclic compound, a terpene compound, or a combination thereof.

6. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 5 , wherein the oil phase material is selected from xylene, pyrrolidone, menthol, alpha-pinene, beta-laurene, limonene, or a combination thereof.

7. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the solubilizer is selected from one or more small molecule alcohol compounds.

8. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 7 , wherein the solubilizer is selected from ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, butanol, pentanol, or combinations thereof.

9. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein non-ionic nanoemulsion system further comprises an inorganic salt, wherein the inorganic salt is NaCl.

10. The non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 9 , wherein the inorganic salt has a mass content of 0 to 20%, not including 0.

11. A preparation method of the non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
S1, mixing a non-ionic Gemini surfactant, an oil phase material, a solubilizer, and water uniformly to obtain a homogeneous mixed solution; or
mixing a non-ionic Gemini surfactant, an oil phase material, and a solubilizer uniformly to obtain a homogeneous mixed solution; and
S2, diluting the homogeneous mixed solution with water or an inorganic salt brine to a low concentration condition, so as to obtain the core-shell structured non-ionic nanoemulsion system.

12. The preparation method according to claim 11 , wherein the homogeneous mixed solution in S1 comprises by mass: 10% to 60% of the non-ionic Gemini surfactant, 5% to 20% of the oil phase material, 10% to 25% of the solubilizer, and a balance of water.

13. The preparation method according to claim 11 , wherein the low concentration condition is an effective microemulsion concentration of 0.05% to 0.5%.

14. The preparation method according to claim 11 , wherein the oil phase material is selected from an aromatic hydrocarbon compound, a heterocyclic compound, a terpene compound, or a combination thereof.

15. The preparation method according to claim 11 , wherein the oil phase material is selected from xylene, pyrrolidone, menthol, alpha-pinene, beta-laurene, limonene, or a combination thereof.

16. The preparation method according to claim 11 , wherein the solubilizer is selected from ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, butanol, pentanol, or a combination thereof.

17. The preparation method according to claim 11 , wherein in S 2 , the inorganic salt brine is used for diluting, and the obtained non-ionic nanoemulsion system has an inorganic salt mass content of 0 to 20%, excluding 0.

18. The preparation method according to claim 11 , wherein the microemulsion in the non-ionic nanoemulsion system has a droplet size ranging from 3 nm to 40 nm.

19. The preparation method according to claim 11 , wherein the mixing and diluting are carried out under stirring at 10 rpm to 400 rpm.

20. Use of the non-ionic nanoemulsion system according to any one of claim 1 in the exploitation of low permeability, extra/ultra-low permeability, dense, and shale oils and gases.

Assignees

• Petrochina Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ding Bin
• Geng Xiangfei
• Luo Jianhui
• Shi Yang
• Huang Bo
• Xie Jianyong
• Gao Yang
• Wang Pingmei
• Peng Baoliang

Classifications

• C09K23/00

  Use of substances as emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, or foam-producing agents · CPC title

• C09K8/604 Primary

  Polymeric surfactants · CPC title

• C09K2208/10

  Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids · CPC title

• C09K2208/06

  Structured surfactants, i.e. well drilling or treating fluids with a lamellar or spherulitic phase · CPC title

• B01F17/0021 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic