Initiator nanoconstituents for elastomer crosslinking and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9938771-B2
Application number	US-201414531218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2014
Priority date	Nov 3, 2014
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

An initiator nanoconstituent comprises a nanoparticle covalently bonded to a group having a free radical. The nanoparticle may be bonded to the group via an ether group or an amide group. The initiator nanoconstituent may be formed in situ, in a mixture comprising an elastomer material to be crosslinked. The initiator nanoconstituent is formed from an organic nanoconstituent compound that includes the nanoparticle and an organic group that does not include a free radical at the time the mixture is formed. At least one chemical bond of the organic nanoconstituent compound may be ruptured, in situ, to form the initiator nanoconstituent, which may then bond with polymer molecules of the elastomer material and form a crosslinked elastomer material. Downhole tools or components thereof may include such crosslinked elastomer material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An initiator nanoconstituent for crosslinking an elastomer, the initiator nanoconstituent comprising a nanoparticle covalently bonded via an —O(O═)C— group or an —N(O═)C— group to a subgroup comprising at least one free radical terminal carbon atom, the —O(O═)C— group or the —N(O═)C— group being directly bonded to the nanoparticle.

2. An initiator nanoconstituent for crosslinking an elastomer, the initiator nanoconstituent comprising a nanoparticle covalently bonded via an —O(O═)C— group or an —N(O═)C— group to a subgroup comprising at least one free radical terminal carbon atom.

3. The initiator nanoconstituent of claim 1 , wherein:
the nanoparticle is a carbon nanotube,
the nanoparticle is covalently bonded via the —O(O═)C— group to the subgroup, and
the subgroup has the following formula (CH 2 ) x ., wherein x is 2 or 3 and . represents a free radical site.

4. A method of forming a crosslinked elastomer material, comprising:
dispersing, in a precursor elastomer material, at least one compound to form a precursor mixture, the at least one compound comprising a nanoparticle covalently bonded via an —O(O═)C— group or an —N(O═)C— group to a subgroup;
heating the precursor mixture to rupture at least one bond of the at least one compound, forming an initiator nanoconstituent comprising the nanoparticle covalently bonded via the —O(O═)C— group or the —N(O═)C— group to the subgroup now comprising a free radical terminal carbon atom, the —O(O═)C— group or the —N(O═)C— group being directly bonded to the nanoparticle; and
bonding the initiator nanoconstituent to a polymer molecule of the precursor elastomer material.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, before the dispersing act, reacting a functionalized nanoparticle with an organic derivative compound, the functionalized nanoparticle comprising the nanoparticle, the organic derivative compound selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid derivative of a peroxide compound, a carboxylic acid derivative of a diaza compound, an amide derivative of a peroxide compound, and an amide derivative of a diaza compound.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, before the dispersing act, reacting a functionalized nanoparticle with an organic derivative compound, the functionalized nanoparticle comprising the nanoparticle, the organic derivative compound having the following formula:
Y 2 —R—Y 2 —R—Y 1

wherein
Y 1 represents one of a carboxyl group and an amide group;
R represents an organic group; and
Y 2 represents one of C(═O)—O—O—(O═)C and N═N.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein heating the precursor mixture also forms another free radical compound in addition to the initiator nanoconstituent.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising bonding the another free radical compound with another polymer molecule of the precursor elastomer material.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein dispersing, in a precursor elastomer material, at least one compound comprises cooling the precursor elastomer material while dispersing the at least one compound.

10. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, before the dispersing act, reacting a hydroxy-functionalized carbon nanotube with at least one of succinic acid peroxide and glutaric peroxide acid to form the at least one compound, the nanoparticle comprising the carbon nanotube, the subgroup comprising an oxygen-oxygen (O—O) group, and the carbon nanotube being bonded to the subgroup via the —O(O═)C— group.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising selecting the precursor elastomer material to comprise a precursor nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) material.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein heating the precursor mixture comprises heating the precursor mixture to rupture a bond of the oxygen-oxygen (O—O) group in the subgroup.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein heating the precursor mixture comprises forming another free radical compound comprising another terminal free radical, the another free radical compound comprising a carboxyl group bonded to an organic group.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Khabashesku Valery N
• Goodson James Edward

Classifications

• E21B33/1208 Primary

  characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means (E21B33/1277 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B4/003

  Bearing, sealing, lubricating details (for roller bits E21B10/22) · CPC title

• C08K3/041

  Carbon nanotubes · CPC title

• C08K9/12

  Adsorbed ingredients {, e.g. ingredients on carriers} · CPC title

• C08J3/242

  Applying crosslinking or accelerating agent onto compounding ingredients such as fillers, reinforcements · CPC title