Sulfonated Lignin-based Phenol-formaldehyde Resin: Stability and Aggregation Structure Changes During Aggregation

Abstract

Phenol-formaldehyde resin can be used to improve oil recovery, its key lies in its aggregation behavior and blocking strength. However, the traditional phenol-formaldehyde resin used in the petroleum field was all prepared by phenol and formaldehyde. In order to get rid of the dependence on fossil resources and make full use of renewable biomass resources, we used the abandoned walnut shells of the unique agricultural and forestry crops in Gansu province, which contains lignin partially replaced phenol to synthesize the new sulfonated lignin-based phenol-formaldehyde resin (SLPFR). In this work, the aggregation behaviour and dispersion stability of SLPFR were investigated from the composition of formation water. The effects of metal cations (Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+) on the dispersion stability of SLPFR in formation water were determined by turbidimetry, and the effects of metal cations on the particle size and zeta potential of the SLPFR system were measured by dynamic light scattering method and electrophoretic light scattering method. The stability of the aggregate structure of the SLPFR system was calculated by combining the fractal dimension. In this paper, the surfactant + SLPFR system and partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) + SLPFR system are designed for the specific conditions of oil reservoirs, and the effects of metal cations on the aggregation behaviour and dispersion stability of these two systems are studied. Based on the above comprehensive analysis, aggregation models were constructed to describe the aggregation behaviour and dispersion stability of the HPAM + surfactant + SLPFR system. This makes it possible to predict in real time the migration and plugging of SLPFR aggregates in formation water.