Synthesis of AM-co-NVP and Thermal Stability in Hostile Saline Solution

Abstract

copolymer preparation; structure characterization; thermal stability; brines solution. Abstract. The copolymer (AM-co-NVP) of acrylamide (AM) and vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) was carried out in the presence of 2,2'-azobis[2-methylpropionamidine] dihydrochloride（V50）as initiator by free radical polymerization. The copolymer was characterized by its chemical structure with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The heat resistance of AM-co-NVP at 100°C and 120°C in harsh saline solution with high mineralized concentration ranging from 5×104 mg/L to 20×104 mg/L containing 2.5% (mass ratio) CaCl2, 2.5% (mass ratio) MgCl2 and 95% NaCl (mass ratio) was investigated. The experimental results indicate that AM-co-NVP has excellent thermal stability in saline solution compared to partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM). What is more, the copolymer exhibited the most perfect thermal tolerance in high divalent saline solution when the feed molar ratio of AM and NVP is 91.5 to 8.5. The microstructures of the copolymer samples after thermal aging in hostile environment captured by scanning electron microscope (SEM）further proved the NVP monomer was effectively introduced leading to the copolymer favorable heat stability in particularly high mineralized solution.