Fluoroacrylate-Aromatic Acrylate Copolymers for Viscosity Enhancement of Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

The effect of the structure of aromatic acrylate-fluoroacrylate copolymers on CO2 viscosity at elevated pressures was investigated. These copolymers were all found to be miscible with CO2 at pressures between 10-15 MPa (295 K) and induce an increase in the viscosity to some degree. It appears that stacking of aromatic rings is the key factor in viscosity enhancement. The results showed that viscosity of the solution increases with the increasing content of the aromatic acrylate unit in the copolymer, but a point is reached beyond which additional comonomer causes the relative viscosity to drop, suggesting that the aromatic rings associate through intramolecular rather than intermolecular interactions beyond the optimum value. The most effective CO2 thickener identified in this study was the 29% phenyl acrylate-71% fluoroacrylate copolymer. However, the presence of a spacer (methyl or ethyl) between the backbone and the aromatic group substantially diminished the viscosity enhancement.