Comparative strategy between masterly flow improver and its nanocomposite

Abstract

Comparative study for the tendency of advantageous terpolymer (TP) and its polymer nanocomposite (PNC) as flow improvers for both of diesel fuel and of lube oil to improve their cold flow properties was systematically performed. PNC was successively prepared with size distribution around 68.05 nm. Results showed that addition of 1000 ppm of TP to lube oil and diesel fuel resulted in a pour point temperature to be − 3 °C and − 9 °C, respectively. Using PNC in the same concentration resulted sharp decrement in pour point temperature to − 27 °C and − 30 °C, for lube oil and diesel fuel, respectively. Viscosity index at 40 °C was significantly increased from 116 for untreated diesel fuel to be 122 and 121 with treatment by TP and PNC, respectively. In case of lube oil, the viscosity index was observably increased from 88.779 to 92.927 and 93 using TP and PNC, respectively. Kinematic viscosity was estimated to be 101.95 cP, for untreated lube oil at 40 °C, while it was slightly increased after treatment with TP and PNC to be 106.89 and 101.597 cP, respectively. Detection of yield stress was also performed to be observably decreased from 642.37 D/cm2 for untreated diesel fuel to 435.09 and 397.87 D/cm2 after treatment with 1000 ppm of TP and PNC at 25 °C, respectively. Plastic viscosity was monitored at 25 °C, and it was significantly decreased from 1.459 for untreated diesel fuel to 0.0577 and 0.0459 cP, by addition of TP and PNC, respectively. So it could be depicted that PNC could superiorly act as flow improver for both lube oil and diesel fuel.