Effect of nanocomposite as pour point depressant on the cold flow properties and crystallization behavior of diesel fuel

Abstract

The high effective nano-hybrid pour point depressant (PPD) has attracted extensive attention for its potential application in improving the cold flow properties of diesel fuel. In this paper, the nano-hybrid PPD was prepared by melt-blending method using three different alkyl chain lengths (i.e., tetradecyl, hexadecyl, and octodecyl) of n-alkyl methacrylate-maleic anhydride copolymers (R1MC-MA, R1 = C14, C16, C18) and SiO2 nanoparticles. The effect of those nano-hybrid PPDs on the cold filter plugging point (CFPP) and solidifying point (SP) depressing of diesel fuel were studied. Results indicated that nano-hybrid PPD showed much better performance on diesel fuel. The diesel fuel treated with 0.2 wt% C14MC-MA/SiO2 nano-hybrid PPD exhibited the best depression in CFPP and SP by 6 °C and 18 °C, respectively, which higher than that of single C14MC-MA. Viscosity-temperature curves and polarized optical microscopy were conducted to explore the performance mechanism; and results presented that nano-hybrid PPD of C14MC-MA/SiO2 could effectively lower the low-temperature viscosity, and modify the crystallization behavior and crystal morphology of diesel. Therefore, the cold flow properties of diesel were significantly improved.