Effects of polymer-surfactant interactions on drag reduction performance and mechanisms: Molecular dynamics simulations and experimentation

Abstract

This work provides a more favorable implementation of synergistic drag reduction strategies based on molecular simulations of the strength of polymer-surfactant interactions. The simulated preferred system identifies polyethylene oxide (PEO) and guar gum (GG) as polymers, and dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (DDBAC) and dodecyl hydroxy sulfobetaine (DHSB). To forecast the drag reduction capability and identify the drag reduction process, important elements such as aggregation phenomena, charge distribution, shear deformation, and interfacial behavior were examined. Experimental measurements of viscosity, surface tension, and drag reduction validate the interactions. It was found that the compound system demonstrates enhanced viscosity, surface tension, and drag reduction efficiency compared to individual systems. The PEO-DHSB system achieves a drag reduction rate of 63.68% during initial flow, while the GG-DHSB system maintains a rate of 47.26% even after prolonged water circulation. This work visualizes the poly-surface aggregation phenomenon using the density distribution of surfactant hydrophobic tail chains, dynamically demonstrating the deformation of polymer and surfactant molecules during the shear process and interfacial behavior, and providing molecular-scale intuitive insights for understanding the drag reduction mechanism of poly-surface systems. Meanwhile, by comparing the effects of molecular type and structure on poly-surface interactions and drag reduction performance, it provides a theoretical foundation for the development and application of subsequent poly-surface drag reduction schemes, thereby broadening the application of drag reduction technology in the field of energy conservation and emission reduction.