EROSION-RESISTANT NANOCOATING DERIVED FROM POLYPROPYLENE AND BAMBOO-BASED BIO NANO CARBON (PP-BNC) TO ENHANCE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF PETROLEUM PIPELINES

Abstract

Oil and gas transportation efficiency is hindered by petroleum pipeline erosion where the pipelines are exposed to solid particles, viscous fluids, processing temperature and pressure, surrounding conditions and accompanied gasses. The current issue is to solve the erosion of petroleum pipelines problem by developing an erosion-resistant nanocoating. The development of erosion resistant nanocoating which is derived from polypropylene and bamboo-based bio nano carbon (PP-BNC) is the main focus of this research. PP-BNC nanocomposite were prepared by using thermal composition method to obtain the bamboo BNC or also known as carbon black, followed by coagulation method to obtain PP-BNC nanocomposites (10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 40 wt% and 50 wt%) and lastly compression moulding method for the nanocomposite to become nanocoating thin film. During the thermal composition method, the grinded bamboo powder were combusted in tube furnace at 400°C, holding time for 30 minutes at 10°C/min rate in Nitrogen atmosphere. The solvents that were used are Toluene and Methanol during coagulation method. The structural, thermal and morphological properties of PP-BNC nanocomposites were characterised by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Whereas the mechanical properties such as tensile and abrasion resistance along with its weight loss were evaluated by tensile and abrasion resistance tests. PP with 20 wt% BNC has the best results as the weight loss and wear index are the lowest which is 0.001 g and 0.033 mg/cycles respectively, great tensile strength with the value of 20.52 MPa and able to withstand high temperature up to 163°C where the highest temperature underwater is only up to 100°C.