Fe3O4 nanoparticles/polymer immobilized on silicate platelets for crude oil recovery

Abstract

A novel nanocomposite containing polymer and iron-oxide nanoparticles in the interlayer space of layered silicate magadiite (mag) was synthesized by ion-exchange and co-precipitated method. Mag was first modified with poly(oxypropylene)amine salts (POP at 2000 and 4000 g/mol Mw). The interlayer space could be effectively expanded from 1.5 to 6.4 and 11.4 nm, respectively, by controlling the amount of POP intercalated. The expanded basal space is suitable for iron oxide nanoparticles embedded. During the ion-exchanging and co-precipitating of iron species, there's an unwanted “crowding-out effect” that release POP molecules, which lead to the mag couldn't encapsulate iron oxide nanoparticles in a certain amount. The existence of high molecular weight POP4000 and low temperature (<4 °C) facilitate a better dispersion in reaction is adaptable for exchanging for Fe2+/Fe3+ ions and generating iron oxide nanoparticles. By changing the proportions of iron oxide and POP, the final synthesized POP4000-mag-iron oxide was constituted of 14% iron oxide and 60 wt % POP. The synthesized nanoparticles comprising of POP molecules and iron oxide could be applied as a crude oil absorbent due to its ability to absorb crude oil and it is recyclable under a magnetism.