Influência de complexos polieletrolíticos de quitosana-goma xantana com nanosílica nas propriedades tecnológicas de fluidos de perfuração aquosos

Abstract

The incorporation of inorganic nanomaterials into polymer chains leads to the formation of new materials with specific characteristics and different from those presented by the originating materials. These materials are referred to as polymeric hybrid materials. The incorporation of nanosilica into the polymer chains of chitosan in the formation of the hybrid material of nanosilica-chitosan was the initial target of this work, being observed a significant influence of the process of obtaining, in the thermal properties and in the behavior in aqueous medium of these materials. The nanosilica-chitosan hybrid materials were also used as precursors in the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes, with the use of xanthan gum as polyanion, which, according to the results obtained from the viscoelastic behavior, provide the formation of a more structured three-dimensional network, when compared to the polyelectrolyte complex composed only of xanthan gum and chitosan. Both materials were applied in aqueous drilling fluids, providing an increase in apparent viscosity, which promotes the entrainment of gravel produced during the drilling of oil wells, providing the same cleaning efficiency. In relation to the filtration control of the drilling systems, the hybrid materials of nanosilica-chitosan presented reduction of the filtrate volume due to the formation of a less permeable filter cake. Similar result was also observed at high temperature (90 oC). In turn, the polyelectrolyte complexes presented similar behavior to the hybrid materials, that is low filter loss.