Zwitterionic Polymer Gel Fracturing Fluid with Molecular Interface Regulation for Pretreatment-Free Flowback Recycling.

ABSTRACT: High salinity and hardness in flowback fluids from tight reservoirs severely degrade the performance of conventional fracturing fluids, leading to formation damage and imposing major constraints on water recycling. An innovative in situ molecular interface regulation strategy that bypasses the need for costly pretreatment was proposed. A novel zwitterionic polymer was synthesized by grafting trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) onto hydrolyzed polyacrylamide. This hydrolyzed polyacrylamide grafted with trimethylamine N-oxide polymer (HPAMT) leverages zwitterionic TMAO groups to form a robust hydration layer approximately 0.25 nm thick on the polymer chains. Each TMAO group can immobilize up to 22.2 water molecules, effectively shielding the polymer from the detrimental effects of ions like Ca

SUBMITTER: Wang Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12940335 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature