SUMMARY

Energy Scenario

Hydrogen Economy

Soft matter

Other topics

Soft Matter		Click on the picture to enlarge it
Organo-clay suspensions In the petroleum industry we utilize clay to control the rheology of non-aqueous fluids. Two examples are grease products and the drilling mud used in oil well drilling. In both applications, hydrophobic, organoclays are employed, which are treated with cationic surfactants to compatibilize their hydrophilic cores with the surrounding oil.	Although these materials are widely used, the nature of the resulting gel-like structures and the complex interactions that drive their formation are not well understood. To better understand these materials, we have undertaken studies on the rheology and structure of organoclay suspensions in simple organic fluids. These studies included SANS, WAXS, and optical microscopy.Such a variety of probes are necessary because these suspensions form structures on several length scales.		Hubert E. King, Jr. Corporate Strategic Research Chemical Sciences Laboratory ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co. 1545 Route 22 East Annandale, NJ 08801 (908)730-2888 hubert.e.king@exxonmobil.com
Wax crystal modification Paraffins are major components of crude oils and of middle distillate fuels. They are energetically desirable but crystallise at low temperatures thereby severely modifying the rheological properties. Crystallisation may result in gelling preventing the flow of the fuel, in plugging of filters or inhibiting the recovery of crude oil from deep sea reservoirs. Polymeric additives are used in order to reduce the gelling temperature and to allow the fuel to pass filters.	Neutrons can help to develop polymeric additives, in order to control crystallisation of paraffin waxes. Two examples; - Selfassembling diblockcopolymers containing a crystallisable and an amorphous component. The additive has been explored and optimized with the aid of small angle neutron scattering and is a good example on what neutron scattering can do in order to assess and understand a multicomponent complex fluid. - Random copolymers made from crystallisable and amorphous sections which may be tuned in their ability to modify wax crystallisation.		Dieter Richter Research Centre Jülich Institute of Solid State Research Neutron Scattering 52425 Jülich Germany Phone:+49 2461 61 2499 Fax:+49 2461 61 2610 D.Richter@fz-juelich.de
Neutrons for Energy Recovery in Gas and Oil Production The control mechanisms involved in the modification of wax crystal dimensions in crude oils and refined fuels are of joint scientific and practical interest. An understanding of these mechanisms allows strategies to be developed that lead to decreases in crude oil pour points or (for refined fuels) cold filter plugging points. The attainment of these goals involves the control and modification of wax crystals that spontaneously form in mixed hydrocarbon systems upon decreasing temperature.	Polymers for Control of Paraffin/Wax Gelation Micro-crystalline polymers offer superior control of wax gelation. Neutron scattering/polymer synthesis crucial for investigation of structure and gelation. Rules for tuning polymer aggregation and wax crystallization have been developed. Polymeric Micelles for Flow in Porous Media. Neutron scattering under flow has been performed using contrast matching. Orientation of surfactant micelles are observed.		Robert K. Prud'homme Department of Chemical Engineering Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey 08544 USA prudhomm@princeton.edu