A polymeric surfactant (PFSA) was synthesized by the aqueous free-radical copolymerization using acrylamide, sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonate, allyl-capped octylphenoxy poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with the polymerization degree of 20 (AOP) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoro-1-decyl p-vinylbenzyl ether (VF). PFSA exhibited both the good surface and interfacial activities and the thickening behaviour. It could be used in enhanced oil recovery to increase both sweep and oil displacement efficiencies. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of PFSA was 0.1 g l−1 in aqueous solution. The spherical micelles with the diameter of 100 nm were formed at CMC, and numerous compact worm-shaped micelles were observed above CMC. The interfacial tension was 0.027 mN m−1 for the 0.1 g l−1 PFSA solution containing 5 g l−1 NaCl and 0.209 g l−1 SDBS. The PFSA solutions still showed low interfacial tensions at high NaCl concentrations and temperatures, respectively, because of the incorporation of both VF and AOP containing long PEO.

Two novel monomers, 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoro-1-decyl p-vinylbenzyl ether (VF) and allyl-capped octylphenoxy poly­(ethylene oxide) with the polymerization degree of 4 (AE), were synthesized. The polymeric surfactants (PAF) were synthesized with acrylamide, sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate, AE, and VF. PAF could be expected to be applied in enhanced oil recovery to reduce water film on rock surface and interfacial tension for the oil reservoirs with the permeability of 100–10 (10–3 μm2). The introduction of VF together with AE causes PAF to display good interfacial activity and the reduction in wettability of aqueous solutions. Spherical nanometer micelles were formed, and CMC is 0.5 g L–1 in aqueous PAF solutions. The contact angle increased from 50.63° of pure water to 70.71° of 0.2 g L–1 PAF, and the interfacial tension was 0.009 mN m–1 for the 0.1 g L–1 PAF solution with 5 g L–1 NaCl and 0.3 g L–1 PS.

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