Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) based epoxy/ silica hybrid materials filled with various amounts of 3glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and silica nanoparticles were prepared, using 4,4 0 -diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) as curing agent. The obtained hybrid materials were analyzed by means of Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results indicated that the introduction of GPTMS and silica nanoparticles had synergistic effect. The addition of GPTMS not only ameliorated the compatibility between silica and the epoxy matrix but also increased the crosslinking density of the epoxy system; meanwhile the nano-silica further reinforced the inorganic network of the hybrid system. Consequently, the hybrid materials showed much improved heat-resistant properties. The storage modulus of the hybrid systems showed no obvious decrement in the glass transition region and kept at a high value even in the temperature region up to 3008C. The integral thermal stability of the resulting hybrid materials was also improved compared with the corresponding pure epoxy resin. POLYM. ENG.

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A pilot test of in-situ combustion (ISC) was carried out in Jiang oil field, Junggar basin, China, and a favorable result was obtained. In this work, we systematically studied the changes of crude oil properties during the combustion process. Crude oils were characterized by means of rheology test, SARA (saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes) fractionation and analyses, CHNO elemental analyses, and acid number (AN) measurements. Furthermore, analyses of FTIR and GC-MS on the resins were carried out to investigate the functional groups and polar compounds. Moreover, influence of particular inclined formations and sampling wells’ locations are also considered to interpret the effects of ISC process in the field. During the fireflood process, the crude oil’s viscosity reduced significantly and the reduction varied according to different sampling wells with different dip angles and distances. The crude oil was greatly upgraded based on SARA fractions analyses. The content of saturates varied among those wells, and a higher value happened and was accompanied by the decrease of aromatics content during the early stage of ISC. Non-hydrocarbons content increased within the period of 4 years of investigation. It was found that the greater the asphaltenes content is, the higher will be the oil recovery (OR) obtained. The AN of oil increased remarkably during the ISC process. To some extent, the CHNO contents and H/C and O/C ratios of the oil samples could reflect the degree of oil modification; however, these values had not been found to correlate with the production performance. Polar compounds in the resins fraction such as carboxylic acids, ketones, and alcohols are detected, and the polar compounds that contribute to the increase of AN values of oils could be mostly from short-chain carboxylic acids, alkylphenols, and long-chain fatty acids.

The research on the flowability of waxy oil has spanned more than a century and is still attracting much attention. How to improve the flowability of waxy oil to ensure safe and efficient pipeline transportation and storage is of great practical importance for the industry. In this work, we have systematically reviewed the research advances in improving the flowability of waxy oil. First, the crystallization properties and phase behavior of waxes are described based on their chemical structure, thermodynamic properties, and solution phase properties, with emphasis on the solventized layer properties of wax crystals. Then, the mechanisms, process, and research progress in flow improvement of waxy oil are discussed from three major aspects: process improvement, equipment improvement, and chemical treatment, with emphasis on the summary of waxy oil pour point depressants in recent years. The remaining challenges and perspectives for future research on flow improvement of waxy oil are presented.