Influence of Different Vinyl Acetate Contents on the Properties of the Copolymer of Ethylene and Vinyl Acetate/Modified Nano-SiO2 Composite Pour-Point Depressant

Nanohybrid pour-point depressants (PPDs) were prepared by organically modified nano-SiO2 in copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) with various vinyl acetate contents. The effects of nanohybrid PPDs on the cold-flow properties of 25 wt % wax model oil were evaluated. The crystallization behavior and crystal morphology of the model oil at low temperatures were also observed using polarized optical microscopy. The results indicated that the co-crystallization and dispersion effects of EVA on wax crystals are the key factors in determining the heterogeneous nucleation effect of the nanohybrid PPDs. The vinyl acetate content in EVA strongly affects the compatibility between the modified nanosilica and EVA. As a result, the selection of an appropriate EVA according to the oils used and the compatibility factor is important. In this work, EVA (VA = 32%)/modified nano-SiO2 composite PPD [N-SiPPD(32)] provided the best cold-flow improvement for the model oil when doped at 500 ppm. The pour point of the model oil was reduced from 34 to 5 °C, which resulted in a regular, diamond-shaped, and uniform arrangement of wax morphologies.