Study of poly (acrylamide/sodium alpha-olefin sulfonate/tea saponin)-polyhedrol oligomerie silsesquioxan (POSS) nanomaterial (FAP)

Emerging carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies have driven the development of advanced nanocomposite materials. In this study, a novel polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-based nanomaterial, referred to as FAP, was synthesized using acrylamide, sodium α-olefin sulfonate, and tea saponin as monomers. The structure of the material was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and silicon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 29 Si NMR), revealing a well-defined cage-like cubic architecture. TEM images clearly displayed the cage-like structure of the POSS material in FAP, while energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the presence of silicon (Si) elements. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the incorporation of POSS materials improved the thermal resistance of FAP. The nanomaterials significantly improved the foaming performance and foam stability. The foam generated by FAP reached a height of 480 mL, with a half-life of 10 h under conditions of 120 °C and a salinity of 100,000 mg L −1 , showing excellent properties. Furthermore, the foam was regenerable in the presence of 20 % kerosene and maintained good foaming performance. Microscopic mechanism analysis indicated that the POSS nanomaterials compressed the electrical double layer of the polymer, reduced the particle size, increased the liquid film thickness, and markedly improved the foam stability. Under the influence of activators, the gel viscosity of FAP exceeded 100 mPa s, which significantly improved the underground sealing efficiency of CO 2 . The novel nanocomposite material exhibited integrated capabilities for CO 2 foaming, foam stabilization, and storage. The optimal concentration of the FAP foaming agent was 0.75 %, resulting in a 32.75 % increase in recovery efficiency, a resistance factor of 18.9, and a CO 2 storage rate of 12.59 %. The development of this nanocomposite material provides technological support for effectively mitigation of CO 2 channeling during CO 2 flooding and promotes the wider application of CO 2 flooding technology.