ACS PRF | ACS
All e-Annual Reports
43009-G9
Drag Reduction in Petroleum Pipelines by Nano Ultra-Oleophobic (NUO) Surfaces
Short Statement of Program Goals:
The goals are to develop science, modeling, and fabrication technologies of Nano Ultra-Oleophobic (NUO) surfaces, which a hybrid surface to lift up the fluids and thereby reduce flow friction for petroleum pipeline transportation.
Accomplishments (September 2006 – August 2007)
A dynamic contact angle measurement system was obtained by this ACS PRF. Collaborative projects with Dr. Huang in Food Science department at Rutgers and Dr. Teh at San Francisco State University have been developed.
Two major results have been obtained during this period:
The first is the continuous effort from our last year study, in which a systematic approach to characterize the bonding strength of polymeric material has been developed. A M.S. thesis, three conference publications and one journal submission (under preparation) have been produced.
The second result, in part supported by the supplementary grant for summer research fellow (2007 SRF), is to control the surface topologies of conducting polymer – Polypyrrole (PPy).
We have demonstrated the potential-induced surface morphological changes in PPy and characterized the change in surface properties by means of contact angle measurements and AFM. Figure 1 shows the three-dimensional AFM graphs in tapping mode and surface roughness of the films at various applied potentials. As evident by the AFM graphs, the surface roughness of as-deposited PPy in Figure 1(a) decreased slightly when the film was subject to an applied negative voltage in Figure 1(b). However, when the positive voltages were applied, there is a substantial increase in surface roughness, as seen in Figures 1(c) and (d).
Compared to other surface coatings, PPy has the advantage that it can be easily deposited and subsequently modified via an applied electric potential. Such ease of preparation and surface modification could be beneficial to the nano-structured surface development for (1) biomedical implant industry, and (2) Nano Ultra-Oleophobic (NUO) surface to reduce flow friction for petroleum pipeline transportation.
