Performance studies of GO/PF127 incorporated Polyetherimide Ultrafiltration membranes for the rejection of oil from oil wastewater

Recent advances in the applications of graphene materials for the oil and gas industry

Graphene is a material formed with carbon atoms connected by sp2 hybridization. It is extremely strong and very ductile, and is superhydrophobic and superlipophilic. It has important application prospects in materials science, micro and nano processing, energy, aerospace and biomedicine. Graphene also has some applications in the petroleum industry. As nanoscale materials, graphene-based materials can plug nano-pores and prevent water intrusion into clay minerals during the drilling process, they are suitable for sliding between layers and can be used as lubricants due to the two-dimensional structure. The adsorption properties of graphene-based materials allow them to improve the treatment rate when treating oily wastewater. This paper compiles recent advances in the application of graphene and its derivatives in oilfield extraction, including improving drilling fluid performance, enhanced oil recovery and oily wastewater treatment. We compare the performance advantages of graphene-based materials over other additives, and summarize the mechanism of action of graphene-based materials. The shortcomings of current research are identified and future research and improvement directions are envisaged.

GO-functionalized MXene towards superior anti-corrosion coating

MXene flakes shows the great potential in corrosion protection area owing to their lamellar structure and remarkable mechanical features. However, these flakes are highly susceptible to oxidation, which results in their structure degradation and restrict their application in anti-corrosion field. Herein, graphene oxide (GO) was used to functionalize Ti₃C₂T_x MXene through TiOC bonding to fabricate GO-Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheets, which proved by Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). GO-Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheet inclusion into the epoxy coating and their corrosion performance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution with 5 MPa pressure was evaluated through electrochemical techniques including open circuit potential (OCP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) along with salt spray. Results indicated that GO-Ti₃C₂T_x/EP presented superior anti-corrosion capability, the impedance modulus at low frequency (|Z|_{0.01 Hz}) was above 10⁸ Ω cm² after 8 days' immersion in 5 MPa environment, which was 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of the pure epoxy coating. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and salt spray images demonstrated that the epoxy coating loaded with GO-Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheet could provide robust corrosion protection for Q235 steel via the physical barrier effect.

Classification of Nanomaterials and the Effect of Graphene Oxide (GO) and Recently Developed Nanoparticles on the Ultrafiltration Membrane and Their Applications: A Review

The emergence of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) or nanocomposite membranes embedded with inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) has opened up a possibility for developing different polymeric membranes with improved physicochemical properties, mechanical properties and performance for resolving environmental and energy-effective water purification. This paper presents an overview of the effects of different hydrophilic nanomaterials, including mineral nanomaterials (e.g., silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and zeolite), metals oxide (e.g., copper oxide (CuO), zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), antimony tin oxide (ATO), iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3) and tungsten oxide (WO_X)), two-dimensional transition (e.g., MXene), metal-organic framework (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and carbon-based nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide (GO)). The influence of these nanoparticles on the surface and structural changes in the membrane is thoroughly discussed, in addition to the performance efficiency and antifouling resistance of the developed membranes. Recently, GO has shown a considerable capacity in wastewater treatment. This is due to its nanometer-sized holes, ultrathin layer and light and sturdy nature. Therefore, we discuss the effect of the addition of hydrophilic GO in neat form or hyper with other nanoparticles on the properties of different polymeric membranes. A hybrid composite of various NPs has a distinctive style and high-quality products can be designed to allow membrane technology to grow and develop. Hybrid composite NPs could be used on a large scale in the future due to their superior mechanical qualities. A summary and future prospects are offered based on the current discoveries in the field of mixed matrix membranes. This review presents the current progress of mixed matrix membranes, the challenges that affect membrane performance and recent applications for wastewater treatment systems.