Sugar-Modified Activation Fluid for Shape Memory Polymer Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for deploying shape memory polymers in downhole environments rely on thermal activation, which can be unsafe due to the need for high-temperature fluids, and there is a desire for alternatives that raise the flash points of deployment fluids to enhance safety.

Innovation Solution

A method involving an activation fluid with sugars like fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose, or maltose is used to decrease the glass transition temperature of shape memory polymers, allowing for deployment without increasing the environmental temperature, and the fluid's flash point is raised to enhance safety by adding sugars, thereby changing the mechanical properties of the polymer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If thermal activation is used to deploy shape memory polymers, then the polymer can recover its original shape, but the safety of handling deployment fluids deteriorates due to high-temperature requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment reliabilityVSAvoidsafety hazards from high-temperature fluids

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the activation parameter from temperature to chemical composition by using activation fluids with specific sugars (fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose, or maltose) that lower the glass transition temperature of the shape memory polymer through chemical interaction rather than thermal energy, thereby avoiding high-temperature hazards while achieving reliable deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the thermal activation mechanism with a chemical activation mechanism where sugars in the activation fluid interact with the polymer chains to reduce glass transition temperature, substituting thermal energy with chemical interaction to achieve shape recovery without high-temperature fluids

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If activation fluids are used to lower glass transition temperature, then deployment safety improves, but the flash point of the fluid must be raised to maintain safety

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety from thermal activationVSAvoidfluid safety handling

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite activation fluid system combining water-based solvents with specific sugars (fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose, or maltose) that work synergistically to lower the polymer's glass transition temperature while the sugar components simultaneously raise the fluid's flash point, achieving both deployment effectiveness and safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The sugars in the activation fluid serve multiple functions: they act as plasticizers to lower the glass transition temperature of the shape memory polymer enabling deployment, and simultaneously raise the flash point of the activation fluid itself, providing dual benefits of effective activation and enhanced safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables the rapid and selective deployment of shape memory polymers from a deformed to an original shape by lowering the glass transition temperature with the activation fluid, avoiding thermal activation and improving the safety of handling the deployment fluids by raising their flash points.

Implementation Method 1

contacting the shape memory polymer with an activation fluid to decrease the glass transition temperature of the shape memory polymer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasticization:

Implementation Method 2

The activation fluid comprises a sugar present in an amount effective to raise a flash point of the activation fluid by at least 2° F. (1.1° C.)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlash point elevation:

Data Source

PatentUS9878486B2High flash point fluids for in situ plasticization of polymers

Publication Date: 2018.01.30 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

An in situ method to deploy and/or plasticize a shape-memory material in order to change the material's physical dimensions and/or mechanical properties, includes a method for deploying a shape memory polymer having a deformed or compressed shape in an environment at a first temperature, the shape memory polymer having a first glass transition temperature which is greater than the first temperature. The method also includes contacting the shape memory polymer with an activation fluid in an amount effective to decrease the glass transition temperature of the shape memory polymer from the first glass transition temperature to a second glass transition temperature which is less than or equal to the first temperature, where the activation fluid comprises a sugar present in an amount effective to raise a flash point of the activation fluid.