Synthesis And Evaluation Of Polymers As Cold Flow Improvers In Diesel Fuels

To obtain efficient cold flow improvers for diesel fuels, this study prepares a series of polymers (MC-MA, MC-MA-a) and terpolymers (MC-MA-MCNR2, MC-MA-MCNR2-a) derived from long-chain alkyl (i.e., tetradecyl, hexadecyl, octodecyl) methacrylate (MC), maleic anhydride (MA), methacrylamide (MCNR2). All products are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and gel permeation chromatography. To develop these cold flow improvers further, this study also investigates their performance mechanisms, such as solid point (SP) and cold filter plugging point (CFPP) depression. Furthermore, the interactions between such additives and wax crystals are clarified through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing light microscopy, XRD and rheological mechanics to explore the mechanism of these polymers. Results show that polymers additives do not completely prevent wax precipitation; instead, they merely shift this precipitation toward a decreased temperature.All of the polymers significantly reduce the solid points of 0# diesel fuel samples. Among them, the mixture of C14MC-MA-MCNR2 with C18MC-MA-MCNR2 at a molar ratio of 1:1 displayed the best performance and depressed SP and CFPP by 26℃ and 11℃, respectively.