Effects of comb polyester copolymers on the cold performance of diesel

Abstract

The application of diesel, which is a key energy source, in cold climates is limited by its poor low-temperature flowability. Addressing this critical issue, this study designed and synthesized a series of novel comb shaped pour point depressants. This work showed how to synthesize and characterize three innovative copolymers: binary systems comprising tetradecyl methacrylate (C₁₄MC) with either dioctyl maleate (DOM) or vinyl benzoate (VB), and C₁₄MC-DOM, C₁₄MC-VB and C₁₄MC-DOM-VB were synthesized by integrating the three structural units mentioned above. The outcomes of the experiment show that adding the ternary copolymers(C₁₄MC-DOM-VB), particularly with a molar composition of 15:1:1 and the addition amount of 2000 ppm, improves the cold flow characteristics of diesel significantly, as shown by a decrease of 21 °C in solidification point and 12 °C in cold filter plugging point, respectively. Mechanistic investigations suggest that the comb-like structure and inclusion of benzene rings within the ternary copolymers furnish a multitude of nucleation sites, thereby more effectively disrupting the formation of extensive wax crystals. These mechanistic insights are substantiated by an array of analytical techniques, including rheologic analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy.