Elastomer compositions with silane functionalized silica as reinforcing fillers

• US 9,403,962 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Tu, Huilin, Robisson, Agathe
• Primary Examiner(s): BUIE-HATCHER, NICOLE M
• Application Number:
  US13/335,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20130164154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 525/326.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 7/1804 Compounds having Si-O-C linkages Si-O-acyl linkages C07F7/1896
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2810/40 taking place solely at one end or both ends of the polymer backbone, i.e. not in the side or lateral chains
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/18 Introducing halogen atoms or halogen-containing groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/42 Introducing metal atoms or metal-containing groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/36 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 9/06 with silicon-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/12 containing fluorine atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/3072 Treatment with macro-molecular organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/3081 Treatment with organo-silicon compounds
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/00 Pumping installations or systems pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors F04B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2/1075 Construction of the stationary member
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2230/91 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2225/04 PTFE [PolyTetraFluorEthylene]

Abstract

Certain embodiments described herein are directed to silane functionalized fillers that may be, for example, covalently coupled to a polymer. In some examples, devices that include the filler reinforced polymer compositions are also described.

Claims

1. A composition suitable for use in high temperature downhole environments greater than 150°

C. comprising a fluoropolymer covalently coupled to a filler through a thermally stable silane coupling agent, the fluoropolymer comprising a cure site monomer incorporated therein, wherein the silane coupling agent is bonded to the cure site monomer of the fluropolymer and wherein the silane coupling agent has a chemically identical reactive moiety to the cure site monomer and wherein the filler is surface treated with the silane coupling agent; and

the cure site monomer is selected from one of bromine-containing olefins, bromine-containing vinyl ethers, iodine-containing olefins, iodine-containing vinyl ethers, fluorine-containing olefins having a nitrile group, fluorine-containing vinyl ethers having a nitrile group, and non-conjugated dienes.

2. The composition of claim 1, in which the fluoropolymer is synthesized using monomers selected from the group consisting of vinylidene fluoride (VDF), tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), hexafluoropropylene (HFP), chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), and a perfluoro(alkylvinyl ether) (PAVE).

3. The composition of claim 2, in which the filler is selected from the group consisting of precipitated silica, amorphous silica, vitreous silica, fumed silica, fused silica, quartz, glass, aluminum, aluminum-silicate, copper, tin, talc, inorganic oxides, steel, iron, asbestos, nickel, zinc, silver, lead, marble, chalk, gypsum, barites, graphite, carbon black, and treated carbon black.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the silane coupling agent has the formula Q_m-Si—

Z_n, where Q comprises one or more groups that can provide covalent attachment to the polymer, Z comprises one or more groups that can provide covalent attachment to the filler, and the sum of m+n is equal to four.

5. The composition of claim 4, wherein Q is —

R″

-G or —

CR′

₂—

CR′

—

R″

-G, where R′

is a hydrogen or a fluorine, R″

is a linear or branched C₁-C₁₈ alkyl group, optionally containing one or more ether oxygen atoms and optionally fluorinated, and G is a halogen, a nitrile group, or a vinyl group.

6. The composition of claim 1, in which all of the reactive sites of the filler are covalently coupled to the silane coupling agent.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the silane coupling agent has chemically identical reactive moiety as the pendant group of the cure site monomer.

8. A moving or progressive cavity motor or pump assembly having an inlet end and an outlet end for use in a downhole environment, the motor or pump comprising:

a housing;

a rotor and a stator disposed within the housing, wherein a surface of the rotor or the stator is made of an elastomer material to permit a seal to form between contacting surfaces of the rotor and the stator;

wherein the elastomer material comprises a fluoropolymer covalently coupled to a filler through a thermally stable silane coupling agent, wherein the silane coupling agent is bonded to a cure site moiety of the fluropolymer and wherein the silane coupling agent has a chemically identical reactive moiety to a cure site moiety of the fluoropolymer and wherein the filler is surface treated with the silane coupling agent.

9. The motor or pump of claim 8, in which the polymer is a fluoropolymer synthesized using monomers selected from the group consisting of vinylidene fluoride (VDF), tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), hexafluoropropylene (HFP), chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), and a perfluoro(alkylvinyl ether) (PAVE).

10. The motor or pump of claim 9, in which the filler is selected from the group consisting of precipitated silica, amorphous silica, vitreous silica, fumed silica, fused silica, quartz, glass, aluminum, aluminum-silicate, copper, tin, talc, inorganic oxides, steel, iron, asbestos, nickel, zinc, silver, lead, marble, chalk, gypsum, barites, graphite, carbon black, and treated carbon black.

11. The motor or pump of claim 8, wherein the silane coupling agent has the formula Q_m-Si—

Z_n, where Q comprises one or more groups that can provide covalent attachment to the polymer, Z comprises one or more groups that can provide covalent attachment to the filler, and the sum of m+n is equal to four.

12. The motor or pump of claim 11, wherein Q is —

R″

-G or —

CR′

₂—

CR′

—

R″

-G, where R′

is a hydrogen or a fluorine, R″

is a linear or branched C₁-C₁₈ alkyl group, optionally containing one or more ether oxygen atoms and optionally fluorinated, and G is a halogen, a nitrile group, or a vinyl group.

13. The motor or pump of claim 8, wherein the fluoropolymer comprises a cure site monomer incorporated therein.

14. The motor or pump of claim 13, wherein the silane coupling agent has chemically identical reactive moiety as the pendant group of the cure site monomer.

15. The motor or pump of claim 13, wherein the cure site monomer is selected from one of bromine-containing olefins, bromine-containing vinyl ethers, iodine-containing olefins, iodine-containing vinyl ethers, fluorine-containing olefins having a nitrile group, fluorine-containing vinyl ethers having a nitrile group, and non-conjugated dienes.