ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Optimization of nanofluid stability using response surface methodology: a study on PAM/sodium alginate-ZnO systems

Zeeshan Ali Lashari, Shaine Mohammadali Lalji, Kousar Parveen, Muhammad Furqan Qureshi, Saima Nasreen, Jameel M. Al-Khayri, Othman Al-Dossary, Bader Alsubaie, Wael Fathi Shehata, and Mustafa I. Almaghasla

Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

E-mail: zalashari@duet.edu.pk

Received: 9 July 2025  Accepted: 6 August 2025

Abstract:

Worldwide, the application of polymer and nanotechnology in the field of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has raised remarkably, and nanofluid has been broadly employed in reservoirs to boost the hydrocarbon recovery. An laboratorial examination was conducted with salinity (NaCl 2.0 wt%) to observe the changes with the addition of zinc oxide (ZnO) to prepare nanofluid with polyacrylamide (PAM) and sodium alginate. To fully understand the nanofluid, an analysis was conducted utilizing FTIR, SEM, EDX, and XRD of ZnO. Under room temperature conditions, the effects of sodium alginate concentration (0.30—0.50 wt%) and ZnO concentrations (0.05–0.40 wt%) in brine solution (NaCl 2.0 wt%) were examined. Additionally, the nanofluid was prepared with PAM concentration (0.30–0.50 wt%) and ZnO concentrations (0.05–0.40 wt%) in same brine solution. The SEM was conducted of both nanofluids to investigate the stability of ZnO nanoparticles under saline conditions. Moreover, the effect of salt on viscosity was explored. The optimum/critical concentrations of sodium alginate and PAM 0.40 wt% and ZnO 0.35 wt% were observed at salinity conditions (NaCl 2.0 wt%). Statistical analysis using full factorial and ANOVA analysis were used to validate the results, and it was revealed that the nanofluid prepared employing sodium alginate (0.40 wt%) and ZnO (0.35 wt%) with salinity NaCl (2.0 wt%) is stable and useful for enhancing oil production in contrast to nanofluid that was prepared with PAM (0.40 wt%) and ZnO (0.30 wt%) under same saline concentration.

Keywords: Sodium alginate; Zinc oxide; Low salinity; Nanofluid; Enhanced oil recovery

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04311-1

Chemical Papers 79 (11) 8131–8143 (2025)