Abstract: A polymer-nanofiller hydrogel including polymer hydrogel and nanofiller. The nanofiller is or includes nanosand. A method for forming the polymer-nanofiller hydrogel. A method of treating a wellbore in a subterranean formation, including applying a polymer-nanofiller hydrogel to the wellbore.

Abstract: A polymer-nanofiller hydrogel including polymer hydrogel and nanofiller. The nanofiller is or includes nanosand. A method for forming the polymer-nanofiller hydrogel. A method of treating a wellbore in a subterranean formation, including applying a polymer-nanofiller hydrogel to the wellbore.

Abstract: A polymer composite hydrogel includes a polymer composite, water, an organic crosslinker, and a salt. The polymer composite includes a nanosheet filler dispersed throughout a polymerized polyacrylamide. The nanosheet filler includes one or more of zirconium hydroxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, graphene oxide, non-functionalized graphene, and hexagonal boron nitride. Further, a weight ratio of the nanosheet filler to the polymerized polyacrylamide is between 1:99 and 1:9. The polymer composite hydrogel includes 0.5 to 6 weight percent of the polymer composite and 0.25 to 5 weight percent of the salt, the salt being a monovalent salt, a divalent salt, or a combination of monovalent and divalent salts. A method of preparing a polymer composite, a method of preparing a polymer composite hydrogel for water shutoff applications, and the associated method of forming a barrier to shut off or reduce unwanted production of water in a subterranean formation is also provided.

Abstract: A method of preparing a polymer composite includes dispersing a nanosheet filler within a polymer matrix by dissolving a monomer in water to form a first solution, dispersing the nanosheet filler in an organic solvent in the presence of an emulsifying agent to form a second solution, combining the first solution and the second solution, and adding a polymerization initiator to initiate a polymerization reaction of the monomer to form a polymer composite precursor comprising the nanosheet filler dispersed in the polymer matrix. The method further includes quenching the polymerization reaction and then filtering, washing, grinding, and drying the polymer composite precursor to form the polymer composite. A method of preparing a polymer composite hydrogel for water shutoff applications and the associated method of forming a barrier to shut off or reduce unwanted production of water in a subterranean formation utilizing the polymer composite hydrogel is also provided.

Abstract: A method of preparing a polymer composite includes dispersing a nanosheet filler within a polymer matrix by dissolving a monomer in water to form a first solution, dispersing the nanosheet filler in an organic solvent in the presence of an emulsifying agent to form a second solution, combining the first solution and the second solution, and adding a polymerization initiator to initiate a polymerization reaction of the monomer to form a polymer composite precursor comprising the nanosheet filler dispersed in the polymer matrix. The method further includes quenching the polymerization reaction and then filtering, washing, grinding, and drying the polymer composite precursor to form the polymer composite. A method of preparing a polymer composite hydrogel for water shutoff applications and the associated method of forming a barrier to shut off or reduce unwanted production of water in a subterranean formation utilizing the polymer composite hydrogel is also provided.

Abstract: A polymer composite hydrogel includes a polymer composite, water, an organic crosslinker, and a salt. The polymer composite includes a nanosheet filler dispersed throughout a polymerized polyacrylamide. The nanosheet filler includes one or more of zirconium hydroxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, graphene oxide, non-functionalized graphene, and hexagonal boron nitride. Further, a weight ratio of the nanosheet filler to the polymerized polyacrylamide is between 1:99 and 1:9. The polymer composite hydrogel includes 0.5 to 6 weight percent of the polymer composite and 0.25 to 5 weight percent of the salt, the salt being a monovalent salt, a divalent salt, or a combination of monovalent and divalent salts. A method of preparing a polymer composite, a method of preparing a polymer composite hydrogel for water shutoff applications, and the associated method of forming a barrier to shut off or reduce unwanted production of water in a subterranean formation is also provided.