Optimization of the Preparation Process of Crosslinked Polyvinyl Alcohol and Its Thermal Stability in Cementing Slurry.

This study focuses on addressing the limitations of fluid loss additive in cement slurry under higher temperatures. The synthesis process of glutaraldehyde-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was optimized to develop an efficient fluid loss additive for oil well cement slurries. Using one-factor experiments and the uniform design method, the optimal synthesis parameters were established: a reaction temperature of 50 °C; an acid concentration of 1 mol/L; a PVA mass concentration of 8%; a molar ratio of glutaraldehyde to PVA hydroxyl group of 1.47; and a crosslinking degree of 1.49%. The optimized crosslinked PVA demonstrated the ability to control API fluid loss within 50 mL when applied at 1% concentration in cement slurry under conditions of 30-110 °C and 6.9 MPa. Rheological analysis at medium and high temperatures revealed improved slurry properties, including smooth thickening curves and unaffected compressive strength. Further analyses, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Zeta potential testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealed that the crosslinked PVA hydrogel remained thermally stable up to 260 °C. Chemical crosslinking transformed the linear PVA into a network structure, enhancing its molecular weight, viscoelasticity, and thermal stability. This thermal resistance mechanism is attributed to the hydrogel's high-strength reticular structure which forms a uniform, dense, and highly stable adsorption layer, thereby improving both the additive's efficiency and the hydrogel's temperature resistance.