Synergistic Effects of Mechanical Properties and Self-Healing in Borate-Based Hydrogen-Bond Dynamic Crosslinked Gels in High-Temperature Water-Based Drilling Fluids
- 1Engineering Research Center of Development and Management for Low to Ultra-Low Permeability Oil & Gas Reservoirs in West China (Xi’an Petroleum University), Ministry of Education, Xi’an 710065, China
- 2Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Advanced Stimulation Technology for Oil & Gas Reservoirs, Xi’an 710065, China
- 3Shaanxi Coal Geology Oil & Gas Drilling Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710048, China
Abstract
Engineering practices employ sealing materials such as rigid bridge plugs, cementation, and polymer gels to address leaking formations; however, each has limitations: particulate-based materials rely on a match between particle size and fracture width, while chemical cementation is constrained by temperature. Although polymer gels combine elasticity with filling capacity, conventional gels have a fixed crosslinked network prone to microcracking and volume loss under sudden load changes and high temperatures. This has prompted researchers to introduce self-healing gels with reversible crosslinking characteristics; yet, under extreme deep-well conditions, simultaneously achieving high mechanical strength, self-healing, and sufficient pressure-bearing capacity remains challenging. This study synthesized a self-healing gel through dynamic covalent crosslinking. High-temperature, high-pressure tests showed that a 5% gel achieved a burst pressure of 10 MPa at 120 °C. In cyclic tensile tests, the intact gel at 200% strain showed 37 kPa, whereas for gels lacking acrylamide or tannic acid components, the stress dropped to 5 kPa or lower, confirming that the crosslinked network confers excellent tensile properties and repeatable self-healing capability. In rheological experiments, after aging at 180 °C, the storage modulus (G’) of the gel remains at approximately 1000 Pa, maintaining its gel state and possessing high-temperature sealing potential. This gel offers a novel solution for sealing drilling leaks.
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BibTeX
@article{du2026synergistic,
title = {{Synergistic Effects of Mechanical Properties and Self-Healing in Borate-Based Hydrogen-Bond Dynamic Crosslinked Gels in High-Temperature Water-Based Drilling Fluids}},
author = {Leyao Du and Fan Zhang and Wenxiang Guo and Bo Jiang and Li Zhang and Xiaoli Ma and Liangbin Dou and Ziman Wei and Yongchao Wang and Jiahui Feng and Yongle Ren and Qi Li},
journal = {Molecules},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/molecules31203675},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/20/3675},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Synergistic Effects of Mechanical Properties and Self-Healing in Borate-Based Hydrogen-Bond Dynamic Crosslinked Gels in High-Temperature Water-Based Drilling Fluids
AU - Leyao Du
AU - Fan Zhang
AU - Wenxiang Guo
AU - Bo Jiang
AU - Li Zhang
AU - Xiaoli Ma
AU - Liangbin Dou
AU - Ziman Wei
AU - Yongchao Wang
AU - Jiahui Feng
AU - Yongle Ren
AU - Qi Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Molecules
DO - 10.3390/molecules31203675
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/20/3675
AB - Engineering practices employ sealing materials such as rigid bridge plugs, cementation, and polymer gels to address leaking formations; however, each has limitations: particulate-based materials rely on a match between particle size and fracture width, while chemical cementation is constrained by temperature. Although polymer gels combine elasticity with filling capacity, conventional gels have a fixed crosslinked network prone to microcracking and volume loss under sudden load changes and high temperatures. This has prompted researchers to introduce self-healing gels with reversible crosslinking characteristics; yet, under extreme deep-well conditions, simultaneously achieving high mechanical strength, self-healing, and sufficient pressure-bearing capacity remains challenging. This study synthesized a self-healing gel through dynamic covalent crosslinking. High-temperature, high-pressure tests showed that a 5% gel achieved a burst pressure of 10 MPa at 120 °C. In cyclic tensile tests, the intact gel at 200% strain showed 37 kPa, whereas for gels lacking acrylamide or tannic acid components, the stress dropped to 5 kPa or lower, confirming that the crosslinked network confers excellent tensile properties and repeatable self-healing capability. In rheological experiments, after aging at 180 °C, the storage modulus (G’) of the gel remains at approximately 1000 Pa, maintaining its gel state and possessing high-temperature sealing potential. This gel offers a novel solution for sealing drilling leaks.
SN - 1420-3049
ER -