Identifying the mechanisms behind the stability of silica nano- and micro-particles: Effects of particle size, electrolyte concentration and type of ionic species

Silica nanofluids have emerged as promising agents for various applications, such as water treatment, CO2 absorption, and chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR). However, their effectiveness can be hindered when transported through porous media, especially in challenging downhole environments. Aggregation of nanofluid suspensions can damage formation integrity, and brine fluids may unintentionally transport fine micro silica particles, warranting an in-depth examination of micro-particle behavior and stability. This study synthesized silica particles of different sizes (10 nm, 50 nm, 1 μm and 2 μm) and meticulously characterized them using advanced techniques of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. Subsequently, 560 combinations (in 5 series of 112 experiments) of micro- and nano-fluids in the presence of four different salts (NaCl, CaCl2, MgSO4 and MgCl2) were prepared. The stability and sedimentation of these combinations were investigated based on zeta potential, particle size, pH, electrical conductivity, and UV-spectrophotometry. The results indicated that sodium ions were effective for maintaining suspension stability at lower salt concentrations, while magnesium ions were preferred for higher salinities. Particle size increase led to instability at low salinities but stability at high salinities, where enthalpy dominated over entropy. Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) modeling accurately predicted particle interactions and aggregation tendencies. This investigation enhanced the understanding of the mechanisms governing silica particle stability through diverse analytical methods, addressing their limitations. The analysis of UV data over time revealed insights into sedimentation and aggregation kinetics. In summary, this study comprehensively explored the behavior and stability of silica particles in nano- and micro-fluids, shedding light on their performance in applications ranging from enhanced oil recovery to water treatment.