Functionalized Ti₃C₂Tx MXene Nanosheets for Increased Emulsion Viscosity and Enhanced Heavy Oil Recovery

Heavy oil extraction is a challenging and energy-intensive process. Herein, Ti 3 AlC 2 was etched to obtain nanosheet layer Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene, which was then carboxylated and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted to obtain Ti 3 C 2 T x -COOH- g -PEG to increase viscosity for stabilizing SDBS emulsions. Morphological analysis confirmed the formation of a nanosheet layer structure, and structural analysis confirmed PEG grafting (21.50%). Crossover emulsification experiments demonstrated that Ti 3 C 2 T x -COOH- g -PEG at 0.3 mg/mL exhibited excellent resistance to mineralization, high temperatures, and elevated pH levels. Ti 3 C 2 T x -COOH- g -PEG improved the surfactant solubility under high mineralization conditions and reduced solution corrosiveness. Emulsion displacement tests proved the effectiveness of Ti 3 C 2 T x -COOH- g -PEG in enhancing the heavy oil recovery by 25.07%. Therefore, Ti 3 C 2 T x -COOH- g -PEG is an ideal emulsion stabilizer, offering substantial improvements in emulsification for enhancing oil recovery.