Design of Hybrid Porous Materials for Obtaining and Storage of Gas Hydrates

Abstract

—This study explores the potential of creating hybrid porous materials to develop gas storage and transport technologies based on gas hydrates. The research provides a brief overview of materials used as containers for producing and storing gas hydrates. It analyzes the properties of cellulose-based hydrate carriers using FT-IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and examines a methane hydrate growth in the proposed hybrid material based on cellulose and polystyrene. The mass fraction of water in the tested material was 44%. The rate of water-to-hydrate conversion during cyclic cooling of this material under a methane pressure of 9 MPa was 61.4%. Cellulose-based materials containing a hydrophobic component that maintains the mechanical strength of the system can be a viable carrier for the cyclic production and decomposition of gas hydrates. The obtained data are of great value for specialists involved in the hydrocarbon production and the study of gas hydrates, though also may be interesting for a broader audience.