High Temperature Elastomeric Materials

Current elastomeric materials lack sufficient stability in harsh downhole environments. New elastomeric materials must be developed which address unmet performance, reliability, and durability requirements of existing materials in order to promote greater advancements in subsurface energy applications. During this development program, Tetramer will synthesize new cross-linkable fluorinated elastomers capable of withstanding the harsh conditions of downhole environments. Combinations of readily modifiable building blocks will permit precise tuning of the elastomeric properties of the polymers. The development of a new, thermally stable elastomeric material will be achieved during Phase I through four objectives. The first two objectives focus on the functionality of the polymer chemistry used to develop thermally stability oligomers with good elastomeric properties while the third objective is primarily oriented around the development of a curing/crosslinking agent and the fourth objective is characterization of the new elastomers. The Phase I work plan will focus upon thermal stability, durability, and development of a robust crosslinking mechanism that will enable genesis and refinement of knowledge base through which final materials will be selected and optimized for field applications. In addition to the reduced cost of energy production geothermal in particular) the materials developed will provide replacement elastomers for a diverse range of other applications. Elastomers see wide use in various markets and this disruptive technology could catalyze great innovation in automotive, construction, healthcare, and many other market segments.